This Ayurvedic Secret Is Why My Hair is So Healthy

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If you’ve been searching for a tried-and-true ritual to achieve longer, luscious hair, may we suggest hair oiling? TBH, it's basically the oldest trick in the book—as far as my ancestors are concerned. My family is from Pakistan, so I’ve grown up with the ritual of hair oiling, an Ayurvedic practice involving applying oil directly to your scalp and hair, massaging it in, and allowing it to sit for an extended period.

Every Saturday morning, my mom would sit us down to oil our scalps with a special blend of coconut oil, amla oil, almond oil, and castor oil. Now that I live on my own, I still take the time to oil my scalp once a week—but rather than make my own blend, I use one of the many hair oils on the market. And dare I say, it's the reason I constantly get compliments on my healthy, smooth, long hair. Keep reading for my product recommendations, as well as how to properly oil your hair and how often you should be hair oiling, according to experts.

What is hair oiling?

Hair oiling is an ancient Indian practice rooted in Ayurveda. It's "a process of infusing your hair with natural oils to restore luster and hydrate hair," says dermatologist Candace Spann, MD.

Texts like the Charak Samhita (a Sanskrit text on Ayurveda) recommend it for its hair-strengthening and mind-relaxing benefits, and the practice has been passed down through generations, specifically in South Asian and Middle Eastern communities. “In Ayurveda, we believe that if you have strong roots, you grow strong fruits," says Nikita Mehta, cofounder of Ayurvedic brand Fable and Mane. "Think of your hair like an upside-down tree: Nourishing your roots through hair oiling provides long-term hydration to your scalp and strands.”

Is oiling actually good for hair?

Oiling can be good for your hair, potentially, says Dr. Spann. There’s a lot of misinformation on the internet, hair oiling can help "protect your hair from damage, improve the look of split ends, and prevent breakage," she says. "It’s especially useful if your hair has been stripped by washing and styling products."

The main benefits stem from oils sitting on your hair strands, forming a barrier to hold in water and moisture while keeping out pollutants, environmental stressors, and harsh ingredients (like sulfates in your shampoo). This can also keep your hair feeling and looking healthier, as it makes your strands a bit stronger and more resistant to heat damage and drying from styling products.

But as with everything, you only see results if you’re using the right oils and doing it consistently. “I typically recommend it for both normal and dry scalp types and those who have damaged, dry hair that is prone to breakage,” says trichologist and hairstylist Helen Reavey, founder of haircare line Act + Acre. If you have fine hair, keeping oil on your scalp and ends for an extended period of time can possibly weigh your hair down (more on this below, though).

The benefits of hair oiling:

There are hella benefits to hair oiling, which:

• Smooths frizz and flyaways

• Can help moisturize your scalp and hair

• Helps your scalp and hair retain moisture

• Can potentially reduce breakage and split ends

• Might soothe and protect irritated scalps

• Adds shine

• Feels relaxing

How often should you oil your hair?

There are no specific number of days you should be oiling your hair, says Dr. Spann, but for most people, once a week is sufficient. “For individuals with severely dry or brittle hair, it may be beneficial to oil two to three times per week,” adds Dr. Spann.

How do you properly oil your hair?

There are a few different ways to oil your hair, depending on your hair type and goals. Dr. Spann suggests heating the oil for a few seconds for maximum penetration. “The oil should be delicately applied to dry hair and scalp using gentle, circular motions,” she says. You can also use a silicone scalp massager to really get in there if you're averse to digging your fingers into your scalp (and it helps me prevent from scratching with my long, gel-X nails). Then, gently massage into the scalp for 10 to 15 minutes in circular motions before smoothing through the lengths of your hair.

If you want to go the Ayurvedic route, Mehta advises going for an Indian head massage. “Start with your crown chakra and use Marma points, which are acupressure points in your scalp," she explains. "Warm the oil by rubbing your palms together, then massage it into your scalp." For best results, she adds, leave the oil in your hair overnight. (Hot tip: If you don't wanna get oil all over your pillowcase, throw on a silk bonnet, a warm cloth, or an old T-shirt.)

If you don’t have the patience to leave it overnight—or your scalp tends to be oil-prone—try hair oiling as a pre-shampoo treatment. Simply leave your hair oil on for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, before shampooing and conditioning your hair as usual.

What is the disadvantage of hair oiling?

The most common disadvantage of hair oiling is potentially weighing down your hair, especially if it's fine or thin. If that's the case, we gotchu: Instead of loading up your roots with oil and leaving it on overnight, opt for a short-contact approach by massaging in a lightweight oil like argan or jojoba oil, leaving it on for 10 to 15 minutes, then shampooing it out.

While hair oiling is generally safe, there are some potential risks to keep in mind. First, “leaving hair oil on for too long can lead to occlusion of the follicles and can contribute to seborrheic dermatitis,” says Dr. Spann. So, if you sleep with it overnight, make sure to wash yours out after 8 to 10 hours with shampoo. And if you notice your scalp starts to feel irritated, flaky, or itchy—aka the opposite of how you want your scalp to feel after oiling—stop oiling ASAP and make an appointment with your dermatologist.

Similarly, if you have dandruff, avoid oiling your scalp, says Reavey. “Malassezia, the bacteria that causes dandruff, feeds on the oils secreted by your scalp," she says. "Adding more oil to your scalp increases the chance of an inflammatory response.” Um, no thanks! If your dandruff-prone scalp is dry, flaky, or itchy, instead drip a few drops of a scalp treatment that targets dandruff (aka it includes soothers like aloe or allantoin), or suds up with a dandruff shampoo loaded with anti-fungal pyrithione zinc or selenium sulfide.

What oils should you use for hair oiling?

There are two general types of oils you can use for hair oiling: natural oils (see: coconut oil, olive oil, argan oil, almond oil, etc.), or oil blends from hair brands that are already blended together with a mix of ingredients. If you want to go the natural route, coconut oil is a rich, dense option that's great for damaged, coarse hair. Meanwhile, almond oil, argan oil, jojoba oil, and rosemary oil are great options for fine hair, as they're much more lightweight.

Organic Jojoba Oil

Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco

Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil

But if you wanna take the guesswork out of choosing the right oil, look to one of these pre-made blends that I <3:

Cold Processed Vitamin E Scalp Detox Oil

One of my favorite oils, this one has a nozzle tip to easily drip it directly onto my scalp before massaging. It uses basil leaf and baobab oils to help break down oils and gunk on my scalp, as well as balance my scalp microbiome. It's v lightweight too, so great for oily scalp folks.

Gooseberry Delight Hair Oil

I actually notice a significant difference between weeks when I use this amla-based oil and weeks when I don’t. My hair becomes noticeably shinier and styles so much better after each use. Amla oil (sometimes called Indian gooseberry) is a rich, moisturizing oil that is easily absorbed your skin and hair and is commonly found in Ayurvedic products.

Aceite de Moska Pre-Shampoo Scalp & Hair Oil

This oil has the most incredible scent, and I love using it on both my scalp and ends. It's great to load up my hair before shampooing to help reduce stripping and keep my scalp and hair moisturized af. When I pair it with the brand's gentle scalp massager and close my eyes, it almost feels like I'm getting my head massaged at the salon. FYI: This contains castor oil, which might be a lil too rich for very-fine hair types.

HoliRoots Hair Growth Oil & Scalp Oil Treatment

The thing that bugs me the most about a lot of hair oils on the market is that they are often too heavy and hard to wash out. Not this one from Fable and Mane, though. It's incredibly lightweight (even for my fine hair ppl), but is still jam-packed with Ayurvedic staples like ashwagandha and dashmool to help soothe my irritated scalp.

Champi Hair Oil

I don’t wear my natural hair often because I’m still working through embracing my curls. But on the days I want my texture to shine, I reach for this hair oil before and after my wash. It contains 11 Ayurvedic active ingredients, including castor oil, brahmi, hibiscus, and a blend of sesame, coconut, almond, Indian argan, and vitamin E oils—all of which make my hair extremely soft and smooth, moisturizing my curls so much that they look more defined.

True Soft Argan Oil

This hair oil is the GOAT when it comes to adding softness back to brittle hair and reducing frizz. Plus, it smells like lilies, jasmine, and rose, so I always get compliments when I step out.

Final thoughts:

Hair oiling is a longtime tradition in Asian cultures, but has gained lots of traction in the West in the last few years as a way to add shine, smooth, and moisturize your hair. And experts agree: It can be a great method to help retain hydration, as well as give your hair a soft, flyaway-free look. While some users with fine hair or oil-prone roots need to remain cautious, hair oiling is an easy way to take care of your hair and upgrade your routine. Plus, FWIW, you only need to do it once a week to start seeing results. Who are we to argue with centuries-old traditions, huh?

Meet the experts:

• Candace Spann, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and hair loss expert at Couture Medical in Las Vegas, NV. She is also the founder of ReTress, which specializes in thinning hair.

• Helen Reavey is a board-certified trichologist, celebrity hairstylist, and the founder of Act+Acre, a hair and scalp brand.

• Nikita Mehta is the co-founder and creative director of Fable & Mane, an Ayurvedic hair line. She's an expert in hair oiling, as it's been passed down through her South-East Asian family for generations.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Iman Balagam is a beauty contributor at Cosmopolitan with nearly four years of experience writing beauty stories that range from curling irons to collagen for hair growth. She’s an authority in all categories, but is an expert when it comes to hair oiling, thanks to years of personally researching and testing different hair oils to grow her thick hair.

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