Rooting for You - The Only Hair Oiling Guide You Need

sejal prasad
Jul 8
6 min read

Updated: Jul 10

Let me tell you a story, a tragic tangled tale of three characters -

me, my mom, and my curly hair.

Now if you think "curly" equals bouncy ringlets in those shampoo ads? you've clearly never met a 6 yr old me with a head full of frizz, knots and betrayal :)

My hair had one mission - to ruin my mornings.

And my mom had one weapon - a plastic comb.

The battlefield? Our dining chair.

The casualties? My peace and her patience.

We fought. Every. Single. Day.

She tugged. I cried. She yelled. I screamed.

And then entered a fourth character.

The og - Parachute coconut oil ✨

Blue bottle. Big heart.

It was a game changer. The comb glided. The tears reduced. The knots surrendered.

From that moment on, oiling wasn't a chore, it was our thing. Our ritual.

A "let me fix your hair and your feelings" kind of moment.

And that's where my love story with hair oiling began.

What You'll Find in This Post -

Where It All Started - a quick rewind into the roots of oiling
Why Oiling is Still THAT Girl - the benefits that make sense
Types of Oils & What They Do - carrier vs essential, frizz-fighter vs growth boosters, and what suits your hair best.
Bad Oiling Habits You've Probably Already Done - no overnight oil soaks!
Good Oiling Practices
Busting Hair Oiling Myths - do not blindly believe influencers plsokaythanks :)
Extra Special Message for the Brand Hiring Folks

Where Did Hair Oiling Even Come From?

Don't worry, I'm not giving you a history (or rather Herstory) lecture. Just vibes & facts.

Turns out, oiling hair wasn't something invented by Pinterest or TikTok girlies. It's been around for thousands of years, way before we had these cute dropper bottles and "pre shampoo oil treatments".

In India, it was called Shiro Abhyanga - a full blown scalp massage ritual with warm oil, herbs and your mom's strong fingers. Meanwhile in Egypt, queens were slathering castor oil under their wigs like royalty. The Greeks used olive oil not just on their salad, but on their heads too.

Honestly, everyone was doing it. Why? Because they knew it worked. It wasn't just about hair looking shiny. It was care, connection & culture.

And somehow, all that got lost between dry shampoos, leave-ins, "skip wash day" hacks. So its time we got this back!

So... Why Even Oil Your Hair?

Short answer? Because your scalp deserves love.

Long answer? Because oiling is basically therapy, but cheaper.

Here's what is actually going down when you oil your hair (besides the smell of nostalgia)

Boosts Blood Flow to Your Roots 💗
That little head massage you give while oiling? Its not just relaxing, it also increases blood circulation to your scalp.
More blood = more oxygen = happy hair follicles = hello growth
Seals In Moisture 💧
Oils form a thin layer over your hair strands and scalp, keeping the moisture in and dryness out.
Especially if you've got curly, or heat damaged hair, this is a game changer!
Reduces Breakage and Split Ends 🧬
Some oils, like coconut & argan, actually penetrate the hair shaft & reduce protein loss. So when you're crying over the random mid length snaps? This is how you stop them.
Helps With Dandruff & Itchiness 🌱
Tea tree oil, neem oil, even our OG coconut, they've anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory powers.
Oil = no flaky scalp = wow hair

So yeah, oiling your hair is kinda like taking it out for therapy, hydration & protective shield, all in one go!

Meet The Oils, And What They Actually Do

Oils are like friends, they all have different strengths.

Some hydrate, some strengthen, some just smell expensive🤡

Let's break them down into two categories -

Carrier Oils - The Ride or Die

These are the main oils. You use them in quantity, directly on your scalp and strands. They're chill, non-irritating, and make up the base of most DIYs.

Oil	Strengthen Hair	Deep Moisture	Dandruff Control	Shine/ Softness	Growth Boost	Lightweight
Coconut	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
Almond	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌	✅
Avocado	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌
Argan	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Castor	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌
Grapeseed	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Jojoba	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
Olive	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Amla/ Neem	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌

Essential Oils - The Mighty Add Ons

You only need a few drops mixed into carrier oil, these are potent, fragrant, and a liiiiiittle dramatic (just like me on wash days 🥲)

🌿Rosemary - kinda works like minoxidil but naturally, growth, volume & restarting your hairline's career

🍃Tea Tree - anti-fungal, for itchy, oily, flaky scalp days

🪻Lavender - for calming your scalp (and your soul) & helps with stress :)

🥬Peppermint - improves blood flow, for that tingling, fresh AF feeling

🌾Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Lemongrass - for balancing oil, calming inflammation, and smelling like an expensive garden :)

The Hair Oiling Crimes

STAHP doing these -

🚫 Drenching Your Hair like a Pakoda

Gurl? No. No deep fry, only nourishment. Over oiling just makes it harder to wash, and clogs your pores!

🚫 Leaving Oil Overnight

We've all done this, slapped on oil at 10pm for that ✨extra nourishment✨ and slept in it. But oil ain't yo fairy dust. It just needs 1-2hrs to absorb all of the goodies.

Sleeping in it can cause scalp acne (painful af) or weaken roots

🚫 Applying to Dirty Hair

Do NOT do this! it'll just trap dirt, and press the gunky stuff on your scalp even deeper.

🚫 Essential Oils Straight Onto Skin

That's a recipe for a major ouch! These babies are strong, like burn your scalp strong.

The Good Girl Guide to Oiling

🌡️ Warm It Up

Just a lil heat, lukewarm not lava, helps oil penetrate better. Even a hot towel wrap boosts absorption & relaxation

💆🏽‍♀️Massage That Head

Use your fingertips and go in small circles. This helps in blood flow and you'll get the best results from oiling!

🫧Wash It Out Gently

Use sulphate free shampoo if possible. One wash should be enough, but if you've over oiled (we've all slipped), go for a second round

Rooting for You - The Only Hair Oiling Guide You Need

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