The Best Essential Oils for Hair + How to Use Them

If you’re making the switch to natural hair care ingredients, don’t forget about essential oils. Whether you’re looking to nix dandruff, stimulate hair growth, or just get stronger strands, essential oils are one of the few natural ingredients that can actually make your hair healthier.

1. Nourish dry hair

Essential oils are the perfect ally in keeping your locks strong and healthy. Applied to the hair via a nourishing carrier oil, the essential oils help seal moisture into damaged hair.

Lavender and geranium are especially helpful for dry hair; they both naturally condition hair and help balance the scalp’s oil production.

• lavender
• geranium
• sandalwood
• rose
• chamomile (will also naturally lighten blonde hair)

Add 10 essential oil drops to 1 tablespoon of nourishing jojoba, coconut, or olive oil, and add to an 8-ounce bottle of shampoo. Shake to combine. You can also use essential oils in a weekly hot oil treatment or apply daily via a DIY hair strengthening spray.

2. Manage oily hair

If your hair is oily, you may need to ‘train’ it by shampooing less often. Pick one of these oils (no, they won’t make your hair greasy) that can cut through grease and also help your scalp balance its oil production.

• lemon
• clary sage
• peppermint
• geranium
• juniper berry

Add 1 teaspoon Bentonite clay and 20 drops of essential oil to your usual shampoo bottle (if your bottle is fairly full). A salt spray is an excellent way to deliver essential oils to the hair and also absorb excess oil.

Spritz the roots of your hair before or after styling. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to a DIY dry shampoo.

3. Stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss

Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of essential oils for stimulating the scalp in cases of hair loss. When used for six months, rosemary essential oil works as well as conventional topical hair loss treatments .

• peppermint
• lavender
• rosemary
• cedarwood
• clary sage