Camellia Oil for Hair Care

Camellia oil, referred to in Japanese as tsubaki, is a traditional cosmetic and hair care product used on the nails, skin, and scalp. It comes from a variety of camellia species, and provides moisture and conditioning that keep hair and nails from becoming brittle. Camellia has been said to actually encourage hair to grow, but it's more likely that it prevents damage and brittleness caused by dry air and rough handling. Camellia oil has recently become more popular, and is being used in many non-Japanese hair care products, and promoted as a way to keep hair long and healthy.

Breakage

When your hair appears to stop growing, it's often breaking off at the ends. It doesn't get longer because the damage to the hair strand snaps it off as quickly as it can grow from the scalp. Oiling provides moisture that protects damaged hair, and can even restore some of the flexibility to brittle, heat treated hair. Overuse of strong shampoo and chemical treatments can also encourage significant breakage.

Use

Camellia is lighter than many other commonly used hair oils, such as olive oil. This prevents it from weighing down the hair. Apply camellia oil to damp hair with the tips of the fingers. Put a few drops of oil onto your fingers and run them through your hair until all the oil has been absorbed. Avoid over-oiling, which can make hair seem heavy and greasy. Oil your hair once a week, or as needed to prevent dryness. While other oils can also be used for this purpose, camellia's high vitamin E content and pleasant texture make it one of the best choices.

Quality

Not all camellia oil products are the same. Some contain a small amount of camellia oil, and are made up mostly of other oils or man-made chemicals. Others may contain heat treated oils, which are less effective. Choose a high quality oil, and check the ingredients list to make sure that what you're buying is entirely camellia. Camellia japonica is considered the most effective, but is also the most expensive of the three camellia varieties. Check with your local hair salon or look online to find high quality camellia based products.