Using Hair-Oil Treatments to Combat Dryness

Have dry hair? With just a few ingredients around the house, you can put together a treatment to combat dryness and keep your locks silky smooth.

Brittle, flaky, dry hair looks unkempt and is hard to manage. One of the best ways to combat dry hair is with a hot-oil treatment. Using ingredients you probably have on hand, these hot-oil treatments for dry hair can work wonders.

Olive Oil
Here’s one easy home recipe for hot oil:

• 1 tablespoon warm olive oil
• 1 tablespoon warm honey
• Several drops of liquid herbal saw palmetto, sage, and rosemary (for dark hair) or lemon (for light hair)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

If your hair is extra dry, try this hot-oil recipe:

• ½ cup olive oil
• 5 drops frankincense, lavender, or chamomile oil

Pour olive oil into a jar with a lid, add oils. Cover jar and shake vigorously. Let the mixture sit for 24 hours in a cool, dark place. Shake again before use. Rinse hair with warm water.

Get a plastic bag that can fit over your hair and place it nearby. Warm 1 tablespoon of oil treatment in the palms of your hands. Using the tips of your fingers, gently massage the oil into the scalp in a circular motion. Repeat until the entire scalp has been massaged. Rub the ends of your hair with the remaining oil. Place the plastic bag over your hair and let sit for ½ hour. Rinse well, then shampoo, condition, and style as usual.

Coconut Oil
Apply to the scalp and hair about a half hour before washing or, for best results, leave on overnight. Warm oil first in a bowl of warm water (never use a microwave, as this may cause hot spots and burn your hair and scalp). Be sure to cover hair in plastic wrap and protect your pillowcase with a thick towel, since the coconut oil may ooze out and soil your pillow. Wash out the oil in the morning with a gentle shampoo.

Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil has numerous benefits and is actually the fundamental ingredient in many hair-care products. You can take matters into your own hands by applying 100 percent pure virgin jojoba oil directly to your hair once a week to restore moisture and body. Rinse and avoid using hot styling products for maximum benefit.

Here are some other oils that restore hair’s shine:

• Vitamin E oil
• Tea-tree oil
• Moroccan oil
• Rosemary oil

Here’s how to use a hot-oil treatment from your pharmacy to combat dry hair:

• Warm the oil by pouring some in a small bowl, then placing the bowl over a dish with hot water. Check the temperature of the oil with your fingers before applying to hair and scalp. It should be warm, not hot. Apply the oil to your scalp by parting different sections of your hair and spreading oil through the roots with your fingers.
• When your scalp is covered in oil, glide your fingers in a circular motion and apply medium pressure to the base of your head.
• Use your fingernails to help stimulate blood flow and allow your hair’s natural oils to emerge.
• Bend head forward so that your hair falls in front of your face, and then grab a large lock of hair right at the scalp and pull. Release and pull again.

Hot-oil treatments can combat dryness and stimulate hair health — and they feel terrific.