Essential oils have astonishing properties that benefit our hair fibers. In this article, we will quickly present these properties, then present the ingredients and dosages to carry out hair routines specific to each hair type.
This article was updated on 24/04/2024The ''capillary'' properties of essential oils
stimulating essential oils
Some essential oils have the ability to promote blood circulation thanks to their vasodilator property notably. This blood flow to the scalp region will give many properties to your shampoo. Indeed, the more blood arrives in abundance, the more the nutrients present in the blood can be absorbed by the hair and the latter will therefore be better nourished and stronger. In this way, this property helps stimulate hair growth. The reference in this field is without a shadow of a doubt Himalayan Spikenard essential oil which will allow you to obtain beautiful, long hair in no time, whether to change your style or to forget the trauma of a failed cut! And that's not all, essential oils can have other virtues to take care of your beautiful manes:
- Better nourished hair will also have more ease in repairing itself. Thus, Lavender Aspic or Roman Chamomile essential oils are the main allies of damaged hair.
- In the same way, hair that has all the nutrients it needs will tend to be stronger and therefore hair loss will be slowed down. The reference essential oils for maintaining the density of your hair are Cajeput and Atlas Cedar.
- Finally, healthy hair will tend to have better hold. This way, they will have more volume, and any curls will also be better defined. Rosat Geranium or Ginger essential oils are ideal for restoring volume to your hair.
This improvement in the vascularization of the scalp also helps promote the elimination of toxins present that could weaken your hair.
antiseptic essential oils
Most essential oils are antiseptics. In fact, they almost all have antibacterial, antiviral or even antifungal properties. These properties allowcleanse the scalp of various pathogens that can cause dandruff or skin irritation.
Palmarosa and Tea Tree essential oils are ideal for fighting dandruff while True Lavender essential oil is ideal for scalp irritations.
sebum-regulating essential oils
Essential oils also have the power to say goodbye to your dry hair or fat by influencing sebum secretion so that it returns to normal. Thus, the reference in this field is Complete Ylang-Ylang essential oil.
Other essential oils specialize in combating oily hair. Citrus essences and Atlas Cedar essential oil have lipolytic properties, meaning they will destroy the layer of oil present on your hair.
essential oils promoting shine
It is also possible to restore all the shine to your hair thanks to essential oils. Indeed, some of them have the ability to tighten the scales of the hair fibers and this action promotes the reflection of light and therefore restores all its shine to your hair.
The essential oils of Ylang Ylang III and Rosemary in Cinéole are two very good examples for combating dull hair. It is also possible to use essential oils for shine depending on the color of your hair.
Blondes will prefer Camomile Chamomile essential oil and brown-haired people will prefer Cinnamon essential oil.
Treatments and shampoos with essential oils
Baby shampoo
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 3 drops of essential oil Roman chamomile
- 5 drops of essential oil Fine Lavender
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
White and graying hair care
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 15 drops of essential oil Matricaria Chamomile
- 45 drops of essential oil Lemongrass
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Wheat germ
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil Apricot kernels
Anti-dandruff shampoo
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 2 drops of essential oil Palmarosa
- 4 drops of essential oil Atlas cedar
- 4 drops of essential oil Tea Tree
- 6 drops of essential oil True Lavender
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
Curly hair care
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Basil
- 30 drops of essential oil Petit grain bigarade
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil Macadamia
Blonde and light hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Lemon
- 30 drops of essential oil Matricaria Chamomile
- 5 mL (or 4.5 teaspoons) vegetable oil lawyer
- 35 mL (or 3.5 tablespoons) vegetable oil Coco
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 9 drops of essential oil Lemon
- 6 drops of essential oil Matricaria Chamomile
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for blonde and light hair.
Damaged hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 25 drops of essential oil Roman chamomile
- 35 drops of essential oil Lavender Aspic
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil Coco
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil Castor
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 6 drops of essential oil Roman chamomile
- 11 drops of essential oil Lavender Aspic
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils against damaged hair.
Brown and brown hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 10 drops of essential oil Cinnamon Bark
- 50 drops of essential oil Lemon
- 20 mL (or 2 tablespoons) vegetable oil Apricot kernels
- 20 mL (or 2 tablespoons) vegetable oil argan
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 5 drops of essential oil Rosemary in Cinéole
- 10 drops of essential oil Lemon
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for brown and brown hair.
Colored hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil sweet Orange
- 30 drops of essential oil ylang Ylang Complete
- 5 mL (or 1/2 tablespoon) vegetable oil Borage
- 35 mL (or 3.5 tablespoons) vegetable oil Macadamia
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 8 drops of essential oil sweet Orange
- 8 drops of essential oil ylang Ylang Complete
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for colored hair.
Shampoo against hair loss
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 4 drops of essential oil Geranium Rosat
- 4 drops of essential oil Grapefruit
- 2 drops of essential oil Cajeput
- 2 drops of essential oil Ginger
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
Frizzy hair care
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, then add:
- 60 drops of essential oil Rosemary in Cinéole
- 4 mL (or 2 teaspoons) vegetable oil lawyer
- 12 mL (i.e. 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) vegetable oil Wheat germ
- 32 mL (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) vegetable oil Coco
Shampoo for children
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 5 drops of essential oil True Lavender
- 5 drops of essential oil of Eucalyptus Radiata
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
Smooth hair care
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Petit grain bigarade
- 30 drops of essential oil ylang Ylang Complete
- 20 mL (or 2 tablespoons) vegetable oil Coco
- 20 mL (or 2 tablespoons) vegetable oil sweet Almond
Greasy hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Grapefruit
- 30 drops of essential oil Atlas cedar
- 20 mL (or 2 tablespoons) vegetable oil Jojoba
- 20 mL (or 2 tablespoons) vegetable oil Hazelnut
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 6 drops of essential oil Grapefruit
- 6 drops of essential oil Atlas cedar
- 6 drops of essential oil Rosemary in Cinéole
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for oily hair.
Thin hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Pepper mint
- 30 drops of essential oil Ginger
- 10 mL (or 1 tablespoon) vegetable oil Castor
- 30 mL (or 3 tablespoons) vegetable oil Nigella
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 4 drops of essential oil Pepper mint
- 4 drops of essential oil Geranium Rosat
- 7 drops of essential oil Ginger
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for fine hair.
Men's hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Ginger
- 30 drops of essential oil Atlas cedar
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Borage
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil argan
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 5 drops of essential oil Pepper mint
- 5 drops of essential oil Atlas cedar
- 5 drops of essential oil Rosemary in Cinéole
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for men's hair.
Hair growth
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 45 drops of essential oil Ylang ylang complete
- 15 drops of essential oil Pepper mint
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Borage
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil Castor
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 5 drops of essential oil Pepper mint
- 5 drops of essential oil Ylang ylang complete
- 5 drops of essential oil Ginger
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for hair growth.
Shampoo for normal hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 8 drops of essential oil Petit grain bigarade
- 8 drops of essential oil Lemongrass
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
Red hair care
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 10 drops of essential oil Cinnamon
- 50 drops of essential oil Lemongrass
- 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil Borage
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil Apricot kernels
Dry hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oilYlang ylang complete
- 30 drops of essential oil Fine Lavender
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Wheat germ
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil Coco
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 5 drops of essential oilYlang ylang complete
- 5 drops of essential oil Fine Lavender
- 5 drops of essential oil Geranium Rosat
- Complete with Neutral Shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for dry hair.
Dull hair
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, and add:
- 20 drops of essential oil Rosemary in Cinéole
- 20 drops of essential oil Lemongrass
- 20 drops of essential oil of Ylang Ylang III
- 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil argan
Take your empty 50 mL bottle, pour a few centimeters of neutral shampoo into it, then add:
- 8 drops of essential oil Lemongrass
- 8 drops of essential oil Rosemary in Cinéole
- Complete with neutral shampoo until the bottle is filled
More details : essential oils for dull hair.
3 in 1 treatment for women
Take your empty bottle, and add:
- 30 drops of essential oil Fine Lavender
- 30 drops of essential oil Green Mandarin
- 10 mL (or 1 tablespoon) vegetable oil Grape seeds
- 30 mL (or 3 tablespoons) vegetable oil Coco
Hair care after sun
Melt 25 g of butter Shea, then add:
- 15 mL of oily macerate Calendula
- 10 mL of vegetable oil Jojoba
- 15 drops of essential oil Grapefruit
Dry ends repair mask
Melt 25 g of butter Shea, then add:
- 15 mL of vegetable oil Coco
- 10 mL of vegetable oil Macadamia
- 15 drops of essential oil Rosemary with cineole
Softening beard balm
Melt 30 g of butter Shea then add:
- 20 mL of vegetable oilLawyer
- 15 drops of essential oil Ginger
More details : make a softening balm for the beard.
Beard oil
Reserved for adults and adolescents. In skin application, vplace a few drops of beard oil in the palm of your hands then rub and massage the beard using circular movements. Apply to the skin.
- 20 drops of essential oil Patchouli
- 20 drops of essential oil Atlas cedar
- 8 mL (160 drops) vegetable oil Castor
- 40 mL (800 drops) vegetable oil Jojoba
More details : beard oil based on essential oils.
Essential oils in a shampoo: precautions for use
Shampoo = emulsion
Shampoo is what we call a emulsion that is to say a mixture of two compounds which do not mix. But how is this possible you ask me? This is where molecules called emulsifiers come into play. These are large molecules with the capacity to dissolve partly in a fatty substance and in an aqueous phase. This property therefore makes it possible to mix these two initially immiscible bodies.
It's exactly the same principle as for a vinaigrette (except that it washes better!): without the molecules present in the mustard it is impossible for you to mix oil and vinegar evenly.
Pay attention to the stability of the mixture
Adding essential oil to a shampoo can have an influence on the shampoo. Essential oils, although not strictly speaking fatty substances, are soluble in lipid phases.
If you add too much essential oil to a shampoo, you will destabilize the water/oil balance and break the emulsion, it's like when you mess up mayonnaise (no, this has never happened to us!). So, it is only advisable to add about 1% essential oil at most to a shampoo. Beyond that, we will break the gel and obtain 2 phases.
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Bibliography
Work : de la Charie, T. (2019). Treat yourself with essential oils. Why and how does it work? Editions du Rocher.
About these tips
This aromatherapy article was written by Théophane de la Charie, author of the book “Treat yourself with essential oils”, accompanied by a multidisciplinary team made up of pharmacists, biochemists and agronomists.
La Compagnie des Sens and its teams do not encourage self-medication. The information and advice provided comes from a reference bibliographic database (books, scientific publications, etc.). They are given for information purposes, or to suggest avenues for reflection: they should in no case replace a diagnosis, consultation or medical follow-up, and cannot engage the liability of the Compagnie des Sens.