The Fruity Oil That May Be Exactly What Your Scalp Needs
When it comes to your hair and scalp care, you may have tried many remedies and treatments to keep it happy and healthy. Finding the right product for your specific hair needs can look like a trial-and-error journey as you aim to tackle hair damage like breakage, split ends, frizz, dandruff, build-up, hair loss, or more. Whether it is a deep-conditioning treatment or a vinegar-based product, there are a variety of products to try for hair and scalp health within a diverse spectrum of ingredients, per L'Oréal Paris. Nurturing your hair can require some effort, but it doesn't always need to be as difficult as it seems.
Many hair oils, such as grapefruit oil, can provide amazing benefits for your hair. They often derive from Ayurvedic medicine practices because of their natural healing potential (via Hairstory). Many times, the vitamins and nutrients in hair oils can help safely combat damage. The best thing about hair oils is that anyone with any hair type can try them and greatly benefit from all they have to offer.
What is grapefruit oil?
Grapefruit oil comes from the glands of a grapefruit's peel, and sometimes it can be derived from its seeds. Once extracted, it's known as grapefruit seed oil. Complete through a process known as cold-pressing, this yellow-orange tinted oil is then extracted and ready to use. The citrus-scented oil first became popular in the realm of aromatherapy but was later discovered to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-bacterial properties that could be used in a variety of ways, including hair care. According to a study published in the scientific journal GERMS, these properties of grapefruit oil are powerful enough to combat MRSA, stomach ulcers, fungal strains, and more. Grapefruit oil has also been cited to help with weight loss, balance one's mood, reduce stress, and lower blood pressure, amongst myriad other uses (via Healthline).
Now, grapefruit oil has quickly become a great product to help improve the health of your hair and scalp. "Used as a potent essential oil for aromatherapy, [grapefruit oil] has recently been added to many hair cleansing products and hair growth serums," board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Paul Jarrod Frank, M.D., tells Byrdie. "It is a great cleanser when massaged into the scalp. It also helps to remove excess sebum and therefore promotes an overall healthy scalp and reduces dandruff. A healthy scalp promotes the right environment for hair growth."
Benefits of grapefruit oil for your hair
Many of grapefruit's properties make it an excellent product to help improve the health of your hair and your scalp. According to Conserve Energy Future, grapefruit oil can help clean your hair and your scalp from any build-up, residue, or other pollutants in your hair. You can add a few drops to your shampoo to help during your hair-washing process. Additionally, it also helps reduce sebum production, which then helps reduce the greasy build-up on your scalp.
Grapefruit oil's vitamins and nutrients are also great for treating dandruff by hydrating your scalp. "Grapefruit seed oil has powerful properties for the hair because it can help stabilize the scalp microbiome when bacteria and yeast have become out of balance and are overwhelming," certified trichologist William Gaunitz, F.W.T.S., tells Byrdie. As it balances your scalp's microbiome, it also helps protect your hair and your scalp from the environment and UV rays. As if the benefits couldn't get any better, grapefruit oil can additionally boost hair growth, provide shine, de-tangle, and remove any chemicals from products on your hair, per Stylecraze.