My daughter and I have been on the quest for shiny, smooth hair forever. She has naturally straight hair that tends to fuzz up as the day goes on. My hair is frizzy and dry and what she describes as “puffy”. So, after trying product after product with marginal results, I came across the idea of using essential oils to create our own hair treatment that is free of chemicals and toxins that can’t be helpful in creating our dream shiny hair.
Essential Oil Hair Care Recipe:
- 5 Drops Cedarwood essential oil
- 5 Drops Tea Tree essential oil
- 5 Drops Rosemary essential oil
- 5 Drops Peppermint essential oil
- 5 Drops Lavender essential oil
- Aloe Vera
- Jojoba oil (you could also use coconut or olive oil)
- Water
I used my daughter as the guinea pig for the first use which she was completely fine with. Truth be told we were both pretty excited to see how it would work. After simply spraying it on her wet hair and combing through, it was immediately clear how much softer her hair was. She was in love at first spray!
First of all, the smell is amazing! Secondly, there was no arguing over painful tugging knotty hair. It combed right through. I couldn’t wait to take my turn!
After consistent use, I found my hair to be more shiny and soft even when I let it air dry. It also seems to speed up the drying time with a hair dryer with less dryness. All of these benefits, without chemicals and toxins! Win Win!
The reasons that I selected each oil:
Lavender essential oil – With it’s beautiful calming scent, lavender works great in many health and beauty products. It’s not just a pretty smell however. Lavender is capable of stimulating hair growth, making it great for those struggling with alopecia or thinning hair. Also, Lavender is naturally antimicrobial which works on the scalp to prevent itching and dandruff.
Tea Tree essential oil – Tea tree oil can unclog the hair follicles allowing for longer healthier hair and scalp. Tea tree essential oil has been studied for the treatment of lice as well. Its antiparasitic properties have been shown to be as or more effective than the traditional permethrin and permethrin like lice treatments. This makes it a viable alternative to using harsh chemicals on a child head if lice is an issue.
Cedarwood essential oil – This essential oil is a powerhouse for combating thinning hair and hair loss. Cedarwood will promote circulation to the scalp, which will in turn stimulate the hair follicles for hair growth. Plus, it has a pleasing woodsy aroma which adds a nice depth to the scent of the spray.
Rosemary essential oil – rosemary oil promotes circulation to hair follicles and may stimulate nerves in the scalp to regrow hair. Rosemary has been studied head to head with Minoxidil (the leading drug to treat hair loss) with great success. There is also the potential to slow premature graying of the hair.
Peppermint essential oil – As a powerful vasodilator, peppermint improves blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles to promote healthy hair. The invigorating, fresh scent also helps to waken the mind and body helping to get you going with your day.
Aloe Vera gel – aloe vera is a natural conditioner for the hair leaving it shiny and soft. It also softens and conditions the scalp for healthier hair growth.
How to make the essential oil spray:
- Be sure to use a glass spray bottle. I used a 4 ounce bottle — these are easy to find at Amazon.com.
- Add 5 drops of Lavender oil, Tea Tree oil, Cedarwood oil, Rosemary oil, and Peppermint oil to the glass spray bottle.
- Add about 15ml (equals 1 teaspoonful) of Jojoba oil to the spray bottle. This helps to disperse the essential oils evenly throughout the spray and absorb completely into the hair.
- Add aloe vera gel. I used the natural juice from a small leaf of the aloe plant that I grow at home. If you don’t have a plant, simply grab a bottle of aloe vera from the store. Be sure to check that it is pure aloe and free of additives or chemicals. Add 15ml of the aloe vera to the spray bottle.
- Fill the bottle to the top with filtered or distilled water.
- Shake thoroughly and lightly coat your hair with the spray.
- Comb through and enjoy soft, shiny, thick hair!
This DIY essential oil recipe has been a game changer for me and my daughter’s hair!