By Chantalle Duffin
There is no denying that hair oils are a game changer for our tresses. Not only do they give our hair more shine, bounce, hydration and softness, they also protect our strands from damage caused by heat styling. If you want a fast track to perfect, effortlessly gorgeous hair it's time to add a hair oil to your routine, and we show you how below!
Hair oils are incredible multi-taskers as they offer a multitude of health and styling benefits for our hair. Firstly, hair oils work to coat the hair, forming a protective layer over the hair shaft and sealing in moisture. This helps to tame frizz, add beautiful shine, while also smoothing out and conditioning the hair follicles. However, like most hair styling products, hair oils can be confusing and quite tricky if not used correctly – and more often than not can lead to your hair looking like a greasy oil spill and in desperate need of a shower! So before you start slathering yourself in oil, consider these 6 factors to get the most out of your hair oil.
Stay clear from your roots…
Your hair naturally produces it's own oil at the roots, so adding extra oil to that area will only work to weigh hair down, eliminate any volume and bounce, and generally make it looks dull and lifeless. Instead, start on towel dried or freshly blow dried hair, applying it to the ends of your hair by combining it through and working it up to the mid lengths. Focus on drier areas such as split ends, and as a general rule of thumb apply oil at least 3 to 4 inches away from your roots. If you have coarse or thicker curly hair, try dividing your hair into 2 or more sections so that the oil can be evenly distributed through out the lengths of your hair. But remember, always keep clear from your roots!
Use it in the shower…
If you have fine or thin hair, find using hair oils too heavy for your tresses or still fear the idea of applying oil to your hair, try adding oil to your strands before showering. When you are getting ready to step into the shower, add 3-6 drops of hair oil to the ends and mid lengths of your hair. Let that absorb for 5-10 minutes, then continue with your regular hair cleansing routine. This will help minimise the appearance of dry split ends and brittle hair and leave your strands feeling smoother and glossier for longer. Shampooing your hair after applying the oil will also help to minimise any greasy feel with all the added benefits of using a hair oil.
Less is always more…
Like most hair products, it is better to start with less than you think you need and then slowly building up from there. If you still feel that you haven't applied enough, you can always add a bit more oil to your hair after you have started styling it. There is nothing worse than realising you have got too carried away with the amount oil you have applied to your hair, making it look like you haven't showered at all! We recommend starting off 1-2 drops and applying more as required to create your desired finish and feel.
Add it to your conditioner…
If you don't have much time to style your hair in the morning or cautious about using oil, why not try adding it to your hair conditioner instead? Mix a few drops of your chosen hair oil to your regular conditioner to create a do it all hair treatment! This ensures that you don't apply too much hair oil to your strands, and if you do apply too much conditioner you can rinse it out immediately.
Sleep it off…
For silky smooth easy to manage hair in the morning use hair oil as an overnight treatment. Not only will your hair be beautifully hydrated, no heat styling is required. Massage a 10 cent piece sized amount of oil onto the middle and end sections of your hair and twist it into a top not bun for loose waves come morning!
Like these tips but not sure what hair oil to use? We recommend our Oblepikha Siberica Oil Complex for Damaged Hair or Oblepikha Siberica Oil Complex for Damaged Ends. Both oils combine Altai Seabuckthorn Oil, Flaxseed Oil and Moroccan Argan oil to repair, hydrate and revive damaged hair.
