Hair oiling: an Indian beauty ritual for nourished and shiny hair

Full, perfectly hydrated and shiny hair: hair tutorials posted on TikTok in recent months emphasize – or almost all – the benefits of “hair oiling”. Straight from India, this ancestral technique harnesses the power and benefits of oil baths to optimize your hair routine and give you a mane worthy of the most beautiful red carpets.

Like fashion, the world of cosmetics is an eternal beginning and even better because it allows each generation to benefit from the rituals of the past. We have seen this in recent years with the uproar around rice cooking water, an ingredient known and used for centuries in Asia, around the powers of cold yet as old as the world, or around Kobido, the Japanese ancestral art. Suffice it to say that socionauts regularly develop a passion for techniques that have already proven themselves several millennia ago. And this is again the case with “hair oiling”, a beauty ritual straight out of India that has been passed down from generation to generation and is now being enjoyed by Westerners.

Hair care according to ancestral recipes

The technique has been in and out of social media, including TikTok, for several years now, to the point where it has amassed over 1.5 billion views to date (and nearly 25 million for the #hairoiling treatment). At stake? A number of videos, including tutorials, reinterpreting this ancestral beauty ritual with plant oils as diverse as they are, as well as before/after publications that show results that are astounding to say the least. Note, however, that this practice is part of a broader trend, skinification, which involves giving your hair as much of a routine as your skin.

But what is “hair oiling”? It’s simple, they’re simply hair oil baths that you can leave on for a few hours or overnight, depending, to get hair that’s as shiny as it is thick and hydrated. Note that this technique (but not proven) would also offer better hair regrowth and prevent hair loss. So many promises that make this beauty ritual a must-have for those who want to end dry, brittle or lifeless hair.

To adopt it, simply focus on one or more oils tailored to your hair type and needs. While there are obviously ready-to-use formulas out there, you can turn to coconut oil for nourished and shiny hair, jojoba oil for shiny, bouncy and less greasy hair, borage oil for growth stimulation and even olive oil for soothing hair. scalp. The solutions are numerous and available to as many people as possible.

Once you have your products together, get to work. The ritual begins with proper brushing, then applying the appropriate oil to the scalp and lengths. After completing this step, it is recommended to perform a self-massage of the fingertips on the scalp, neck and temples (or with a massage brush). All you have to do is tie up your hair and let the product work before washing it all off with a shampoo or two. Doing this ritual once or twice a week (no more!) can help you get the hair that social media users are so looking for.

Leave a Comment