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Want to have beautiful hair, that is genuinely healthy and full of life? Dry, damaged hair, frizzy hair, or unmanageable hair can be remedied by maintaining overnight oil treatments for your hair. YAY!
The History of Oil Treatments
A lot of people may not know this, but oil treatments have been used for a very long time. Men and women from all different parts of the world have practiced different oil treatments to care for their hair.
In ancient Greece, women would condition their hair with olive oil, proving to be a fantastic hair treatment.
Ancient Egyptians would keep their hair healthy with fat and oils derived from animals. They would apply these oils to the hair and wrap it up in a cloth to leave on overnight. They wanted to achieve healthy and strong hair, and those oils did just that.
Modern Oil Treatments
Overnight oil treatments are a little-known secret that celebrities use. It is a handy tool and provides the hair with a luscious look. Overnight oil treatments are so simple that we all should be doing it.
You will find many oil treatments on the shelf, including hot oils and leave-in oils; some of these oils are great, but most of the ones you see in the drug store contain synthetic oils, silicones, preservatives, and fragrances.
Chemicals in Mainstream Oil Hair Treatments
Some of the chemicals you will find in drug-store oil hair treatments include:
Why would we choose to use a product that contains these questionable ingredients, when we can instead use readily available plant oils?
Stresses that Damages our Hair
Keeping our hair healthy in our ever-changing environment is not an easy task. We use many different products in our hair, and the stress of the hot and cold temperatures we expose our hair to can cause damage. Our hair is continuously being bombarded by the environment, hair care products, and styling products. Our hair deserves a little love and attention!
Here is a list of some of the stresses our hair encounters on a day to day basis.
Hot temperatures from the shower
Hot temperatures from the weather
Cold temperatures from the weather
Using products that dry out and damage the hair
Using synthetic shampoos that strip away the hair’s natural oils
Not using the right products for your hair type
Hair dyes and perms
Blow drying
Straightening
Going O’ Natural
Some of us try not to use many products in our hair and choose to use natural products, something we hope will benefit our hair from future damage. You will prevent damage by not dying, bleaching, and so on, but you are still going to have wear and tear that needs attention.
Limiting what we do to our hair will help keep it more robust in the short term, but over time, even natural kept hair will become a little worn out – dry at the ends, and slightly course, especially if you keep your hair long.
What I recommend, whether you are always rocking a new hair color, or you have entirely virgin hair or everything in-between, is to get into the habit of maintaining an overnight hair oil treatment routine.
Best Oil Treatments for your Hair Type
So what is the best oil for your hair? Will one oil work great for all hair types? There are a few oils I would recommend based on your hair type, and I also have an excellent overall recommendation for all hair types.
Thin or Brittle Hair
Recommended Oil: Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary essential oil naturally stimulates the hair follicles to grow, as well as helps prevent hair loss. Rosemary oil is fantastic at anti-aging for the skin; with so many nutrients and protective compounds, it translates wonderfully to keeping the hair young and full of life.
Rosemary oil will hydrate and nourish the regenerative tissues and keep hair growing and healthy.
Coarse Hair
Recommended Oil: Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is very rich in proteins and it can help soften coarse hair. With high amino acids, vitamins A, D, and E, this oil will help fill and repair the crevices that happen with coarse hair, strengthening each strand and protecting it from further damage. Coarse hair can be softened and made more manageable with this nourishing oil.
Thick Hair
Recommended Oil: Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp Seed oil is super rich in fatty acids and vitamin E. Hemp seed oil will deeply condition and hydrate thick hair, helping give it more flexibility, nourish split ends, and drag it out. What I mean by dragging it out is, allow the hair to straighten and not feel so thick. Often people with thick hair find it hard to keep it hydrated and flexible.
All Hair Types
Recommended Oil: Argan Oil
Argan oil is the ultimate oil for all hair types. Argan oil is a rare and costly oil, but worth every penny. Argan oil is excellent for an overnight oil treatment for a variety of reasons.
A high vitamin E content means argan oil can help stimulate cell growth and encourages healthy hair development. It increases elasticity and reduces breakage.
Argan oil is composed of 80% unsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids contained in argan oil include Oleic, Linoleic, Palmitic, and Stearic acids. These fatty acids work hard for the hair; helping tame frizz and add softness and shine to dry ends. It also conditions, protects, and moisturizes the hair.
TIP: Mix argan oil with coconut oil or jojoba oil to extend its use, as it is an expensive oil.
How To Perform an Overnight Oil Treatment Step by Step
So how do you do an overnight oil treatment? It is wonderfully simple, resulting in amazing benefits.
Simply choose the oil that best fits your concern or hair type.
If you are unsure, go with Argan oil. Each oil listed will provide a luscious shine and deep conditioning. Keeping the oil on the hair overnight will allow the deepest penetration, and ensure there is enough time for each strand of hair to use the oils nourishment to its fullest.
The Steps:
Choose your favorite oil
Apply generously to dry or slightly damp hair
Wrap your hair snug in a towel or spread a sheet onto your pillow
Leave in overnight ( I recommend using a towel that you don’t mind staining and keep it as your overnight oil treatment towel)
Have a wonderful sleep ?
Wash your hair, as usual, the following morning ( you may need a second wash but try to avoid it if you feel comfortable)
Repeat every 7 days
Conclusion
Now that you know this amazing little secret, people will be asking you, “how do you get such bright and lush hair?”. It is truly amazing how nice your hair can look after an overnight oil treatment, especially when you use natural oils without synthetics.
People who treat their hair with many products, blow dry or straighten their hair are going to benefit admirably.
We want to hear all about overnight oil treatments. Have you tried them? Do you love them? Do you need an oil recommendation? Questions and comments are why we love what we do, drop us a line!
About Andrea
Andrea has been blogging about organic and natural skincare for over 5 years and has been practicing her own natural lifestyle for over 20 years. She is a mother of three with a passion for helping people make the switch to non-toxic skincare. If you are looking for organic beauty products - Check out our favorite shops
Wow this is a great article! I personally have thin hair, and I’ve been growing it out for about a year now. I’ve heard about oil treatments before but I’ve always been hesitant to try them because my hair gets oily so easy as it is and I don’t want to make it worse. However, the process you explain here sounds simple and foolproof. I think I’m going to have to try it!
No need to worry about oily hair if you wash the oil out. I love the way argan oil makes my hair feel, it is so soft. The benefits to your hair are immense.
Wow, great post! I have really long, thick hair and do find it hard to maintain and care for. I never knew of overnight oil treatments for hair, and now that I do, it sounds very interesting! I have a question: how exactly do you apply the oils to your hair and make sure that it stays in? Also, what kind of oils are these? Essential oils? And where can I get them? Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Thanks for the comment and great questions 🙂 I have long thick hair as well. I find the best way to do an oil treatment is to buy a great hemp seed oil mixed with a high quality argan oil. if you follow this link back to the article you will notice I have recommended the best brand and where to get it. https://thebestorganicskincare.com/the-ultimate-gui…
Click on the pink text in the article, it is a link to my recommendations.
How To:
Take a shower, and once your hair is damp apply the oil generously through the strands. You can then wrap your hair in a towel and sleep on it. If that is uncomfortable just lay the towel on your pillow and let your hair drape over that.
In the morning you can wash your hair. Try and do it over the weekend because you may still have oil in your hair and might take a few washes. Your hair will be smooth, amazingly sleek and hydrated.
These are not essential oils, you will want to use seed or nut oils, including avocado oil, hemp seed oil and argan oil.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and hope this helps!
Hi there, I use coconut oil sometimes to moisturize my hair but the smell isn’t the greatest. So I am please to learn that there are other choices for me out there.
I have very thick hair and yes, keeping them hydrated and flexible is such a challenge every morning. Where does hemp seed oil originates from and what does it smell like? Thanks.
Great Question! Hemp seed oil can come from lots of different areas, but its production began mainly in the northern hemisphere. It is a crop that can be grown fairly easily and fast.
Hemp seed oil has a mild nutty smell. Its not a strong smell, but you will notice it if you use it In your hair.
Hemp seed oil is so nourishing for the hair, you will love how healthy your hair feels after you use it. It is a great alternative to coconut oil because it is similar in fatty acids. Hope this answers your question!
Hello Maria. So I have course and thick hair at the same time. Which oil should be best use for my kind of hair? I love your site. Very informative. An eye opener. Thank you.
Hi Aube,
Thanks for the question! I would recommend you use Argan oil. It is full of Vitamin E and that will help relax the coarseness of your hair. Its great for conditioning and softening the hair too. Argan oil is amazing, and you can use it daily too, not just over night 🙂 Check out the best Argan oil we recommend, follow the link. https://thebestorganicskincare.com/the-best-organic-argan-oil
Hope that helps!
Maria.
Hi Vivian, thanks for stopping in 🙂 I don’t think it really matters. If you apply it to day old hair you will just have more natural oil present. I think if you do it on freshly washed hair and then wash it again to get the oil off, you are really only washing your hair more often. I would say do the oil treatment the night before you plan to wash your hair anyways. I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Courtney, thanks for stopping in 🙂 Oil treatments will help keep your hair from getting more damaged and feeling more manageable, but unfortunately you can’t really repair damaged hair back to its original state, you can just make it feel more healthy. One option for helping your hair grow stronger is to take silica supplements as silica will promote healthy hair growth. I hope that helps!
Wow this is a great article! I personally have thin hair, and I’ve been growing it out for about a year now. I’ve heard about oil treatments before but I’ve always been hesitant to try them because my hair gets oily so easy as it is and I don’t want to make it worse. However, the process you explain here sounds simple and foolproof. I think I’m going to have to try it!
No need to worry about oily hair if you wash the oil out. I love the way argan oil makes my hair feel, it is so soft. The benefits to your hair are immense.
Wow, great post! I have really long, thick hair and do find it hard to maintain and care for. I never knew of overnight oil treatments for hair, and now that I do, it sounds very interesting! I have a question: how exactly do you apply the oils to your hair and make sure that it stays in? Also, what kind of oils are these? Essential oils? And where can I get them? Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!
Hi Kimberly!
Thanks for the comment and great questions 🙂 I have long thick hair as well. I find the best way to do an oil treatment is to buy a great hemp seed oil mixed with a high quality argan oil. if you follow this link back to the article you will notice I have recommended the best brand and where to get it. https://thebestorganicskincare.com/the-ultimate-gui…
Click on the pink text in the article, it is a link to my recommendations.
How To:
Take a shower, and once your hair is damp apply the oil generously through the strands. You can then wrap your hair in a towel and sleep on it. If that is uncomfortable just lay the towel on your pillow and let your hair drape over that.
In the morning you can wash your hair. Try and do it over the weekend because you may still have oil in your hair and might take a few washes. Your hair will be smooth, amazingly sleek and hydrated.
These are not essential oils, you will want to use seed or nut oils, including avocado oil, hemp seed oil and argan oil.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and hope this helps!
Hi there, I use coconut oil sometimes to moisturize my hair but the smell isn’t the greatest. So I am please to learn that there are other choices for me out there.
I have very thick hair and yes, keeping them hydrated and flexible is such a challenge every morning. Where does hemp seed oil originates from and what does it smell like? Thanks.
Great Question! Hemp seed oil can come from lots of different areas, but its production began mainly in the northern hemisphere. It is a crop that can be grown fairly easily and fast.
Hemp seed oil has a mild nutty smell. Its not a strong smell, but you will notice it if you use it In your hair.
Hemp seed oil is so nourishing for the hair, you will love how healthy your hair feels after you use it. It is a great alternative to coconut oil because it is similar in fatty acids. Hope this answers your question!
Maria.
Hello Maria. So I have course and thick hair at the same time. Which oil should be best use for my kind of hair? I love your site. Very informative. An eye opener. Thank you.
Hi Aube,
Thanks for the question! I would recommend you use Argan oil. It is full of Vitamin E and that will help relax the coarseness of your hair. Its great for conditioning and softening the hair too. Argan oil is amazing, and you can use it daily too, not just over night 🙂 Check out the best Argan oil we recommend, follow the link.
https://thebestorganicskincare.com/the-best-organic-argan-oil
Hope that helps!
Maria.
I like to use cold pressed carrot oil, it has vit a, b, c, d, e and makes hair soft and silky, plus the oil isn’t expensive or you can make your own
Thanks for the tip, Helen!
Hi! if I wash my hair every other day, should I apply the hair oil on my day old hair or cleaned dry hair for an overnight treatment? Thank you!
Hi Vivian, thanks for stopping in 🙂 I don’t think it really matters. If you apply it to day old hair you will just have more natural oil present. I think if you do it on freshly washed hair and then wash it again to get the oil off, you are really only washing your hair more often. I would say do the oil treatment the night before you plan to wash your hair anyways. I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
I have thick coarse hair that just took massive damage from bleach and I don’t want to chop it all off. What can I do?
Hi Courtney, thanks for stopping in 🙂 Oil treatments will help keep your hair from getting more damaged and feeling more manageable, but unfortunately you can’t really repair damaged hair back to its original state, you can just make it feel more healthy. One option for helping your hair grow stronger is to take silica supplements as silica will promote healthy hair growth. I hope that helps!