Fight Dandruff with Essential Oils - Mike do not post this!!!!!!!
It's safe to safe that nobody enjoys dandruff. It's itchy and annoying. If you're struggling with dandruff, there are options!
What is Dandruff?
Skin cells die every day. They flake off on their own and that is normal. However, when your scalp flakes off excessive amounts of dead skin cells, it is called dandruff. There are two types of dandruff, simple dandruff (Pityriasis), and greasy dandruff (Seborrheic dermatitis). Simple dandruff is just dry flaking of superfluous skin cells of the scalp. It's the easiest to deal with. It's also the most common one. The one you see the most often. Greasy dandruff is more severe and definitely nasty looking. It appears as thick, greasy patches which can easily become infected resulting in scabbing and inflammation. As this is a dermatitis or eczema problem, you can also look at recipes in the Aromatherapy Skin Care: Chronic Skin Conditions article. There are more treatments for eczema in that article that could help your greasy dandruff. As with anything, always test on a small portion of hair and scalp before covering your head with it. Usually what causes dandruff problems is a low production of sebum -- an oily/waxy matter produced to lubricate and waterproof the skin. Most commercial dandruff shampoos work by stripping the top layer or two of skin off your scalp. Often these commercial products actually make it harder for your skin to naturally produce sebum so you can't stop using the product because your dandruff gets worse. Vicious cycle.Best Oils
While the essential oils used for simple and greasy dandruff are pretty similar, I have still broken them up into types of hair because with simple dandruff, you could have naturally dry, normal, or oily hair.For Oily Hair:
- Cedarwood, Cypress, Lavender, Rosemary, Patchouli, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus Radiata, Peppermint
For Normal/Dry Hair:
- German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Lavender, Geranium, Peppermint, Juniper Berry
For Greasy Dandruff:
- Rosemary, Lavender, German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus Globulus, Tea Tree
Best Herbs:
- Burdock, Sage, Willow Bark, Aloe, Oregano, Bay Leaf, Chamomile, Calendula, Horsetail, Nettle, Marsh Mallow
Points of Interest
- The easiest way to make your shampoo of choice is to get an unscented, pH balancing bottle of shampoo and add the essential oil(s) of choice to it. Add 6 drops per 1/4 cup shampoo. The easiest way to mix the ingredients is to empty out the bottle into a bowl, add the oil(s), and vigorously mix with a wire whisk to blend everything together. Use a funnel to get the shampoo back in the bottle.
- If you mix together a shampoo like above, make just 1/4 cup first and try it out to make sure you like it. That also makes it easier for you to make different blends.
- We sell a blend called Hair Support that works great on dandruff. Mix it into a shampoo using the above method.
- A really good scalp massage with one or more of the essential oils listed above can help stimulate production of sebum and help you slough off the dandruff easier.
- For some people, they do better if they don't wash their hair daily. Others do better if they do. It's an individual thing so you'll need to pay attention to what works best for you.
- Watch the usual things -- diet, exercise, sleep, stress, etc. These things should be obvious but it's still important to pay attention to them.
- Some medical treatments can cause more issues with dandruff. For example, I had problems with dandruff when I went through chemotherapy, even though I lost all my hair. So I worked on babying my scalp with essential oils. If you are going through any big medical issues that have you taking harsh medications, do something good for your scalp.
Recipes
Be sure to try these recipes on a small portion of your scalp first to make sure your skin can handle it before using it all over your scalp.
Make-It-Yourself Herbal Shampoo
- 8 ounces Distilled Water
- 1 ounce Herbs of choice
- 3 ounces Liquid Castile Soap
- 1/4 teaspoon jojoba oil
- 25 drops of Essential oils of choice (From above)
Natural Hair Rinse
- 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Chopped Fresh Mint
- 1 tablespoon Chopped Fresh Lavender Leaves and Flowers
- 1 cup water
Dandruff Relief for Normal to Dry Hair
- 5 drops Geranium
- 5 drops Lavender
- 5 drops Roman Chamomile
- 1 teaspoon Wheatgerm oil
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Greasy Dandruff Relief
- 8 drops Lavender
- 5 drops German Chamomile
- Contents of 2 Vitamin E capsules or 2 Evening Primrose capsules
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Hair Tonic
- 1 cup Spring Water
- 1 cup Aloe Vera juice
- 15 drops Clary Sage
- 10 drops Rosemary