The Best Ayurvedic Oils & Herbs For Hair
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Good health starts from the inside.
These maxims about health remain as true today as ever. And they are especially true when it comes to growing and maintaining healthy hair.
So how do you prevent hair issues and encourage luscious, shiny hair from the inside? For the answer, we can look to a practice that is just as tried-and-true as these maxims and much older.
That practice is Ayurvedic hair care.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is an ancient, holistic approach to health that covers physical, mental, and spiritual wellness.
The word "Ayurveda" comes from Sanskrit and means "knowledge of life and longevity." At its core, it's an ancient wellness and phytomedicinal system, dating back thousands of years in India. Ayurveda is less about treatment and more about living life in a patient, balanced, intentional way to preemptively avert problems before they occur.
So if you're used to treating dry, brittle or slow growing hair after it develops, Ayurvedic hair care will require a shift in thinking from damage control towards preventive maintenance.
Ayurvedic Herbs & Oils for Hair
Most Ayurvedic hair preparations consist of oil-based herbal infusions that moisturize, strengthen and revitalize hair. Different herbs have different properties that correct imbalances to create hair that is soft, shiny, and healthy. Below are the carefully curated Ayurvedic oils and herbs we use in Qhemet products to give you your healthiest hair ever!
Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Amla comes from the Gooseberry tree which is a powerhouse fruit packed with vitamin C and antioxidants that has multiple medicinal and culinary uses. Amla oil is made by macerating the Amla fruit in either Coconut or Sesame oil and has been used for centuries in India to strengthen hair follicles, stimulate hair growth, eliminate dandruff and stop graying.
You can find Amla in our:
Brahmi
Brahmi, also known as water hyssop, is an edible herb vine with multiple nutritional and medicinal properties. It is used in Ayurvedic hair care to fortify hair, promote growth and treat alopecia and dandruff.
You can find Brahmi in our:
Bhringraj
Derived from extracts from a flower that belongs to the sunflower family, Bhringraj is an Ayurvedic herb taken orally to correct pitta imbalances, relieve stress and treat a multitude of health conditions. Topically, Bhringraj is used in hair preparations and applied to the scalp to alleviate inflammation, treat dandruff, thicken hair, tighten roots and add luster and sheen to dull and dry hair.
You can find Bhringraj in our:
MSM + ROSEMARY | Scalp Nutrients Balm
Castor Oil
Pressed from the castor bean, castor oil is another one of the cooling agents that is so important to Ayurvedic hair care. Castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, a type of fatty acid found to fight inflammation. Ricinoleic acid is also a monounsaturated fatty acid that acts as a humectant making it capable of drawing moisture to the hair and locking it in. Castor oil is used traditionally in Africa and India as a scalp treatment and hair dressing to reduce scalp inflammation, boost growth and add shine and sheen to dull, dry hair. It is one of the few oils that's also capable of deeply hydrating hair. We love the positive effect that Castor oil has on dry and slow growing hair and use it liberally in the following products:
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is used extensively in Indian cuisine and beauty products. The use of Coconut oil is documented in texts dating back as far as 1,500 BC. Coconut oil has a natural affinity to the protein bonds in hair and can penetrate the hair shaft to repair damage and prevent protein loss from the inside out. Coconut oil is high in lauric acid and has the ability to re-establish the skin's natural antimicrobial and acid barrier. It also adds silky softness and shine to hair. We use this lightweight, reparative oil in the formulas below:
Sesame Oil
Highly prized for being deeply nourishing and multifunctional, Sesame oil is a medium weight, warming oil that promotes healthy hair from root to tip, by stimulating circulation at the follicle level and coating the ends to prevent split ends. Sesame is mentioned in ancient Hindu texts and is used as the nutritive base oil in the majority of Ayurvedic hair and scalp treatments.
We use this rich, luscious oil in our:
The consistent use of our nutrient dense, Ayurvedic formulas will keep your hair healthy and strong and head off a multitude of hair and scalp issues before they occur. Take your hair's health to the next level with the tried and true oils and herbs used in Qhemet products and wave goodbye to problem scalp and dry, slow growing hair for good!
