Discover the top 7 natural oils that penetrate the hair shaft in this list!
When looking for carrier oils or hair products good for hair health, promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss, you should most definitely check their hair penetrative ability.
Most conventional hair products contain mineral oil which is not only artificial in nature, thereby containing no nutrients to support hair health, but also has little to no hair penetration.
Of course mineral oil does have some benefit to it – it glosses up your hair if you want shiny locks but that’s about it. It will only coat the hair without penetrating it.
Ensure to avoid hair products with mineral oil as best as you can, if you want naturally healthy hair.
Natural oils that penetrate the hair shaft have a high amount of fatty acids such as lauric, capric, oleic, linoleic, mystiric, palmitic & caprylic acids.
These medium chain fatty acids have a small molecular structure & size that enables them to easily penetrate into the scalp & hair, feeding them with vital nutrients needed for healthy hair.
Why You Should Use Oils that Penetrate the Hair Shaft
How do oils that penetrate the hair shaft help maintain & promote a healthy head of hair?
Well, when wash your hair, water molecules may penetrate and make the hair strand expand or swell up.
However, the outer layer of the hair strand, known as the cuticle cannot expand like the inside, so it ends up curling and bending outward, forming an uneven and scaly kind of texture, as opposed to being smooth and shiny.
If you apply oils that penetrate the hair shaft on your scalp and locks before washing, it prevents all this by making the proteins found in hair more hydrophobic, which means water repelling, hence water is not able to easily penetrate the hair and cause damage the outer cuticle when it swells up.
Healthy and strong hair is naturally hydrophobic, given that we already have natural oils being produced in our scalp, keeping our hair moisturized and glossy.
But due to pollution, chemical hair products, chlorinated water, weather changes, heat tools and a whole host of other factors affecting the world today, hair is often dry, dehydrated, coarse and looking limp & lifeless.
This kind of hair is normally very porous because the protective outer layer of the hair strands has been damaged and so, it takes up a lot of water in a very short amount of time, leading to extra frizzy & unhealthy looking hair.
Using oils that have high penetrative ability will not only protect the hair cuticles from damage but also nourish them with much-needed nutrients which some oils with low penetration, such as mineral oil, lack.
Let’s now look at the top carrier oils that penetrate the hair shaft and how they work!
Note: Most oils including coconut, olive and avocado penetrate easier & faster when heat is applied so feel free to sit under a hooded dryer or put on a shower cap/plastic bag then wrap a warm towel on top to retain warmth and enable the oils penetrate deeper and nourish.
7 Natural Oils that Penetrate the Hair Shaft
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is highly penetrative and immediately starts sinking into your scalp and hair once you apply it.
This oil is popular in Ayurveda and is the one that’s been used by women from South East Asia for long luscious and thick locks of hair.
Their secret is oiling their hair with coconut oil before hair washing to prevent protein-loss! Coconut oil has the smallest molecular size, making it the best penetrative hair oil.
2. Olive Oil
After coconut oil comes olive oil – although it has a thick and heavy feel & consistency, it actually penetrates deep into the hair instead of just coating the hair strands.
If you do not have coconut oil, you can use olive oil.
I recommend olive over coconut if your hair is dry, damaged and coarse.
3. Ucuuba Butter
Technically not an oil but rather a butter, ucuuba butter is not widely known but has a high penetrative ability.
It is composed of about 75 % fatty acids/triglycerides that have a small molecular size to easily penetrate deep into the scalp & hair.
4. Avocado Oil
Also thick in consistency just like olive oil, avocado oil surprisingly has high penetration.
It is also rich in fatty acids such as oleic and linoleic and contains powerful antioxidants that are great for healing damaged hair from heat tools/UV rays.
5. Babassu Oil
Another rare ingredient in the world of beauty, babassu oil is extracted from the Babassu palm, native to Brazil.
It has been used by the locals since ancient times as a natural moisturizer for skin & hair.
It contains about 75% lipids that easily penetrate and nourish.
Babassu oil also repairs damaged hair, adds luster to dull hair and restores hair strength & elasticity while moisturizing, conditioning and nourishing the scalp and hair.
6. Camellia Seed Oil
Camellia seed oil is native to Asia and has been a beauty secret of the beautiful Geishas of Japan.
It is also known as tea oil or tea seed oil and has incredible hair penetrative ability as well as moisture retaining properties.
It contains high amounts of the anti-oxidant fatty acid, oleic acid, even more than olive oil itself!
7. Castor Oil
This thick and sticky oil is excellent for hair growth and repair.
Castor oil is rich in powerful antioxidants such as vitamin E & fatty acids such as omega 6 & 9 fatty acids that protect the outer layer of hair from environmental damage & pollution.
Its penetrative abilities help nourish & repair damaged hair as well as retain moisture.
Due to its sticky and heavy consistency, use only a little amount of castor oil combined with another oil having a light consistency such as grapeseed.
Other Natural Oils/Butters that Penetrate the Hair Shaft
- Shea Butter
- Argan Oil
- Sweet Almond Oil
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- Complete Guide to Using Essential Oils for Scalp & Hair Care
When & How to Use Oil on Your Hair
1. Pre-Shampoo
Oiling your hair before washing is one secret to preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.
In fact, women in India have been doing this since ancient times and they do have beautiful long hair.
This works by preventing hair protein from getting washed off thereby making them more hydrophobic , a.k.a water-resistant.
2. Overnight Treatment
An overnight treatment is good for softening dry rough and coarse hair.
To do this, simply select a high penetration oil of your choice, get about 1-2 tbsp (any more might make your hair greasy which is very hard to rinse off) and massage it on your scalp and hair.
You can also combine oils and add any other ingredients such as herbs or essential oils for added benefits.
Next, cover your hair with a shower cap then place an old towel over your pillow to protect it from oil stains. In the morning, rinse your hair very thoroughly with warm/tepid water and a natural shampoo.
3. Hot Oil Massage
Damaged hair can gradually be returned to its original luscious state through regular hot oil treatments.
All you need to do is heat up some oil (about 2 tbsp) in a pan until hot enough to touch without burning your skin.
Do not let it boil by all means – this can not only destroy its nutrients but also burn your scalp!
Section your hair, scoop some oil using a spoon and apply on your scalp and hair.
Wash your hair thoroughly as usual after an hour or two.
I like best Coconut oil and Olive oil. They’re amazing for my hair. They make it shine and strengthen it, not to mention how they stop any scalp itchiness for a long time after the treatment. I also found out that heat helps the hair grow faster, so I use a shower cap for as long as I keep the oils on 🙂
Hi Laura. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Def trying some new oils!. I enjoy how informative and thorough you are. Thank you ! <3
Hi Quiera! Thank you so much 🙂 Wish you the best with the new oils you try out!
This was credible for avocado , olive and coconut maybe even babassu but honestly the rest is made up
When using oils on my hair and then (trying) to wash out, it never works. My hair is always soo greasy afterwards. Why is this? Does it depend on hair type? I have straight, fine hair, mid-back length.
Hi Nicole, yes it definitely depends on your hair type! Try using very little on your scalp like 2 tsp and just run your fingers through your strands – don’t slather a lot on your locks. Many people with fine hair don’t even put oil on their locks (only the scalp) to avoid greasiness.
Also, applying shampoo to dry hair first then rinsing it off works better at removing the oils than applying it to wet hair.Hope this helps!
Hi. Thank you for very useful information that i did not know . Now i use oils with more confident which will have benefite at last.
It is nice that you answer every comment.
Thanks
From Iran
Being that water is moisture and the above oils can penetrate hair, how then can water enter the hair shaft if these oils coat and penetrate the hair?
sources?
I’m actually writing a paper on this, and I can’t find any scientific sources!!!! All I find are abstracts. And I don’t have access to the Journal of Cosmetic Science, where everything on hair oils seems to be published. what am I doing wrong!? I’m gonna cry.