HOT OIL TREATMENTS

One of the best things you can do for the health of your hair and scalp is to give yourself a natural hot oil treatment every week or two. Pick a convenient time, such as a weekend or a quiet evening when you can relax and allow the treatment time to work most effectively.

Hot oil treatments work in several ways. First, the heat of the carrier oils loosens the scalp and hair follicles, allowing trapped sebum and old hairs to detach, freeing the scalp and follicles to benefit from special scalp massage. Second, through massage, the nutrients and active botanical elements in the aromatherapy oil are easily absorbed by the scalp follicles. Third, increased blood circulation to the scalp and stimulation of the follicles by massage and the oils result in accelerated healthy hair growth. Rubbing the oil through the scalp to the ends of the hair before shampooing also gives the hair a deep conditioning treatment, leaving it full and vibrant, with a natural sheen and softness.

If your hair is naturally normal to oily, select cold-pressed oils such as sweet almond, grapeseed and hazelnut as a base, adding smaller amounts of heavier oils such as avocado, wheatgerm or jojoba. If your hair and scalp tend towards dryness, and you experience itchiness or flaking, increase the amounts of the latter three oils.

Jojoba oil is used almost exclusively by many people in their hot oil blends. It is molecularly comparable to human sebum, and is considered especially helpful for hair and scalp treatment. Avocado oil, a highly penetrative oil containing a wide range of beneficial vitamins and essential fatty acids, is another oil that has specific hair and scalp regulating and nourishing abilities. Pure essential oils are a key additive to hot oil treatments. Lavender and rosemary oil are the use for their cleansing and stimulating effects.

If you have oily hair, try oils of cedarwood Atlas, lemon, juniper or pine in your blends. For a dry or sensitive scalp, sandalwood, neroli, sweet orange and ylang-ylang are excellent choices.

AROMATHERAPY HOT OIL TREATMENT
Al ighter, penetrating oil mixture for weekly use if you have normal to oily hair.

• 2 oz (60ml) sweet almond or hazelnut oil
• 1/2 oz (15ml) avocado oil
• 1 tsp (5ml) wheatgerm oil
• 1/2 tsp modified lecithin
• 15 drops lavender Pure Essential Oil
• 15 drops rosemary Pure Essential Oil

Mix the carrier oils and essential oils together in a small beaker, and pour into a glass bottle. Loosely cap the bottle and stand it in a mug half-full of just boiled water to warm the oil. Part your hair in section s and apply oil to the scalp with a dropper or fingertips. Once your scalp is saturated, genltly perform a firm, deep scalp massage using the pads of your fingertips in circular motions for 3-5 mintues. Wrap your hair in a towel and relax for 20-3o minutes. Shampoo your hair thoroughly, towel dry and style as usual.

ULTRA DEEP CONDITIONING HOT OIL TREATMENT

This rischer formulation best suits those with dry, flaky or itchy scalp and fine or brittle hair. Use every one to two weeks.

• 2 oz (60ml) avocado oil
• 1 oz (30ml) jojoba oil
• 1 tsp (5ml) wheatgerm oil
• 1/2 tsp modified lecithin
• 1/2 tsp Vitamin E
• 1/2 tsp Vitamin A
• 15 drops sandalwood Pure Essential Oil
• 15 drops sweet orange Pure Essential Oil
• 5 drops ylang-ylang Pure Essential Oil

Follow the directions given for the Aromatherapy Hot Oil Treatment.

Other carrier oils to try in custom hot oil treatments:

• macadamia nut
• kukui nut
• coconut oil
• peach kernel
• apricot kernel
• sesame
• sunflower
• safflower
• soybean