Sesame Oil for Hair
A hectic lifestyle along with pollution and altered dietary habits, adversely affect our hair and skin. Most of us make an effort to ensure that we follow a basic skin care regime with dedication, but when it comes to hair, we just get plain lazy, which is probably because fixing bad hair is expensive and time-consuming. This is where this wonder oil comes in handy, as not only is it extremely effective for hair, but it has long-lasting benefits too.
The use of sesame as a culinary condiment and oil dates back to 1600 BC. Botanically, sesame is known as Sesamum indicum, and the oil is extracted from a flowering plant Sesamum, whose seed pods are cultivated for its edible seeds. Oil is extracted using different methods, wherein the extraction process mostly depends upon the region where the seeds are cultivated and harvested.
Benefits of Sesame Oil
This highly nourishing hair oil has immense healing properties. Its use has been extensively mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic text for over thousands of years. Listed below are some of the benefits of sesame oil for hair care.
- If you desire dark lustrous hair, then massage your scalp and hair regularly with sesame oil.
- It is highly nourishing and excellent for dry scalp treatment. Massaging helps in controlling dryness and flakiness, thus, preventing hair loss.
- A regular warm oil massage increases penetration of oil in the scalp, resulting in enhanced blood circulation, thereby promoting hair growth.
- Chemically treated hair that gets damaged over time, regains its lost luster as the oil's deep penetrating properties nourish the hair from within.
- It is also known as a natural healing oil, as it is full of antibacterial properties. It helps clear scalp infection, especially fungal.
- It helps in strengthening hair shafts and roots by nourishing them.
- Not only does this oil strengthen your hair, it also promotes new hair growth.
- Split ends and hair prone to breakage and brittleness leading to excessive hair loss benefits from its replenishing and rejuvenating qualities.
- Rough hair can be softened and made more manageable by conditioning.
- Stress is considered as a major factor that results in hair fall, and sesame oil's cooling properties help alleviate stress when massaged in scalp, and on neck and shoulders.
- Rich sesame oil protects hair from the damaging effects of the sun's UV rays, thus, proving to be a natural sunscreen for hair. Not only does it protect hair from the sun, it also saves them from damaging effects of pollution.
- It is known for its hair darkening qualities. Hence, it is very useful for those who suffer from pre-mature hair graying or who have plenty of gray hair.
- This oil can be combined with another carrier oil, like almond oil or olive oil, while massaging hair and scalp to reap combined benefits of both the oils.
To garner best results, warm sesame oil, apply it all over the scalp, and massage in a circular motion using fingertips. After massaging, wrap the scalp and hair with a soaked and squeezed hot water towel, for around half an hour. Leave the oil on overnight and shampoo the next morning.
Note: Place a towel over your pillow while sleeping to avoid staining of the linen with the oil.
Sesame oil is not only beneficial for hair, but one can use it for skin too. Regular use of this oil, as a part of your hair care routine will ensure that you reap all its benefits for years to come. Well then, let's not wait anymore for getting beautiful, lustrous hair!
