A hot oil treatment is one of the best ways to achieve healthy, strong locs. In this article, we reveal the amazing benefits of this treatment as well as share a simple DIY recipe that you can make at home.
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What is a Hot Oil Treatment For Locks?
A hot oil treatment for locs works by coating the strands of your hair, scalp, and roots with warm, natural oils to leave your locs feeling nourished and shiny.
It is the best way to combat dryness and add moisture to your hair.
The purpose of a hot oil treatment is to secure and protect the moisture in your scalp and locs and to keep your hair nourished and moisturized.
This treatment is ideal for those suffering from dry hair but is suitable for all hair types.
Hot oil treatments can be added to your haircare routine every 2 weeks or so or once a month, depending on how dry your hair is.
5 Signs Your Dreadlocks are Dry
You may notice that as your locs begin to grow longer they may become dry and brittle.
This may be due to the fact that your cuticles are open, and this causes difficulties in retaining moisture in your hair. A hot oil treatment for your locs is a perfect solution if you are experiencing any of these signs:
- Your scalp feels itchy or appears to be inflamed
- Scalp is flaky or you have visible dandruff
- Hair feels brittle
- Dreads are loosening
- Too much build-up in your hair
Also Read: Why Are My Dread Roots So Skinny? 3 Ways To Fix
Which Oils to Use for a Hot Oil Treatment on Your Locs?
We reveal a list of vegetable oils and essential oils that are safe to use in a hot oil treatment on your locs:
Vegetable Oils:
- Olive oil
- Sunflower oil
- Argan Oil
- Coconut
- Almond oil
- Avocado oil
- Jojoba oil
- Grapeseed oil
These are some of our favorites:
Naissance Cold Pressed Golden Jojoba Oil
Sevenhills Wholefoods Organic Extra Virgin Raw Coconut Oil
Essential Oils Perfect for a Hot Oil Treatment on Locs:
- Lavender Oil
- Peppermint Oil
- Cedarwood Oil
- Lemongrass Oil
- Rosemary Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Chamomile Oil
- Ylang-ylang Oil
- Pine tar Oil
These are some of our favorites:
Gya Labs Organic Peppermint Essential Oil
Gya Labs Rosemary Essential Oil
Gya Labs Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
How to Apply a Hot Oil Treatment on Your Locs at Home
- Begin by washing your hair first. Hot oil treatments work best on freshly washed hair.
- Place a towel over your shoulders so you can protect your clothes.
- After you’ve washed your hair, microwave between 3 to 5 tablespoons of your chosen oil in a microwave-safe bowl for around 10 seconds.
- Test the oil on the palm of your hand to make sure it is warm and not piping hot before applying the mixture to your damp locs.
- Apply the warm oil evenly throughout your hair and massage it into your scalp slowly.
- Leave the mixture in your hair and allow it to absorb into your hair and roots for around 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, rinse out the oil from your hair and follow up with your routine conditioner.
Check out this guide on how to best wash dreads.
Ready-made Hot Oil Treatments for Your Locs
If you’d prefer to try a ready-made hot oil treatment to use at home, there are a wide variety of options that you can buy online.
A few hair salons also offer this service so you can add it to your next scheduled appointment.
Also Read: Is Sea Moss Good For Hair? (7 Amazing Benefits)
Amazing Benefits of Using a Hot Oil Treatment on Your Locs
If you’re considering applying a hot oil treatment on your locs, here are a list of some of the amazing benefits to your hair:
- Reduced dryness of both your scalp and your hair
- Less build-up
- Your hair will have additional shine
- Smoother locs that are well conditioned and vibrant
- Less breakage and damage to your locs
- Helps to fight dandruff
- Stimulates blood flow to your scalp
- Increased hair strength
- Reduced frizz
- Helps to combat split ends
Reasons to Avoid Using Gel on Your Locs
For some people using gel on your locs dries out the scalp and hair. This could lead to preventing new hair growth and gel could damage your locs in the long run.
Hair gel often consists of alcohol and other ingredients that clog your pores which could lead to product build-up and added dryness. This in turn will obligate you to wash your hair more frequently and this will add to your hair becoming dry.
Hair gel may also cause stiffness in your locs and prevent volume and movement in your hair.
Over time this could lead to stunted hair growth and the prevention of growing healthy, shiny locs.
Also Read: Black Tea For Hair Loss: 5 Reasons To Try and How To Use
Can I Use Conditioner on My Locs?
For some people, conditioners can be counter-intuitive to the creation and maintenance of having dreadlocks.
Conditioners are a great way to detangle hair and to add shine and moisture.
The downside is that they may throw the pH balance of your scalp off. We would recommend using a hot oil treatment on your locs to combat the negative effects on your hair and to maintain healthy, nourished hair all year long.
Hot Oil Treatment on Locs vs Deep Conditioner
While deep conditioning treatments help to penetrate your hair strands right down to the cortex and to repair hair damage, hot oil treatments are great for retaining moisture in your hair and adding shine.
Easy Daily Moisturizing Routine for your Locs
If you’re looking to moisturize your locs and add a simple routine to your haircare regime, there are a few steps you can do to your daily routine:
- Use a spray bottle filled with a combination of water and a few drops of essential oils which will help to combat dry locs.
- Another simple way to nourish your hair is to use a gentle, moisturizing shampoo and conditioner duo to your locs
- Keep in mind that new, baby locs need extra attention and care. Without the proper management, they could begin to unravel as locs are trained in the ‘locking’ process. A simple way to prevent this from happening is to limit the amount of conditioning on baby locs and not to twist them too tightly.
- Applying a tiny bit of oil to your locs and roots will help them to maintain a natural sheen and healthy shine
Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water plays a large role in helping your scalp and roots to stay hydrated which in turn promotes healthy, nourished locs.
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