Hot Oil Treatment For Hair Benefits And How To Use It

My skin and hair have a mind of their own during the winter season – they keep flipping from being dry, flaky, and itchy to oily and dull every second day. Winters are harsh. The climate around you, the temperature of your bathing water, woollen knits: everything seems to attack my body, especially my hair. Solution? Hot oil champis, y’all!

Ahead, plush wonder oils (squeezed out of nature’s finest nuts and fruits) that promise to work their magic to heal, nourish and revive your crowning glory – designed to shoo away all your worries with a soothing, stress-numbing head massage.

But before we get into the best hot oil for hair for specific skin concerns, let’s look at some of the benefits of a hot hair oil treatment and how to do it yourself at home. Stick around a while for some of our top recommendations and answers to some burning questions.

Benefits Of Hot Oil For Hair Treatment

Here are some of the underrated yet high-power benefits of hot oil treatments for hair:

1. Curbs Dandruff

   If you experience dandruff that’s caused due to a dry scalp and not a fungal infection, then a hot oil treatment is ideal for you. A hot oil treatment can stimulate blood circulation on the scalp and loosen dried and flaky dandruff clumps. This ensures the release of these clumps and cleans the scalp thoroughly. It also reduces dehydration and adds moisture to a dull, dry scalp.

2. Controls Frizz

   If you have textured or frizzy hair, a hot oil hair treatment can calm your hair strands. It conditions your hair deeply and softens the rough texture. It also protects the hair's length and makes it more manageable.

3. Improves Hair Growth

   When you stimulate your scalp with hot hair oil it improves the blood flow and strengthens the dormant hair follicles. It also helps restore split ends, dry hair, and highly porous hair, which can all lead to reduced hair fall. Make sure the hair oil is not too hot, as it can strip the natural oils and moisture from the hair.

How To Do A Hot Oil Treatment At Home

You don’t need any fancy equipment or high-end oils to give your scalp a hot oil treatment at home. All you need to pamper your hair at home are a few things as follows:

• A blend of natural and plant-based oils that are great for your hair and scalp, such as almonds, jojoba, hemp, hibiscus, or coconut.
• A heat-safe bowl or glass container.
• A wide-toothed comb.
• A plastic wrap.
• Shampoo and conditioner.

Take some hair-friendly oils and pour them into a small container. Place this container either in a microwave or a double boiler. Heat the oil just a little bit. Take some of the oil onto your palms to check the temperature, if it’s too hot for your hands, it’s too hot for your scalp. Cover your hands with the oil, even your fingers and nails.

Start massaging your scalp with the hot oil, use your fingertips and not fingernails, as the former can tear your scalp. Make sure you reach every part of the scalp, including behind your ears, top of the neck, and everywhere else.

Take a wide-toothed comb and distribute the oil to your hair strands as well. Detangle your hair gently as you go. Massage the scalp for 15 minutes or so, and re-heat the oil if it cools down during the process.

Take a plastic wrap and cover your head to keep dust and grime from sticking to the oil. Wash your hair off with a shampoo to remove all the greasiness. Shampoo twice if the oil persists, and follow it with a conditioner to smoothen the strands.

Repeat this twice a week for luscious hair and a healthy scalp.

Fabulous Hair Oils For Hot Oil Treatment

Check out these fabulous hair oils for all your winter concerns.

1. Frizzy & Dry

If you have naturally dry hair, chances are you will have a messy afro throughout your winter days. Frizzy hair doubles up in winter, making your scalp itchy and dry. All you need is a nice hot oil champi at least 2-3 hours before you shampoo.

Hot Oil for you: Argan or marula oil as your base, with a few drops of avocado Oil to soothe your frantic tresses.

Nykaa Recommends:

2. Dull & Sticky

While your natural oils are at work, the weather makes your hair feel lifeless and dull. Sticky or oily hair needs a revival this season with essential oils that bring out a non-sticky shine to your hair. Make sure you don’t keep the oil on for too long. A thorough 20-minute champi should do the work. Make sure you wash right after.

Hot Oil for you: Sweet almond oil as your base, with a teaspoon of tea tree oil and a few drops of rosemary oil for oil control and lively hair.

Nykaa Recommends:

3. Falling Hair

Winter marks the arrival of dry, cold winds. The atmosphere around you becomes much less humid, sucking out the moisture from your scalp, making your hair prone to excessive hair fall. Get a nice hot oil champi and sit in the sun for some extra Vitamin D before you wash your hair.

Hot Oil for you: Coconut oil is your saviour, especially when heated with fenugreek (methi) and curry leaves. Onion oil can also help in hair growth.

Nykaa Recommends:

4. Flaky Scalp

Another big concern during winter is recurring dandruff. Other than the dry, cold air, other factors like hot showers and hair accessories like beanies can cause dandruff that just won’t go away. Hot oil champi-s can reduce the flakes and maintain your scalp’s oil balance.

Hot Oil for you: Castor Oil as your base. It's very rich and thick, so mix it with coconut or bhringharaj oil to maintain your head’s natural moisture.

Nykaa Recommends:

Parting Thoughts

Pro Tip: Get Vitamin E oil capsules and empty one in your hot oil right before your champi. Also create a very diluted concoction of coconut oil, aloe vera and water to spray as a post-shower serum to combat dry, cold winds. Want to revive your brittle and dull hair? Check out Argan Oil For Hair That’s Happier & Healthier.

FAQs

1. How frequently should I do a hot oil hair treatment?

   If you have short hair, you can do it once a week, but if you have long dry hair, it has more chances of getting tangled and dehydrated. Ideally, massage your hair with hot oil twice a week, but if you feel the grime build-up and dandruff is getting too much during the winter, you can treat your hair even three times a week.

2. Can hot oil change the texture of my hair?

   No, only thermal styling tools can change the shape and texture of your hair, hot oil aims at nourishing your hair, strengthening the roots, and improving blood circulation.

3. When should I wash my hair while doing a hot oil treatment?

   Wash your hair after massaging your scalp with hot oil so you can clean all the build-up and excess oil from the scalp to avoid grease and mess.

4. Who should opt for hot oil treatment for hair?

   People with extremely dry, brittle, damaged, coloured, treated, and bleached hair should opt for a hair oil treatment.

5. What are some good oils for hot oil hair treatment?

   Some good oils for hot hair oil treatment are coconut, amla, jojoba, avocado, argan, tea tree, rosemary, and castor oil.