5 Benefits of Using Oil for Hair and Body

Hair oiling and body oiling are traditional health and beauty practices that date back thousands of years in many different ancient cultures, like Egypt, Rome, Greece, India, Africa, Japan, the Mediterranean, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and more!

Clearly, the benefits of an oiling practice have been observed by many cultures before there was science to back up their claims. Since then, we have had more scientific explanations for why oiling is beneficial, but the end result remains the same: using certain botanical oils on the hair and skin has real advantages!

How Hair Oil Encourages Strong & Healthy Strands

Oils for hair typically have a high amount of omega-3 or other types of fatty acids (think baobab, jojoba, coconut, olive, argan, castor, etc). This is because these types of fats help to lock moisture into the scalp and hair strands, reducing dryness from the inside.

Oiling the hair improves the strength and integrity of hair strands, making the hair more resilient to damage and preventing dryness which leads to frizz and split ends.

Oil on the scalp can help reduce the presence of bacteria and fungi that cause itchiness, dryness, and dandruff (depending on the oil and the reason for these symptoms). Additionally, the nutrients in the oil can help hair follicles work more effectively and grow more healthy hair.

The act of gently massaging the scalp with oil can promote blood flow to the hair follicles, further increasing their ability to grow lots of strong, healthy hair.

Oiling the Body Leads to Luminous Beauty

Certain oils contain a lot of beneficial nutrients like vitamins E, C, and A, oleic acid, and antioxidants that help protect and nourish the skin. The oil itself helps lock in moisture and create a physical barrier between the skin to keep moisture in and pollutants, dirt, and germs out. The vitamins can be absorbed into the skin, promoting a strong skin barrier, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and discoloration, and soothing some conditions like eczema.

Some oils even have the ability to cleanse the skin and pores and help reduce acne, which seems counterintuitive!

5 Benefits of Using Oils on the Body and Hair

While there are numerous benefits to using oils for the hair and body, here are 5 of the main reasons why people love this practice.

1. Nourishes the Skin and Hair

Natural oils are spectacular tools for providing vitamins and minerals topically while also increasing moisture, and locking all those benefits beneath a protective layer. The skin looks supple and glowing, while the hair is strong, soft, and shiny.

2. Improve Your Complexion

Even though it may seem odd to heal oily skin with acne by using more oil, some skin types and certain types of acne respond very well to oil cleansing and/or moisturizing. These oils, like rosehip seed, jojoba, argan, hemp seed, baobab, and grapeseed can soothe inflamed skin, prevent more bacteria and pollution from entering damaged skin, and provide the moisture and nutrients needed to regrow more healthy skin.

3. Soothe Skin and Scalp Irritation

Some moisturizing oils can help reduce irritation from conditions like dandruff and dermatitis, itching, eczema, psoriasis, allergic reactions, and insect bites. Essential oils like tea tree, rosemary, peppermint, chamomile, lavender, neem, carrot seed, cedar, and others may also provide benefits for certain skin conditions.

4. Support Youthful-Looking Skin

Regularly infusing the skin with moisture and vitamins, protecting against pollutants and harsh weather, and gentle massage are all great ways to prevent premature wrinkles and age spots. Make sure you also wear sunscreen!

5. Create a Signature Scent

Many oils have a delicate scent that’s hardly noticeable, if you want to keep your usual scent. But, you also have the opportunity to create an amazing scent combining the oils that work best for your certain skin!

What Oils Are Good for Oiling?

Not all oils are good for all people, so you’ll need to combine research with trial and error to find the specific oils that work for you!

Here is where you can start learning about botanical and essential oils and start thinking about which ones you might like to try.

Botanical Oils

Botanical Oils are derived from fruits, nuts, kernels, and seeds, making them distinct from essential oils. These are typically used on their own, as a carrier oil for essential oils, and/or in a blend.

Jojoba, olive, coconut, rosehip, avocado, argan, baobab, carrot seed, grapeseed, flaxseed, sweet almond, and castor oil are examples of botanical oils.

This type of oil is excellent for moisturizing, protecting against environmental contaminants, and providing nutrients to the skin.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are typically steam-distilled from the stems, leaves, roots, and flowers of plants that smell good and/or have medicinal properties.

Such oils include eucalyptus, lavender, cedar, pine, rosemary, peppermint, oregano, calendula, rose, hyssop, frankincense, clary sage, vetiver, and helichrysum.

Essential oils are known for their distinct smells and properties like antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, drying, and heating or cooling sensations. They also contain compounds that can be great for healing certain conditions, soothing skin, and aromatherapeutic effects; however, you must practice safety with essential oils, like avoiding the eyes, diluting strong oils, and testing a small area for allergic reactions.

Hair Oil for Growth

Some oils have been shown to help hair growth in different ways, either by strengthening the follicles, encouraging damaged follicles to re-activate, reducing DHT production, and helping the actual hair strands be stronger and healthier.

Pumpkin seed oil, rosemary oil, peppermint oil, and argan oil are just some of the oils that may have benefits for helping to reduce hair fall and encourage healthy hair growth.

You can either gently massage oils into the scalp before bedtime or at least 15 minutes to 2 hours before washing your hair to ensure you reap the benefits of oiling without having overly oily hair.

Common Oiling Questions

When beginning an oiling routine, there are many questions you might have. Here are some of the most common Q & As.

Can you put body oil in your hair?

Some oil products are formulated specifically for hair or body, not both. But some, like our Tangie All Natural Hair & Body Oil, are meant for multi-purpose use. The blend of fractionated coconut oil, rice bran oil, baobab oil, red raspberry oil, hemp oil, and rosemary oil is perfect for moisturizing, soothing, and promoting healthy skin and hair.

What oil is good for the body and hair?

Using a neutral oil like argan, coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, baobab, and olive is perfect for both hair and skin. Essential oils like rosemary, lavender, cedar, lemongrass, patchouli, and hyssop are all great for hair and skin as well.

A general rule of thumb is that skin oils are safe for hair, but not all hair oils are safe for skin. “Hot” oils like cinnamon, peppermint, tea tree, and spearmint can cause skin irritation if they are too strongly concentrated and must be kept away from the eyes, nose, mouth, and other sensitive body areas. But you can use them in the hair as you’d like, as long as they are in a carrier oil.

Can we apply oil to the body every day?

If you want to include body oiling in your daily routine, you certainly can! While many people only oil 1-3 times per week, you can also oil more than that, as long as the oil you use doesn’t clog your pores or cause an allergic reaction.

You can also oil your hair every day, but if you notice your scalp worsening or your hair being too greasy, it’s wise to cut down on the amount of oilings you perform.

Ready to start using oils to improve your hair and skin? Check out Tangie products for a wide array of beneficial oils to choose from!