Healing Hair & Scalp Oil
Healing Hair & Scalp Oil
Read how the oil from the winter-blooming shrub Camellia sasanqua indigenous to Japan and China can bring relief to your skin and shin to your hair.
If you have ever suffered from Psoriasis or a dry scalp you will know how unpleasant it can be. It doesn’t do much for your image having flakes in your hair and on your shoulders. Plus the itch… arrrgghh. And, tell me, you have tried every shampoo out there and after much expense not much works, at least not for long.
I feel your pain. I have a problem scalp. I am allergic to many commercial shampoos. I haven’t isolated which ingredient is causing my problem but I assume it’s the surfactants. So I have always stuck with mild shampoos, they do the least damage. I now use our shampoo bar exclusively, with the cider vinegar rinse for stabilising the pH on the scalp after the alkaline wash. I don’t need a conditioner as our water is soft and the shampoo washes away beautifully. However, I do still suffer from an irritating itch from time to time.
My next mission was to find a natural organic but simple home treatment, that was sustainable.
Enter Camellia Oil (camellia sasanqua seed oil) This oil is from the same family of shrubs that we get our green tea from. The oil is cold pressed from the seeds of the winter-blooming shrub that is indigenous to Japan and China.
Camellia Oil penetrates well into both the skin and hair roots, and as it is high in the Omegas 3, 6 & 9 (yes our skin needs those essential fatty acids as well) it brings glorious benefits to the skin. Plus it is already high in the naturally occurring antioxidant, Vitamin E, which is both good for the skin and helps to preserve the oil for rancidity.
But there are more benefits to this fantastic little known oil. Here’s why; Its an astringent oil, which means it is great for oily or problem skin. It doesn’t clog pores. As it’s a dry oil that is full of polyphenols (you’ve probably heard of flavonoids), vitamins A, B, C (and as already mentioned E) it helps with repairing scarring, ideal for those with acne scarring as it isn’t going to cause a flare up.
This clever little oil can be used as a cleanser to remove makeup . It safe for use on baby’s delicate skin. Use it to soften your cuticles and strengthen nails. It is, as already mentioned, a fantastic oil for our hair and scalp.
You can use it on its own, but I like to add a few drops of organic essential oils for extra benefits, but do a patch test first to check for irritation from the essential oils if your skin is especially sensitive.
You will need:
20 ml Camellia Seed (Oleifera) oil - make sure it is cold pressed and organic
0.2 ml ( or probably about 2 drops) of Vitamin E (tocopherol) - this will help preserve it longer and add more skin benefits.
5 drops of Lavender Oil - organic Lavandula Angustifolia
2 drops of Juniperberry Oil - organic Juniperus Communis
You really shouldn’t measure oils in drops but this recipe is so small there probably isn’t another way for you to do it at home, unless you have jewellery scales that measure to two decimal places.
Blend all the oils together well and decant into an coloured bottle. Pour a little over your fingertips and massage into your scalp. Do get right into the scalp and make sure to cover it all. If you are doing your hair as well, then rub the oil well into the ends of your hair. Wrap in a warm towel and allow to penetrate for a while. Twenty minutes would probably be enough. But I like to pop a hat on and take the dog out for a walk whilst it works its magic.
To wash out. Apply the shampoo directly onto your dry hair. I find it is harder to remove the oils if you wet your hair first. Wash thoroughly. Rinse well. Dry as normal. And enjoy, soft conditioned hair and a little relief from that dreadful itch.
You can buy all the ingredients for this useful recipe from Maker’s Ingredients they also sell black glass bottles which is also useful. You can also try Aromantic who supply good natural and organic ingredients and a selection of bottles and jars, although they do often ship the carrier oils in plastic bottles.
You can also add this oil in tiny amounts to wet hair as a conditioner. Warm the oil in your palms and finger through the ends of wet hair.