If your hair has lost its vitality, then take heart. You don’t need a bathroom cabinet full of expensive products and treatments to restore it to its former glory, and neither do you need to spend a fortune at the hair salon…. not when the solution to all your hair-woes could very well be lurking in your pantry.
Sunflower oil is having a moment. Gone are the days when it was simply used as cooking oil; over the last few years, it’s fought its way out of the kitchen to take up its rightful place in the bathroom. Loaded with vitamins E and K, essential fatty acids, GLA, and a host of other good stuff, this is a product that belongs as much on your hair as it does on your salad.
If you want to learn how to reap the rewards of this amazing (not to mention incredibly cheap) essential oil, you’re in the right place.
Of all the worries we might have about our hair, losing it ranks as #1. And that’s where sunflower oil comes nicely into play. Extensive studies have found the compounds in sunflower oil (particularly gamma alpha-linolenic acid (GLA) and Vitamin E) can have a significant, positive effect on hair thinning and baldness. While supplementation can help, research suggests that topical application has the most profound results.
If you’ve always dreamt of long, mermaid-like locks but can’t get your hair to play ball, sunflower oil might give it just the encouragement it needs. Thanks to its healthy stock of vitamin E (an essential nutrient for hair growth), sunflower oil can boost your lengths when introduced as part of your regular routine. Simply apply a few drops of warmed oil to your roots, wait for an hour, then rinse it out using a mild shampoo. If you really want to up the hair stimulating effects, try black oil sunflower – of all the varieties, this has the richest amount of that hair-loving vitamin E.
If your hair’s prone to the dreaded frizz, try taming it with a sunflower oil frizz serum. The deeply moisturizing, nourishing qualities of the oil works wonders at improving hair texture and manageability, restoring smoothness and eliminating flyaways with just a few little drops. Best of all, sunflower oil’s light texture and low levels of saturated fat will add luster and shine without leaving your hair feeling weighed down or greasy. To use, simply warm a few drops before lightly smoothing it over your hair with the palms of your hands.
If your hair’s looking more parched than the Sahara, restore its moisture with a weekly sunflower oil deep-conditioning treatment. Sunflower oil’s high levels of Oleic Acid and vitamin E work to invigorate your hair’s follicles and condition its lengths, injecting some much-needed moisture and nourishment into even the driest of locks. For the best results, massage the entire scalp using your fingertips and a few drops of oil before smoothing a few more drops along the hair shaft. Comb through to ensure even coverage, then leave overnight to work its magic.
If you regularly straighten or chemically treat your hair, you’ll know that over-processed, over-styled hair is no fun. Fortunately, you don’t have to give up the dyes and the straighteners completely to restore your mane to its former glory. Sunflower oil is an abundant source of essential fatty acids- nutrients that, as it turns out, can do as much for your hair’s health as they can for your overall wellbeing. Transform your dull, frizzy mane by regular treating it to a sunflower oil treatment. For hair that’s been severely brutalized, combine weekly overnight treatments with daily conditioning for the best results.
We all know that essential oils can do wondrous things for our skin and hair. Unfortunately, their exorbitant price-tag means few of us can afford to be quite so generous in their application as we’d like. And that’s where sunflower oil comes into the picture. As well as possessing its own list of hair-loving properties, sunflower oil works exceptionally well as a carrier oil. Use it as the base for your essential oil treatments, and not only will your little bottle of essential oil go a whole lot further than it would otherwise, you’ll also benefit from the added value of sunflower oil’s own unique qualities. As a good rule of thumb, 8-10 drops of essential oil to 1/3 cup of sunflower oil will give you the optimal balance.
If you want to get creative in how you use sunflower oil as part of your beauty regime, why not try making this zesty, aromatic conditioner? As well as storing very well in an airtight container, it makes the experience of using sunflower oil a little more edifying than simply slapping it straight from the bottle onto your head.
Blend all the ingredients until they’re well combined. Store the conditioner in a sealed container (although if you’d rather, you can reduce the quantities and make it fresh each time). To use, apply to freshly washed hair and allow to penetrate for 5 minutes before rinsing.
So, there you have it. While sunflower oil won’t change your life, it does stand a very good chance of transforming your hair. And considering that hair can make all the difference between a good day and a bad day, who wouldn’t say yes to that slice of pie? Just remember that like most natural treatments, sunflower oil isn’t a one-shot wonder – if you really want to reap the rewards of this super-oil, consistency is the name of the game.