Are you aging faster than you should? Shedding more hair than usual? Struggling with an itchy scalp, dandruff, split ends, dry, frizzy, or lackluster hair? Your hair is signaling you to give it more love and care. Hair care doesn’t necessarily have to come in expensive shampoos, conditions, treatments, and spas. You can also reach out to your kitchen pharmacy and dive into ancient Indian wisdom to nourish your follicles and keep a range of hair issues at bay. Here is a list of DIY homemade herbal oils to meet your shiny and strong hair goals.

Try this 4-ingredient magic oil

We all grew up learning how powerful mustard oil, coconut oil, curry leaves, and fenugreek seeds can be for hair care. This 4-ingredient oil combines these powerhouse ingredients that can address several hair woes, especially premature graying and hair fall.

Ingredients

• 500 ml of cold-pressed or wood-pressed mustard oil
• 200 ml of cold-pressed coconut oil (non-perfumed)
• 1 tbsp methi/fenugreek powder
• 1 tbsp of curry leaf powder or a handful of curry leaves.

Method

Mix everything and store it in a clean glass bottle for a week to infuse.

How to use it?

• Take the required amount of infused oil and heat it lightly.
• Once it becomes lukewarm, gently massage it onto the scalp and along the lengths of your hair.
• Keep for 1 to 2 hours before bathing. You can also apply it overnight and cover it with a shower cap. Wash your hair with a mild chemical-free shampoo.
• Do this twice a week.

Notes

• Mustard oil is loaded with good fats and has antibacterial effects on the scalp. It also nourishes your hair follicles with its beta-carotene and selenium.
• Coconut oil contains several fatty acids and vitamins that nourish your scalp and gives a natural sheen to your hair. It is one of the easily absorbed oils by our skin.
• Curry leaves are rich in vitamins (A, B, C, and E), phosphorus, and iron which have excellent antioxidant properties. It makes them effective in reducing premature graying and preventing hair loss.
• Fenugreek or methi seeds contain Vitamin B3, which increases blood flow to your hair follicles. It promotes growth and strengthens them. Its mucilage content also gives your hair a natural shine.

DIY – Herbal Oil Mix

Ingredients:

• 500 ml coconut oil (unrefined, unperfumed)
• 2 tbsp neem leaves (dried)
• 2 tbsp curry leaves (dried)
• 1 tbsp amla pieces (dried) or dried amla powder
• 2 tsp kalonji/nigella seeds/onion seeds
• ½ tbsp fenugreek/methi seeds
• 2 tbsp castor oil

Method:

• Take coconut oil, dried amla, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, neem leaves, and kalonji in an iron wok.
• Heat it for 4 minutes.
• Once the mixture turns black, switch off the flame.
• Leave it out overnight.
• Strain it well the next day. Add castor oil to this mixture.
• Store in an airtight bottle.

How to use it?

Heat the oil a little before application. Massage it onto the scalp and leave it for a few hours before rinsing with a mild shampoo.

Notes:

• You can also opt to use fresh amla and curry leaves. But ensure they are not wet when you use them.
• You can also add shikakai, hibiscus flowers, and tulsi leaves, as per availability.
• Curry leaves strengthen the hair follicle and prevent graying of hair.
• Kalonji seeds are rich in natural antioxidants and smoothen the hair naturally.
• Fenugreek seeds hydrate and moisturize the hair.
• Neem leaves, with their antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, help curb dandruff.
• Coconut oil is a natural conditioner and has antimicrobial properties.
• Castor oil promotes hair growth by enhancing the health of hair follicles.
• Vitamin C in amla helps produce collagen protein which stimulates hair growth.

Hibiscus Hair Oil (Single-use depending on the length of the hair)

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 fresh hibiscus flowers
• 2 to 3 hibiscus leaves
• 5 to 6 curry leaves (5-6)
• ½ cup or 120 ml of coconut oil

Method:

• First, crush the hibiscus (petals and leaves) with curry leaves using a mortar and pestle.
• Take a small pot and add 1/2 of coconut oil (or as much as you want).
• Now add the crushed flower petals and leaves to the oil. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Allow the oil to cool down.

How to use:

• After the oil cools down, massage it onto your scalp.
• Wrap your hair with a towel/shower cap and keep it for 10 to 15 minutes (at least).
• Rinse the oil off with lukewarm water and a mild chemical-free shampoo.

Notes:
The hibiscus-infused oil helps rejuvenate the scalp and promotes hair growth, while the coconut oil penetrates deep into the hair shaft, supplying it with nourishment. The oil massage also helps improve blood circulation.

Want to use hibiscus powder instead of hibiscus flowers and curry leaf powder instead of leaves? It will be an instant preparation.

• Mix 1 tbsp of hibiscus powder with 1 tbsp almond oil/coconut oil to make a paste (depending on the length of hair).
• Leave it on the scalp for 15 minutes. Rinse it off with a chemical-free mild shampoo.
• You can also add a tsp of methi/fenugreek powder if you have dandruff.

Like we always say, your body is super intelligently built. It constantly gives you biofeedback on what underlying conditions you may have and what you can do to thrive. Is it a genetic predisposition, a poor lifestyle, nutritional deficiency, an autoimmune disorder, or something else? Don’t focus on just suppressing your symptoms. Address the root cause.

Also, keep this in mind. No remedy ever works in isolation. You cannot expect to lather natural shampoos and herbal remedies in your hair and decide to eat with abandon and greed, be sedentary, sleep-deprived, and chronically stressed. Improve every aspect of your lifestyle to experience the positive effects of any remedy.

Disclaimer: Remember, always do a patch test before application. Avoid certain ingredients if you are allergic to them. Keep your doctor in the loop if you have any existing hair, skin, or health conditions. 

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