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Using Essential Oils for Dry Hair Care

Using essential oils for dry hair care offers a natural option to improve the condition of your hair. You also need to look at the underlying cause of the dryness. Are you using a harsh shampoo or exposing your hair to too much heat or other harsh conditions? Do you have a health condition affecting your hair? Addressing all the factors will give you the best results.

Essential Oils for Dry Hair

Essential Oils & Aromatherapy for Dummies recommends the following essential oils for dry hair care:

Carrot seed
Cedarwood
Frankincense
Myrrh
Palmarosa
Peppermint
Rosemary
Sandalwood
Thyme (linalol chemotype)
Vetivert

The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness states the best essential oils for dry hair are geranium, lavender, palmarosa, rosemary, rosewood, and sandalwood.

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy lists the following essential oils:

Carrot seed
Frankincense
Geranium
Lavender
Palmarosa
Rosemary
Sandalwood

The book suggests the following two shampoo blends. Add the oil blend to 3.5 ounces (100 ml) of natural, unscented shampoo. (For an 8-ounce bottle of shampoo, double the blend.)

Stimulating Shampoo

1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
2 drops rosemary essential oil
2 drops geranium essential oil
3 drops frankincense essential oil

Moisturizing Shampoo

2 teaspoons meadowfoam oil
5 drops jojoba oil
5 drops carrot seed essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
2 drops sandalwood essential oil

Simple Dry Hair Aromatherapy Shampoo

Healing With Aromatherapy suggests adding the following to an 8-ounce bottle of unscented shampoo:

8 drops Roman chamomile essential oil
5 drops neroli essential oil
1/2 teaspoon grapeseed oil

You can also experiment with this dry hair aromatherapy shampoo by using any of the listed essential oils to see which ones work best for you.

Aromatherapy, A Holistic Guide to Natural Healing With Essential Oils says you can use up to 80 drops of essential oil (depending on the oils and your sensitivity to them) in an 8-ounce bottle of shampoo. For dry hair care, the book suggests cedarwood, lavender, or sandalwood.

Hot Oil Treatment

That book also suggests this hot oil treatment before shampooing:

4 teaspoons jojoba oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops clary sage essential oil
2 drops cedarwood or sandalwood essential oil

Blend the oils. Massage 1 to 2 teaspoons of the blend into your hair and scalp.
Soak a hand towel in water and wring it out.
Heat the towel in a microwave for 30 to 50 seconds.
Wrap hair in the towel. After the towel cools, reheat it and repeat 2 to 3 times.
Wait at least one hour before you shampoo.

Dry Hair Rescue Mask

For dry, damaged hair, use this rescue mask:

2 tablespoons light olive oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 to 2 drops rosemary essential oil
3 to 4 drops peppermint essential oil

Place the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
Shampoo your hair.
Massage the mask into your scalp and hair.
Place a shower cap on your head or use a towel to wrap your head.
Relax for 15 to 20 minutes.
Rinse off the mask using warm water.

Source: EcoBeauty: Scrubs, Rubs, Masks, and Bath Bombs

Dry Hair Treatments With Essential Oils

For a dry hair treatment, massage 1 teaspoon of the following blend into your hair and scalp and leave it on for at least several hours. To leave the blend on overnight, wrap your head in a towel before going to bed.

10 drops ginger essential oil
10 drops rosewood essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Source: 500 Formulas For Aromatherapy

Another hair treatment option is to spend two to three minutes massaging the following blend into your hair and scalp. Let the treatment stay on for 60 to 90 minutes, and then wash your hair: