Karnataka

ABOUT AUTHORS
Vinay Kumar Singh.
Chief Research Officer
Parammount Cosmetics India Limited,
Bangalor, Karnataka
vinay@parammount.com

Hair oils have actually been used for centuries by women in countries such as India; however it’s only recently that people in the western world have come to realize the benefits of oiling the hair.

Originating in the East more than one thousand years ago, Indian head massage was originally developed as a grooming technique by women who used it to strengthen and improve the fullness of the hair. This was achieved by stimulating the pressure points on the scalp. The technique, in many senses, became part of everyday life and was practiced on young and old alike. It became a tradition that was handed down through the generations. It is usually performed with soothing oils to help maximize the benefits and to aid the reduction of stress.

Indians have a tradition where long tresses are nurtured with the help of pure oils regularly. These oils are basically Mustard in the northern half and Coconut in the rest of India, both nutritionally rich and loaded with medicinal and curative properties. Indian tresses have long been oiled and cared for with these oils.

With a history that dates back thousands of years, the use of hair oils is nothing new—it’s the formulas, extracts and technologies that have improved. Because of an oil’s innate ability to soften and condition (the scalp is constantly producing oil that travels from root to tip to protect the hair), oil, when used on the hair, also provides a hydrating effect.

Oils mimic the natural action of sebum production by protecting and also maintaining hydration to avoid water loss. Treating hair fibers with various oils reduced the amount of moisture regain and the diffusion rates of moisture in the fibers. These reductions are caused solely by the layer of oil on the surface of the fiber acting as a barrier. Regular application of oil is known to increase the strength of hair and prevent its breakage. Application of oil lubricates hair and reduces the force required to comb thereby preventing its breakage.

Different hair styling techniques such as colouring, straightening and perming are commonly used. The chemicals, blow dryers or hot irons used for these treatments may cause severe damage to the hair shaft. But regular oiling of hair can prevent the further enhancement of this damage. It has been proved that regular hair oiling prevents the loss of protein from the chemically treated hair and also helps in maintaining the strength of hair even after chemical treatment. Hair oils also protect hair from various environmental attacks such as dirt, dust, pollution, U.V. rays etc.

Whether you’ve been suffering from hair loss, or your hair is in poor condition (dry, brittle, and breaking easily) hair oil can help you achieve thicker, healthier, shinier hair. Not only that but it’s actually proven to help speed up hair growth, helping the hair to grow faster than ever before. Whether your hair craves an oil daily (if it’s dehydrated) or you just like to use one as needed (for shine and moisture),  hair  oil can make a world of difference.

The best hair oils are multitasking miracle products that can do the job of your leave-in conditioner, styling cream, frizz serum, and shine spray in one.
“The way in which oil acts is multi-favourable”, Oiling hair has “a multi-dimensional effect”, says Dr. Rohini Wadhwani of Skin Essentials, “It helps by increasing the tensile strength of the hair, reducing the frizziness and preventing breakage.

Oiling ones hair is one of the most important things, if we want to take care of our hair. It is very necessary that hair is given proper treatment which would mean a massage with some of the most beneficial oils. Having the right kind of oil for your hair is very important and so is oiling your hair. Many of us have a hectic schedule due to which, oiling and washing our hair holds the last priority. If you want healthy hair and one which lasts longer - oiling is the best remedy.

Coconut oil champis were regarded as the secret to healthy hair. Even for the nextgen, while champi is still on, the magic ingredients seem to be changing. The massaging and oiling of your hair stimulates the blood circulation, which in return helps your hair. Due to the oil your hair is protected from the strong and hot sun rays. The oil also gives your hair that extra shine.

Before we discuss more about hair oil, let us try to understand our Hair first. Morphologically hair consists of Cuticle, Cortex and Medulla.

Cuticle accounts for 10% by weight of the hair fiber, consists of overlapping flat scales, which surrounds the remainder of the hair shaft i.e. The Cortex.

Cortex: About 90% of hair fiber is made up of cortex.  Cortex consists of spindle shaped keratinised cells which are oriented along the axis of the fiber and are cemented together.  Colour of hair is due to the pigment present in cortex, which is known as Melanin.

Medulla possess a relatively open structure.  It may contain air pockets and probably consists of proteins other than those present in the cortex.

Hair follicles are tubular inpushings of epidermis. Hair basically consists of two parts- the hair follicle and the hair shaft. The hair follicle is the centre of the biological activity like hair growth, pigmentation whereas the hair shaft is considered to be dead and is mainly made of protein. It's important to take care of both the follicle and the shaft for healthy and good looking manageable hair.

Papilla cells are the masterminds of the hair growth. These cells remain in a little cluster, right outside the bottom of the follicle. After six years of growth, the follicle degrades.  The dermal papilla then commands immature cells in the hair bulge to divide into a new follicle, sheath and shaft.

Chemically hair is composed of  5 non-metals. They are C, H, O, N, and S. The keratin of hair is a protein comprising of around 18 different amino acids. Hair fibers are composed of around 85% Complex Protein Keratin, 7% associated water, 3% lipids and 2% Pigment.

Human beings have different hair types, from silver blonde, flaming red to jet black. Physical properties of hair are also important as it imparts beauty to the hair. The texture and sensories of hair, i.e. the way hair appears and feels, is dependent on the health of hair and its physical properties.

In India, three types of hair oils (as per BIS Standard) are manufactured and marketed by industries.
Type 1: contains vegetable oil as base oil
Type 2: contains only mineral oil as base oil
Type 3: contains a mixture of vegetable oil and mineral oil

There are so many oils in the market which tells you tales about the benefits it provides. But one must know about Hair and oil to decide the right oil for the right hair.
Some of the most popular and very beneficial oils which are being used for beautiful long hair with good qualities are:

Castor Oil: Castor oil is rich in vitamin E, proteins, minerals. It’s a very viscous oil and it’s hard to wash it off the hair, but that’s the only disadvantage. It works wonders on hair. Castor oil has anti-microbial properties that will help you get rid of dandruff and other scalp issues. Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid which treats scalp inflammations and diseases. Castor oil moisturizes and softens hair, maintaining the moisture level in the hair. Castor oil aids in blood circulation and therefore results in faster hair growth. Since it is moisturizing in nature, it can be used to treat dry scalp. Regular use of castor oil gives you healthy, thick, shiny, and moisturized hair.

Bhringraj Oil: Bhringraj oil is made from combining Eclipta alba with

sesame oil. This oil helps in reducing hair fall, prevents premature greying, and also aids in faster hair growth. Regular use will give you healthy and long hair.

Olive Oil: Olive oil is a highly moisturizing  oil, rich in vitamin E which is so important for hair growth. Olive oil has a high concentration of anti-oxidants which is good for hair. Olive oil is lightweight and contains oleic acid which easily penetrates the hair shaft and locks in the moisture. Olive oil is the best natural conditioner available and will give you touchably soft and smooth hair with regular use. Since this oil has anti-inflammatory properties, it helps in treating dandruff thereby reducing hair fall and aiding in subsequent hair growth. It strengthens your hair and nourishes it due to inherent qualities it has. It helps to reduce stress and promotes the idea of healthy hair by providing elasticity to your hair.

Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is used as a base oil in many ayurvedic preparations for hair growth, for example, bhringraj oil. Since sesame oil is anti-microbial, it treats a lot of scalp infections and fungal infections. Sesame is best when used as a hot oil treatment. It conditions hair, nourishes scalp, and gets rid of dandruff and the vitamin E in the oil boosts hair growth.

Argan Oil: Argan oil is taking the beauty world by storm as it is an excellent oil for healthy hair. It hydrates and moisturizes hair, it penetrates hair shafts and nourishes deeply. Argan oil is rich in anti-oxidants and repairs damaged hair. The high vitamin E and vitamin F content repairs damaged hair and make the hair lustrous. Argan oil also treats split ends. It is known as “liquid gold” for its wonderful properties on hair and is absolutely great for hair damaged from heat styling.

Amla Oil: Promoting hair health is what Amla oil does best, be it hair loss treatment, premature graying hair, or a simple hair care regimen. It also promotes hair growth and removes unwanted flakes of the scalp.

Jojoba Oil: Jojoba oil is highly beneficial for both hair and skin because of its moisturizing and healing properties. Regular use of the oil makes hair lustrous and frizz free. Jojoba oil aids in hair growth by helping in the growth of new hair cells. It acts against dandruff and thus reduces hair fall. It can be used for dry hair as it helps to moisturize your hair properly. It helps to soften your hair and can be used to detangle your hair.

Coconut Oil: Its the best hair oil and gives healthy, soft, and lustrous hair. Coconut oil is a natural conditioner rich in vitamin E and antioxidants which repairs damaged hair. Coconut oil is known to penetrate into hair follicles and stimulating hair growth and moisturizes dry hair. It is one of the oil which helps in the lubrication of the hair. The content in coconut oil like magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron happens to provide the best for your hair.

Rosemary Oil: It is very useful for the unwanted and flaky dandruff problems.

From market point of view, there are four main categories of hair-oils being sold in India:
 a. Coconut hair oils: it has the highest market share among all other categories. It is very popular in the south.
 b. Amla hair oils: The heavy amla hair oil market is primarily an urban driven market and tends to be geographically concentrated in the northern parts of the country.
 c. Light hair oils: it has experienced significant growth in recent years as consumers opt for lighter, more modern hair oil products.
 d. Cooling oils: It is meant for cooling the scalp during the harsh summer months. The ingredients in the cooling oils cause immediate relief by cooling the scalp.

Among all, light hair oil is the fastest growing segment with a CAGR of 25 per cent in the last 5 years whereas the overall hair oil market has grown by 19 per cent over the same period. Around 40 per cent of the light hair oil sale comes from the rural market, as per Nielsen retail report 2013.

Source: Nielsen retail report 2013

India is a market with multiple and diverse segments. As some consumers go up the value-chain, there is still a huge chunk which will continue to use the coconut oil. The good old ‘champi’ or hair massage will continue to be popular. Growing stress levels will also give a push to the good old traditional uses of hair oil.

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