Neem oil is full of fatty acids called palmitic, linoleic, and oleic acids.
Palmitic acid and oleic acid are emollients, substances that keep skin and hair soft and smooth. They’re a key ingredient in moisturisers for this reason.
Linoleic acid (also known as vitamin F) is a humectantthat fortifies the skin’s barrier. This keeps moisture in and helps to protect against the UV rays and pollutants you face every day.
These three fatty acids work together in neem oil to provide natural moisture to the skin and hair and lock it in while keeping harmful substances out.
It’s also rich in antioxidants, which help with the negative effects of free radicals.
Neem oil benefits for hair
Neem oil may help encourage hair growth and scalp health thanks to its moisturising properties. It’s said to assist in:
Encouraging healthy hair growth
Regularly massaging neem oil into your scalp can help stimulate the follicles responsible for hair growth.
Its cleansing and soothing propertiesmake it particularly useful for scalp issues that may be impacting healthy hair development.
Since hair grows from the follicle, you’re treating it directly at the source – and a healthy follicle is a good indicator of thick, healthy growth to come.
Reducing dandruff
Neem oil is a fantastic hydrator and can help to moisturise a dry, flaky scalp.
Dandruff is mainly caused by a fungal microbe called malassezia globosa, which feeds on the fatty acids your scalp naturally produces.
The more oil there is to feed on, the more it grows. But if the malassezia grows too much, it can disrupt the scalp’s skin cell renewal and cause skin to cluster together in what we know as dandruff.
Applying another fatty acid may seem contradictory, but neem oil is naturally cleansing and soothing and helps to control the excess malassezia growth.
Smoothing frizz
Frizz happens when your hair’s cuticles aren’t lying flat, and they’re open to absorbing moisture from the atmosphere.
The humectant vitamin F in neem oil is responsible for protecting the cuticle barrier and sealing humidity out.
Combined with its softening properties, using neem oil for hair could help it look smoother and sleeker.
Defending against hair loss
Hair loss can occur for several reasons – but emerging evidence suggests that oxidative stress is a common contributor.2
Oxidative stress occurs when a high number of free radicals (unstable atoms that can damage cells) are present in the body. Factors like pollution and UV rays can all contribute to free radical presence.
A high presence of free radicals can cause damage to your body’s cells and, in the hair, contribute to premature greying and hair loss.
Neem oil is full of antioxidants, which disarm the free radicals and help to maintain a more stable composition of atoms.
Deterring head lice
In the garden, neem oil is a pesticide – so it makes sense that it can do the same on your head.
Applying diluted neem oil to your scalp can help control head lice infestations by killing lice and their eggs.3
How can you apply neem oil to your hair?
You can:
- Warm your diluted neem oil slightly (not enough to be hot) and massage directly onto the scalp and through the length of the hair for about 20 minutes at a time. Keep the oil on for about two hours before washing out and repeat weekly.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons to your shampoo or conditioner for everyday haircare. Or, you can find hair products that already contain neem oil.
- Maintain soft hair and help to ward off head lice with a neem oil spray. Dilute cold-pressed neem oil with water in a spray bottle and mist thoroughly over the hair.
