Properties relating to hair for essential oils

[jessie58]

Properties of essential oils (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?b=3251)



Properties pertaining to hair for the following Essential Oils:

Texas Cedarwood is good for dandruff and dermatitis.

Clary Sage helps with dandruff and hair loss.

Sweet Basil aids with hair growth and dry skin.

Atlas cedarwood aids with seborrhea and dandruff.

Cypress stimulates skin circulation.

Geranium balances oil gland secretion.

Grapefruit aids hair growth and oily skin.

Lavender balances sebum and stimulates cleansing and detoxifying.

Lemon balances sebum and strengthens epidermus function.

Patchouli is good for oily hair and scalp.

Rosemary is good for oily hair, skin and dandruff.

Sage shines hair, promotes growth and reduces alopecia.

Thyme helps treat dandruff and hair loss.

*Pregnant and nursing women should research all essential oils and check with their doctor before use.

*Essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin or scalp. They must be mixed with a carrier oil.

*Rosemary should be used with care for those with high blood pressure.

*Rosemary may be harmful to epileptics.

*Grapefruit and lemon oils can cause sensitivity to sun and extra care should be taken to protect your head with a head covering while using these oils.

Some Good Carrier Oils

Emu Oil
*Transdermal properties which help deliver essential oils below the skin
*reduces irritation and inflammation of the skin
*enhances the growth activity of the hair follicles
*all natural tissue emollient
*antibacterial
*hypoallergenic
*non comedogenic
*accelerates circulation

Burdock root oil (Arctium Lappa)
*also called Bur oil,
*used to promote healthy hair
*to help relieve scalp irritation and improve scalp conditions
*gets rid of scalp itching, redness and dandruff
*improve hair strength, shine and body
*reduces and reverses hair thinning
*rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids
*helps maintain healthy scalp and promote natural hair growth
*helps restore and maintain healthy scalp and hair.


Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis)
*Jojoba "oil" is actually a liquid wax
*closely resembles human sebum
*anti-inflammatory
*anti-oxidant
*light and silky; absorbs well.
*has a very long shelf-life
*penetrates the skin easily, is an excellent moisturizer and is ideal for all skin types
*contains myristic acid which has anti-inflammatory actions
*believed to rebalance, repair, lubricate, moisture, soften and trap bacteria which is then washed away
*can be used on acne without any problems
*believed to be great for mature, aging skin and has excellent mildness for sensitive skin
*believed to promote hair growth and improve the overall health of the scalp and hair
*creates a protective film over the skin and hair that keeps moisture in


Camelia(Camelia sasanqua)
*light, non-greasy oil
*protects and moisturizes skin and hair
*contains skin restructuring and moisturizing properties
*high in oleic acid, and vitamins A, B and E
*antioxidants make it great for anti-aging products; rejuvenates and restores
*rapid absorbing property
*believed to promote the healing of scars
*moisturizes, softens, and protects hair, and provides it with luster and shine
*helps with dandruff and hair loss

Grapeseed (Vitus vinifera)
*rich in vitamins, minerals and linoleic acid
*light penetrating oil great for massage oils
*use in creams, lotions and balms.
*thin but leaves a glossy film on the skin.
*may go rancid quickly
*gentle, non-greasy, lightweight oil that absorbs into the skin quickly
*believed to have skin cell regenerative properties



Apricot Kernel (Prunus armeniaca)
*very light, non-greasy, rich oil; easily absorbed into the skin
*emollient for conditioning/softening skin
*good for dry, tired, mature or sensitive skin
*rich in vitamins A, D & E and in both oleic acid and linoleic acid.
*great moisturizing and conditioning oil for mature and sensitive skin

[moonchaser]

Here is just a couple more that I have found.


Bay stimulates scalp and helps hair health
Spikenard stimulates growth and can increase blackness

Thyme stimulates hair growth by deep cleansing hardened sebum
Peppermint promotes circulation
Ylang-Ylang stimulates hair growth, soothes skin, balances sebum production

This isn't an E.O. but a lot of people are using it in their oils and conditioners.
Cayenne increases circulation and stimulates growth

[moonchaser]

That last post is acting weird so I will add this here.

Oregano is good for psoriasis and fungal problems.

[LifeisAdventure]

WOW, informative! Thanks ladies!

[Delilah]

Grapeseed oil can be comedogenic? I've never heard of that before, just that it is a light oil with astringent properties. I have been using it for OCM on my face.
Can I ask where you got this information? I'd like to stop using it if this is true.

[jessie58]

Grapeseed oil can be comedogenic? I've never heard of that before, just that it is a light oil with astringent properties. I have been using it for OCM on my face.
Can I ask where you got this information? I'd like to stop using it if this is true.


Some of this information was taken from this link:

http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=74214

which is inaccessable at the moment. I believe it may have been written by Freznow. I am not certain. I am also not certain of her sources but it does say can be somewhat comedegenic, so perhaps it generally does not rank highly comedogenic enough to be called a comedegenic oil. I'll try to find the full source for you. I do know this, I can wear it on my scalp but not my face, it causes itching and bumps on my face.

ETA: I have never heard that it may be comedogenic either, I've always heard the opposite. I don't see any information to say otherwise either. I don't have access to any of my links anymore unfortunately, and I can't find any information saying so. I think it is best to remove that particular point at the end, as it may be misleading.

[Delilah]

Thanks for the reply.
I will look into it more as well, I'm still in search of the perfect OCM oil for me and that just made me go 'Eek! I rub that all over my face daily!' :P

[jupiterjuniper]

So to use essential oils, do you pretty much always need a "carrier oil' like EVOO? I have a few I bought recently, and I've just been sniffing them and I put a few drops of rosemary on my brush.

[Patrycja]

So to use essential oils, do you pretty much always need a "carrier oil' like EVOO? I have a few I bought recently, and I've just been sniffing them and I put a few drops of rosemary on my brush.

you got it ;) There are several different carrier oils out there such as jojoba,coconut,avacado,and so on and so on.For my lighter weight carrier-I use jojoba and for the heavier carrier oil I use my organic coconut oil.Everyone has their own preference though.

[jupiterjuniper]

Cool, thanks! I know what I'll be trying this weekend. :)

[jessie58]

So to use essential oils, do you pretty much always need a "carrier oil' like EVOO? I have a few I bought recently, and I've just been sniffing them and I put a few drops of rosemary on my brush.

As a rule essential oils should never be applied to the skin "neat". However putting them on your brush or on a tissue in your drawer, on a lightbulb to diffuse the scent or pretty much on anything that does not come in direct contact with your skin is safe. Also adding a few drops to conditioners or lotions is safe as a rule.

That is not to say that all essential oils will hurt you if not diluted, some people will have very serious reactions and some people will only have mild reactions, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

[Boudicca]

Does anyone know of essential oils which might bleach or dye the hair? I'm keen to use oils in spritzes, but I don't want to use anything that would alter my hair colour.

[moonchaser]

Does anyone know of essential oils which might bleach or dye the hair? I'm keen to use oils in spritzes, but I don't want to use anything that would alter my hair colour.

I don't know of an EO that would dye your hair. There is a thread right now where someone bleached their hair with Cinnamon. I have heard that Chamomile can lighten your hair and Spikenard can darken it but I don't know if that is the EO or the actual herb.

[jessie58]

I don't know of an EO that would dye your hair. There is a thread right now where someone bleached their hair with Cinnamon. I have heard that Chamomile can lighten your hair and Spikenard can darken it but I don't know if that is the EO or the actual herb.

I don't know of any EO that can lighten hair either but I do know that chamomile leaves as Moonchaser says, can lighten it up. I've done it myself and so has my daughter, worked like a charm for both of us.

Perhaps you are worried that EO's may lighten your hair when you don't want them to? I honestly don't know of any that do, however some people have said that applying EO mixtures to their scalp often when they have dyed hair, can tend to lift the dye a little bit, but not dramatically.

[Boudicca]

Thanks moonchaser and jessie58. Essentially, I like the smell and properties of essential oils, but don't want to change my hair colour at all. Maybe it's just best to play it absolutely safe.

[sibiryachka]

Hmmmm... As I'm noting which oils to try for my specific hair/scalp issues, I'm also noting that they are 4 of my top 10 favorite fragrances! (Cedarwood, lavender, rosemary & sage, if you're wondering). I think maybe this could be like how when we get specific food cravings it can be because we need a particular nutrient that food is high in. Does that seem right?
I've also been following the thread on the correlation between liking/disliking the smell of henna and liking/disliking spinach - 100% based on my very limited sampling. : )
I feel like the universe is asking me to pay special attention to my sense of smell...

[jessie58]

Very interesting point you have there.

[callisa]

thank you for the info

[Mannaz]

Hmmmm... As I'm noting which oils to try for my specific hair/scalp issues, I'm also noting that they are 4 of my top 10 favorite fragrances! (Cedarwood, lavender, rosemary & sage, if you're wondering). I think maybe this could be like how when we get specific food cravings it can be because we need a particular nutrient that food is high in. Does that seem right?

Yep, this seems very true to me too. I was just saying in a another thread about EO's, that often the scents you're attracted to are the ones you need, physically, mentally, hair-wise... ;) Sense of smell can be a very mysterious and intelligent thing indeed!