The body of a person is like an upside-down tree. The root, the head, requires nourishment from natural hair oils. The ancient Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita states that a person who regularly applies oil to their head will not experience headaches, baldness, greying hair, or hair loss. In a world where western beauty standards are dominant, daily application of natural oil is impossible.
In ancient times, hair oiling followed by braiding was a typical practice. Mothers in Indian households used to prepare their own hair oil by cooking amla, curry leaves, camphor, and hibiscus flowers in coconut oil. Also, coconut oil and camphor were commonly massaged.
Here are some ayurvedic practises you should adopt for hair oiling:
- People generally apply oil to an unclean scalp, which tends to block pores and weaken the roots. One must apply oil to a clean scalp so that the scalp is able to absorb the vital nutrients of the oil. Warm the oil and gently massage the scalp in circular motions.
- Oils such as karanj, coconut, brahmi, neem, bhringraj, and neelibringadi should be used for hair oiling.
- The only drawback of hair oiling is the difficulty of removing the oil from hair while washing. But fret not—here is a trick! Dilute your shampoo with water, lather it up, and apply it to wet hair. This helps spread the shampoo all over the scalp and eliminates oil in a single wash.
- Oiling is great for people who don't have active acne or dandruff. However, those with scalp or skin conditions should either avoid oiling, and people prone to fungal diseases should stay away from coconut oil.
- Instead, use either neem, karanj, or dhurdhurapatradi oil to lessen flakiness, itching, and hair loss, or completely massage the scalp with fresh aloe vera gel to calm the skin and hydrate the hair.
- You can also combine a teaspoon of fenugreek and flaxseeds, a handful of hibiscus, and curry leaves into a paste. Apply and leave for 30 minutes; rinse with cold water after massaging the scalp.
The holistic advantages extend well beyond the boundaries of beauty.