Homemade oils are natural but you must be careful while using them; here’s why

"A healthy diet is most important for healthy hair," said Dr Vandana Punjabi, dermatologist and trichologist at Khar, and Nanavati Hospital.

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | February 9, 2023 09:40 PM IST

3 min read

Prepare this herbal oil at home. (representational, Source: Getty images)

Every other day, social media throws up a new homemade remedy claiming it to be extremely beneficial for the health, or the skin and hair. While such DIY solutions may be chemical-free and help you to some extent, it is always recommended to consult an expert, and also do a patch test, before applying them. That is because while the remedies may not be harmful, the products used to prepare them may be adulterated, or you may be allergic to even a natural ingredient.

As such, when we came across Chef Meghna Kamdar’s “magical hair oil” recipe on Instagram, we were definitely intrigued, but also a little wary about the fact that though it is natural, is it suitable for all? “My magical hair oil,” she captioned the video on Instagram, sharing the recipe of the oil which promised to improve the texture of your hair.

“If you style your hair with a lot of chemicals, then use this oil afterward to take care of your hair. I apply this aromatic oil to my hair once or twice a week. Helps reduce hair fall, strengthens hair, and improves texture. I feel my hair has become much smooth after its regular use. Here is the process,” she wrote as she shared the recipe for the hair oil.

Ingredients

500 ml coconut hair oil
7-8 Indian gooseberry (amla)
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds (methi ke daane)
1 tbsp Onion Seeds/Nigella Seeds (jalonji)
10 hibiscus flowers (Jaswant ke phul)
Few curry leaves

Also Read | Ayurvedic expert shares tips to take care of your hair naturally

Method

*First, heat the coconut hair oil on a medium flame
*Add amla, curry leaves, methi daana, and kalonji
*Bring it to a boil a couple of times
*Now turn off the heat and keep stirring the hot oil
*Once it cools down, add flowers
*Now cover the oil and keep it overnight (best 24 hours)
*strain it and store it

Apply it to your hair regularly for visible results.

To know more about this hair oil, we reached out to experts to understand if one can apply homemade oils without consulting an expert. “Homemade oils may help to improve the texture of hair, and have a conditioning effect on damaged hair. But in my practice, I have seen many cases of dandruff, severe seborrheic dermatitis, scalp folliculitis, and acne on forehead as a result of using such oils. This is because they can aggravate sweating and fungal and bacterial infections, especially in areas with high humidity like Mumbai. So better to avoid them on scalp,” said Dr Vandana Punjabi, dermatologist and trichologist at Khar, and Nanavati Hospital.

According to Dr Punjabi, there are many peptide serums available, which give good growth and strength to hair follicles. “Above all, a healthy diet is most important for healthy hair,” she told indianexpress.com.

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