How Long Should You Leave Hair Oil On?

How long should you leave oil on your hair? Overnight or 1 hour? Is the age-old belief, the longer the hair oil stays, the better it is, really true? We set out to find answers and here is what we found.

Hair oil basically does the job of seeping deep into hair follicles, strengthening the roots, sealing cuticles, nourishing scalp and promoting hair growth. Now, how long you should leave oil on your hair comes down to your hair type.

If you have fairly nourished hair, with healthy pH balance of the scalp, then 1 hour of hair oiling treatment can work just as fine.

However, if you have damaged hair with dry ends, brittle and rough hair, then what you need is deeper conditioning, which means, overnight hair oiling.

Alternatively, you can switch between both hair oiling techniques each week, depending on your hair texture and humidity.

It is surprising how many people go wrong in doing something they have supposedly done since infancy.

To put you on the right track and spruce your mane to its best self, here is a step-by-step method on the right way to oil your hair.

Step 1:

Using a wide-toothed comb, remove all knots and tangles from your hair.

Step 2:

Take hair oil recipe of your choice and heat it in a low flame for 2 minutes. Allow it to cool at room temperature.

Step 3:

Avoid pouring the oil directly onto your scalp, as it will make your hair excessively greasy, forcing you to use more shampoo.

Step 4:

Divide your hair into small partitions, dip your fingers into the lukewarm oil, and gently apply it on the partition.

Step 5:

Avoid rubbing the oil on your scalp with your palm, as it will only lead to more hair breakage. Instead, with the soft bud of your fingers, massage it in a circular motion to boost blood circulation. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 6:

If you want the oil to seep in better, treat your scalp to a steam. Dip a light towel, wring out the excess water and wrap your hair with this towel.

Step 7:

Care must be taken to not leave the oil for too long, as it can start attracting dirt, paving way for dandruff! Avoid leaving the oil on hair for more than 12 hours.