When it comes to your beautiful African American hair, you’ve done it all. You’ve had braids, weaves, extensions, locks, dreds, Jheri curls. You’ve colored, pressed, permed, relaxed, twisted, and straightened. Now, you just want to grow your natural hair. With essential oils, you can do just that – go natural without the expense of upkeep. (not quite but you get my point)

Before you go out and purchase the first natural black hair care product with “EO” or “Essential Oils” printed on the label, there are a few facts that I would like to share with you to help you make an informed decision on transitioning to natural hair by using Essential Oils, or EO’s.

First, let’s get rid of the harmful hair products. If you have any haircare or skincare products that have synthetic materials, it’s time to let them go. Look for the following ingredients:

• Propylene glycol – yes, this is antifreeze. And… no big surprise – it can cause dry skin or irritate your skin.

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Laureth Sulfate – yes, all the really sexy shampoo commercials show the model lathering up her hair really nice. Well, that lather is actually damaging the hair follicles – destroying hair at the roots.

• Oleyl Betaine – this synthetic is found in many black hair care products because it helps to reduce static and “frizziness”. The downside to it is that it actually CAUSES dandruff by drying the scalp, it dries the hair out, and is toxic when absorbed through the skin. Not worth it, in my book.

Now that we’ve got that cleared up, let’s stimulate hair growth with Essential Oils. Make sure that you dilute the essential oil in some carrier oil. Since essential oils are highly concentrated, a couple of drops goes a long way. Here is a list of essential oils that have been known to stimulate hair growth:

• Lavender oil – this essential oil smells phenomenal, is good for ALL hair types, prevents dandruff and itching, prevents breakage, and stimulates hair growth. This essential oil is widely known to treat alopecia areata – a condition that results in the loss of hair in patches. Lavender oil blends with other essential oils, including rosemary and tea tree essential oils. Simply massage daily into the scalp and experience results in just a few months!

• Peppermint oil – helps stimulate blood flow to the root of the hair, stimulating hair growth. Feel the tingle?

• Rosemary oil – this essential oil also smells wonderful, and can be blended with other oils to produce your own signature scent. Rosemary oil stimulates hair follicles, which results in longer, stronger hair. Please note that pregnant women should NOT USE Rosemary essential oil, as it has been found harmful to the health of unborn children

• Basil oil – using basil oil will help encourage natural hair growth because it stimulates blood circulation.

• Bay essential oil – helps stimulate hair growth, eliminates dandruff, and gives your hair a beautiful, lustrous shine.

Because essential oils are very potent, they need to be diluted in carrier oil. Some carrier oils that blend well with the essential oils mentioned here are jojoba oil, almond oil, apricot kernel oil, and olive oil. Simply add 6 drops, no more than 8, of essential oil to one fluid ounce of carrier.

You will not see hair growth over night, however you will begin to see a change in the condition and texture of your hair in a few weeks and growth will soon follow.

That’s it for this week,

Dedicated To Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Author/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care