Regrowing hair: Castor oil vs Bhringraj (or other ayurvedic) oil?

[Hedera]

Does anyone have any experience with both castor oil and bhringraj oil (or other ayurvedic oils containing Eclipta Alba)?

I am not so much looking for faster growth; instead, I would like to regain the half inch or so I have lost in thickness over the last couple of years.
Half an inch may not sound like much, but if it means going from nearly 3" in circumference to under 2,5", the effect is really quite noticeable.

I don't think I have even lost that many hairs; instead, a large percentage of them seems to have grown 'wimpy': very thin and they fall out (including the follicle) after growing no more than a few inches.

I wash my hair twice a week at most and I'm looking for an oil to massage into my scalp, possibly leave on overnight and then wash out the next morning.

People in the large castor oil thread seem to have had some great results; on the other hand, I have heard good things about the bhringraj oil as well.


So, if anyone has tried both and has had markedly better results with one over the other, I would love to hear from you! :flower:

[ChloeDharma]

I tend not to be very consistent with castor oil but as it is very thick and sticky most people mix it with another oil. What about mixing it with bhringraj oil to benefit from both? I would advise buying a bhringraj oil made from something like coconut or sesame, some include mineral oil which won't help the herb extract absorb into the scalp.
I've used an oil containing bhringraj and had great success with it before. Unfortunately the one I used is no longer produced but there are some very good ones available like pune mahabhringaraj oil, it has other herbs added too and is very good quality.
Good luck :-)

[Hedera]

I tend not to be very consistent with castor oil but as it is very thick and sticky most people mix it with another oil. What about mixing it with bhringraj oil to benefit from both? I would advise buying a bhringraj oil made from something like coconut or sesame, some include mineral oil which won't help the herb extract absorb into the scalp.
I've used an oil containing bhringraj and had great success with it before. Unfortunately the one I used is no longer produced but there are some very good ones available like pune mahabhringaraj oil, it has other herbs added too and is very good quality.
Good luck :-)

Thank you ChloeDharma!
I've found some good (non-mineral oil, organic) Bhringraj oil for sale on Indiaabundance, and the shipping is reasonable for such a distance.

I have considered mixing them (I have castor oil already), but I've read in the castor oil thread (I think.... Might have been an Indian oils thread!) that someone tried that and felt that they cancelled each other out.
The Bhringraj oils tend to have lots of other stuff in them already (amla etc) and I'm a bit wary about adding another one to the mix.

Since I already have castor oil, I think I'll start with that - but I'm still tempted to order some Bhringraj too. ;)

[Hedera]

Chloedharma, look what I just found (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44540&highlight=Bhringraj)!

Great minds think alike, I guess... ;)

[Hedera]

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[ChloeDharma]

Chloedharma, look what I just found (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44540&highlight=Bhringraj)!

Great minds think alike, I guess... ;)

Ah that's going back a while! I really miss that oil Hesh used to make, their heenara oil is nice and had bhringraj in it but I haven't found it as effective as their other oil.

The dilution issue did concern me but then I got a bit more relaxed about it. Generally when I have combined them I do a neat application of mahabhringarag oil on the scalp wearing my hair up in a sleek bun then the castor oil the night before I wash.
These days I use essential oils more so it's easier to control the concentration and can use whichever carrier oil I feel would nbe most helpful.

[Rushli]

I have never looked into indian oils before, but the other thread said it can help with headaches and now I HAVE to try it. Is this (http://www.amazon.com/Banyan-Botanicals-Bhringaraj-Certified-Organic/dp/B000Q4AIHU/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1413497530&sr=8-8&keywords=bhringraj) an ok one?

[Hedera]

I have never looked into indian oils before, but the other thread said it can help with headaches and now I HAVE to try it. Is this (http://www.amazon.com/Banyan-Botanicals-Bhringaraj-Certified-Organic/dp/B000Q4AIHU/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1413497530&sr=8-8&keywords=bhringraj) an ok one?

Yeah, the fact that it's supposed to help you sleep was a big lure for me! :)

That one looks pretty good; doesn't seem to have mineral oil, heavy metals etc.

I ended up buying two different bottles (not from Amazon though, from Indiaabundance) to, er, save on shipping... ;)
I got this one (http://www.amazon.com/Biotique-Botanicals-Bhringraj-ThERApeutic-4-2-Fluid/dp/B004C1VIPY/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=15AC6FB0W4PDAE20BJ6C), which has coconut oil (and seems to be used a lot in Germany, which for some reason makes me inclined to trust it more) and this one (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GZ2PJ0?psc=1), which I hope only has sesame oil as a carrier (which should stay liquid when it's colder).

[Hedera]

Ah that's going back a while! I really miss that oil Hesh used to make, their heenara oil is nice and had bhringraj in it but I haven't found it as effective as their other oil.

The dilution issue did concern me but then I got a bit more relaxed about it. Generally when I have combined them I do a neat application of mahabhringarag oil on the scalp wearing my hair up in a sleek bun then the castor oil the night before I wash.
These days I use essential oils more so it's easier to control the concentration and can use whichever carrier oil I feel would nbe most helpful.

Interesting!

So your hair is go-outside-able with the mahabhringarag oil on the scalp?

[Rushli]

Yeah, the fact that it's supposed to help you sleep was a big lure for me! :)

That one looks pretty good; doesn't seem to have mineral oil, heavy metals etc.

I ended up buying two different bottles (not from Amazon though, from Indiaabundance) to, er, save on shipping... ;)
I got this one (http://www.amazon.com/Biotique-Botanicals-Bhringraj-ThERApeutic-4-2-Fluid/dp/B004C1VIPY/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=15AC6FB0W4PDAE20BJ6C), which has coconut oil (and seems to be used a lot in Germany, which for some reason makes me inclined to trust it more) and this one (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GZ2PJ0?psc=1), which I hope only has sesame oil as a carrier (which should stay liquid when it's colder).
I saw the first one but a comment said it smelled like it had synthetic fragrance. No matter how nice it smells, synthetic would only make the headache worse.


Interesting!

So your hair is go-outside-able with the mahabhringarag oil on the scalp?
That is my only issue with oiling. I really dont like the oiled look and I am horrible about doing small amounts too.

[idiay]

I've used castor oil and it works great, I used it 2 to 3 times a week and leave on my head all night, sometimes two days with it in my head lol.
I stopped using it because it's hard to wash out my head, and I hate the feeling of an oily head.
I might use it again soon, though.

[Hedera]

I saw the first one but a comment said it smelled like it had synthetic fragrance. No matter how nice it smells, synthetic would only make the headache worse.

Yeah, I read that one; it said it smells like men's cologne.
But none of the other reviews mentioned a perfumey smell; I think that reviewer was simply not used to the smell of the infused herbs (and I think it might well be a rather strong and perhaps unpleasant smell).

I emailed Indiaabundance to ask about it, and they replied within half an hour that there were not perfumes or fragrances mentioned on the label - and how would I like to proceed?
I decided to stick with the two I'd already ordered, but add a third one as well. ;)
It occurred to me that I might like to use sesame oil on my ends too, as a leave-in, and sesame oil infused with amla etc might be even better.



That is my only issue with oiling. I really dont like the oiled look and I am horrible about doing small amounts too.

Yeah, I've never found an amount of oil tiny enough that I could put it on my scalp and look even halfway presentable; the fact that I have bangs / fringe doesn't help, either.
I tried to oil carefully last night and I still looked like my hair was dripping wet!

So I'll probably stick to oiling overnight before a wash, and maybe also (when I wash my hair in the evenings) with leaving it in half an hour to an hour before washing it out.

That would still give me around two oilings a week, at least as long as I don't manage to stretch my washing any longer.

[Hedera]

I've used castor oil and it works great, I used it 2 to 3 times a week and leave on my head all night, sometimes two days with it in my head lol.
I stopped using it because it's hard to wash out my head, and I hate the feeling of an oily head.
I might use it again soon, though.

Thank you!
I managed to wash it out with two latherings of my usual CV shampoo bar this time, fortunately.

I am now leaning towards either combining castor oil with bhringraj, or switching between the two.


If you say it works great, do you mean you saw new hairs coming in (or rather, old hairs coming in again)?

[ChloeDharma]

Well to be fair I don't use it often but yes it is. I add essential oils though so it smells nice, obviously I select ones that are helpful for scalp health and hair growth. Bear in mind I like my hair very sleek so the oiled bun look works well for me.

[Hedera]

Well to be fair I don't use it often but yes it is. I add essential oils though so it smells nice, obviously I select ones that are helpful for scalp health and hair growth. Bear in mind I like my hair very sleek so the oiled bun look works well for me.

I think the main thing that is stopping me from wearing my hair oiled is my fringe (bangs); that just looks very very odd when it's oily and I can't really tuck it away.

[ChloeDharma]

Ah yes I can sympathise. I had a fringe once and had exactly the same problem.

[McFearless]

If you're open to other suggestions I'd like to recommend essential oils diluted in a carrier oil such as jojoba or emu oil. Check out this thread: http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=23598 thread. Follow-up thread here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2001.

[Rushli]

Hedera, I look forward to hearing your review on the smell. It is a cheaper option for me if I want to order an oil again.

I just started using emu oil again. I mixed it with castor oil and used thyme, basil, rosemary, cederwood and lavender essential oils for growth. When I get my Bhringraj oil on tuesday, I will probably use it in the mix too. I wash 2x a week, but with these dang headaches, I might have to do 3x a week if the Bhringraj helps the headaches.

oh and I should mention that I used the emu and essential oils to help thicken my eye lashes. I was using it daily for a couple weeks then loss the bottle for a couple months. I finally got around to shaping my eyebrows today and have noticed that they are a bit thicker. :D I had an odd spot that did not have a lot of growth and any shaping made my eye brows either really thin at the ends or the two eyebrows are uneven, so this is wonderful.

[Hedera]

McFearless, thank you!
I did already add some lavender and rosemary last time; I have several of the other oils mentioned so I might well add those, too.

Going to stick to Bhringraj and/or castor oil in general though, for now. :)


Rushli, I will let you know as soon as it gets here!
(not sure when that will be though; it was shipped yesterday, but from India to the Netherlands it could take a while)
I'm pretty sensitive to smells myself.

[Rushli]

Rushli, I will let you know as soon as it gets here!
(not sure when that will be though; it was shipped yesterday, but from India to the Netherlands it could take a while)
I'm pretty sensitive to smells myself.

oh, international shipping, what a cruel necessity.

[ChloeDharma]

I forgot to mention that there is an oil that contains bhringraj and castor oil. It is made by the same company that made my favourite hair oil years ago. My only issue is that it contains mineral oil as it's second ingredient which I'm not such a fan of and wonder if that will effect the absorption of the herb extracts.
Anyway here is a link http://www.spicesofindia.co.uk/acatalog/Hesh-Bhringraj-Hair-Oil.html#SID=3544
Here are the ingredients

Ingredients: Sesamum Indicum (Til) Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Oil, Eclipta Prostrate (Maka, Bhrigaraj) Extract, Extract Of: Adiantum Capillus Veneris (Hansraj); Abrus Precatorius (Gunja); Trichosanthes Cucumerina (Patola); Murraya Koenigii (Curry Leaf); Plyllanthus Emblica (Amla); Terminalia Bellerica (Behda); Centella Asiatica (Brahmi); Vetiveria Zizanioides (Cuscusgrass); Terminalia Chebula (Harde); Citrullus Colocynthis (Indrayan); Curcuma Zedoaria (Kachura); Ocimum Basilicum (Murwo); Cyperus Rotundus (Nagarmotha); Rosa Damascene (Rose); Trigonella Foenum-Graecum (Methi); Psoralea Corylifolia (Bawachi); Nardostachys Jatamansi (Jatamansi), Hedychium Spicatum (Kapurkachri), Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ocimum Basilicum (Sweet Basil) Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (German Chamomile) Oil; Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (Mct), Ethylhexyl (Octyl) Methoxycinnamate, BHT, Cl 47000, Cl 61565, Cl 26100.

I've looked at the biotique one so am curious to hear your thoughts on it when it arrives. In the link you provide it just says "vegetable oil" but on the UK Amazon site it specifies goat's milk and coconut oil.

[Rushli]

well, I just want to say that I have not noticed any growth (using 2x a week in a mix). HOWEVER, I just tried it for a (tension, sinus and migraine) headache and wow, I love this stuff. I have tried a nap, icing, excedrine migraine (6+ hours ago) then put the oil on the lower half of the back of my head and neck and within 3 minutes the tension headache was gone. Within about 10 minutes my sinus headache is mostly gone. I am going to try it on the rest of my head to see if I can get rid of the light sensitivity (though has already been decreased).

[ChloeDharma]

well, I just want to say that I have not noticed any growth (using 2x a week in a mix). HOWEVER, I just tried it for a (tension, sinus and migraine) headache and wow, I love this stuff. I have tried a nap, icing, excedrine migraine (6+ hours ago) then put the oil on the lower half of the back of my head and neck and within 3 minutes the tension headache was gone. Within about 10 minutes my sinus headache is mostly gone. I am going to try it on the rest of my head to see if I can get rid of the light sensitivity (though has already been decreased).

Bhringraj is amazing for headaches. I'm not sure a month is really long enough to tell if it is enhancing growth so hopefully with continued use you might notice a difference in a few months. The other thing bhringraj does is make the new growth smoother and softer but again, that takes time to show.

I brought the Khadi Vitalising hair oil which has bhringraj and castor oil in it and so far I really like it. I'm using it with Sesa oil as a almost daily leave in (nightly massage with that oil helps with sleep) then I heavily oil with the Khadi before washes about 2-3 times a week.

Ingredients/inci: Sesamum Indicum oil (Sesamöl) • Cocos Nucifera oil (Kokosnußöl) • Ricinus Communis oil (Castoröl) • Eclipta Alba (Bringaraj) • Bacopa Monniera (Brahmi) • Sida cordifolia (Bala) • Butea Monosperma (Palasa) • Trigonella Foenum Greacum (Bockshornklee) • Abrus precatorios (Gunja) • Emblica officinalis •Citrullus Colocynthis (Indrayan) • Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosmarin) • Daucus Carota oil (Karottenöl) • Tocopherol • Cinamomum Camphora (Kampfer) • Onosma Hispidum (Ratanjot)