Healthy Hair Regimen: Hot Oil Treatments

What is your healthy hair care regimen? Do you have one? Are you applying hot oil treatments? A healthy hair care regimen should include balancing moisture, protein and essential fatty acids (fat/oil) in the hair. Essential fatty acids replenish luster and elasticity to dry and damaged hair. They also improve texture, leave hair soft and silky and temporarily seals in moisture. An excellent way to keep your hair infused with essential fatty acids and combat dryness are hot oil treatments several times a month. You can purchase a pre-made hot oil treatment or you can make one yourself.

Recipe
¼ cup (or more depending on hair length) of one (you can also combine these oils) of the following base oils: coconut, extra-virgin olive, jojoba, castor, sweet almond, sunflower, or avocado oil.

20 drops essential oil. Either one of the following or combine several of these: lavender, roman chamomile, rosemary, tea tree, or basil

Optional: I tweak my hot oil treatments with adding the following:
2 tbls shea butter
2 tbls neem and/or amla oil
2 tbls honey

Equipment:
Towels
Plastic hair/shower cap
Plasic (color) applicator bottle (Sally’s beauty supply)
Wide tooth combs and clips

Directions: Detangle and part hair into four sections. Melt coconut oil (and shea and raw honey) in a glass bowl, add additional oils if combining. Let cool then mix in EO’s. Mist hair with leave in or glycerin and water mixture. Pure oil into applicator bottle (you can use your hands) and taking one section at a time apply warm oil to damp hair. Cap hair in plastic cap and leave on 30-60 minutes (you can reduce time by applying heat. If you don’t have a bonnet dryer try a hot towel from the dryer and leave on 15-30 minutes). Rinse hair with warm water, shampoo with sulfate-free shampoo and rinse. Apply conditioner leave in for the recommended time then rinse with cool (as you can stand) water.

Tip: For excessively dry hair try a pre-shampoo treatment by applying a small amount coconut oil to your hair before each cleansing. Pre-shampoo treatments are moisture and softness boosters. Applying oils to your hair before washing helps your hair regain its suppleness and elasticity. A pre-shampoo treatment is imperative if you have not switched over to a sulfate-free shampoo yet.

Thanks for reading, Natanya of Fresh Mane