Hair and scalp Care

Essential oils are extremely helpful in hair care as they influence the sebaceous glands, normalizing their functions. They benefit all hair types, and leave it smelling good too.

So much money is spent every day on our hair – on conditioning, perming, shampooing, colouring, setting, cutting – and to most women it is their most important asset. Well conditioned hair can literally knock years off your appearance. New products, giving ample promises, come on to the market regularly. They are extensively advertised and some are celebrity endorsed, so we feel we need to have them. Most of the time we don’t.

The scalp is one of the five principal sensory organs and is therefore subject to some of the same general problems that beset the skin. I am always amazed that the scalp doesn’t react more severely to the strong shampoos and conditioners we use, perms, blow-drying, hair extensions and chemical hair colours (recently twenty – two toxic substances, found in hair dyes, sprays and salon shampoos, were banned because they were found to be irritants to the skin). Just think of what these strong chemicals do to the environment. Our rivers and water supplies are becoming more and more polluted. Why not save money and go for a more natural approach?

These are approximately 100,000 hairs on our heads, each made of a strong stretchable protein material called keratin. The hair itself is dead but, even so, its condition still depends on a good diet, and smoking is one of the most common causes of dull and damaged hair! A period of ill health, shock (I remember when I was eleven, my best friend had such a shock that her hair turned white within a week!), stress or por nutrition (anorexia for example) can all affect the hair’s appearance. Beauty, strength and shine, even the hair itself, will be lost. These symptoms can be particularly apparent during times of emotional upheaval – menopausal women can experience thinning hair and adolescents can suffer from overactive sebaceous glands that result in spots, greasy hair, itchy scalp and dandruff.

Peaople worry about going grey and for a young face it can be difficult colour to carry off. People cover it because they see it as a sign of ageing but dyeing your hair can also damage it. Grey hair can be elegant and distinguished and by continually dyeing it we are just putting more money into the manufactures’ pockets.

Preventing hair problems with a good diet is essential, so make sure you have plenty of vitamin B complex, is especially good for stress-related hair problems) – nuts, wheatgerm and fish oils are all good sources. A diet rich in minerals helps the condition of the scalp and citrus fruits can add to the shine of the hair.

A diet rich in minerals helps the condition of the scalp and citrus fruits can add to the shine of the hair.

Essential oils use for normal hair:
Lemon, geranium, cedarwood, bois de rose, carrot and lavender

Essential oils to use for dry hair:
Lavender, sandlewood and myrrh

Essential oils to use for grey hair:
Cade, rosemary and sage

Essential oils to use for greasy hair:
Rosemary, tea tree, thyme, eucalyptus, Melissa, lavender, geranium and cedarwood

Essential oils to use for weak/damaged hair:
Chamomile, calendula, cypress, bergamot, Melissa, patchouli, basil and sandalwood