How often have you looked for a solution to stop your hair from falling? Instead of spending lots of money on expensive products, why not turn to natural remedies first? The solution to all your hair care concerns can be found in your kitchen cabinet!
Mustard oil is one ingredient found in almost every kitchen, at least if you are from a South East Asian background. Aside from being famously used in various cultural delicacies, mustard oil has wonderful benefits for both skin and hair.
For our topic of discussion, we will stick to its well-known benefits for hair health; and trust me, there are MANY!
We will also learn how to use mustard oil in 3 different power-packed hair growth masks that you can make at home.
My Memories With Mustard Oil For Hair
Growing up, I have always seen the older female members of my extended family rave endlessly about using mustard oil on their hair. If that wasn’t enough, my own mother swears by this oil and it has been a staple in her hair care regimen for years.
Looking back, I can remember my mother chasing me (figuratively, of course!) so that she can apply it to my hair. I always managed to run away because, let me be honest: I absolutely hated the smell of this oil!
Fast forward to my adult life, I found myself desperately searching for solutions to stop my hair fall problem. To my surprise, what did I find on the internet as one of the best oils for hair loss?
Yes, you guessed it correctly: MUSTARD OIL! (I can almost hear my mom saying: I told you so!)
I have used mustard oil in multiple different hair recipes and I have found that it did wonders to my hair! As for the overpowering odor this oil has, I found an easy solution for this problem as well: Essential Oils!!
*Read a full list of what I think are the best essential oils you can use to repair your hair here.
In this post however, I will tell you about how you can use mustard oil to not only reduce your hair loss, but to also protect your scalp, prevent premature greying of hair and so much more!
You can find mustard oil in your local supermarket. However, it may not be available everywhere. If you are having difficulty finding this oil, fear not! I have provided a link below to where you can purchase mustard oil from.
For External Use Only
For those of you who do not belong to the Indian subcontinent, may have never heard of mustard oil before, for cooking at least. This is because the FDA has banned the use of real mustard oil for cooking as it contains erucic acid, a fatty acid considered to be a contaminant that causes heart problems. The FDA does, however, approve of essential mustard oil to be safe for cooking purposes.
Both real mustard oil and essential mustard oil are two different types of oils- both safe for topical applications like hair and skin massage, but one of them unsafe for dietary consumption.
The difference in the oils lies in how they are each made: Real mustard oil is made from extracting oil from the seeds of the mustard plant, whereas, essential mustard oil is made from a steam distillation process.
For the purposes of hair health, either type of oil is safe to use. However, do keep in mind that if you choose to use the essential mustard oil on your hair, make sure you dilute it with a carrier oil because essential oils are typically quite potent.
You can read about my highly recommended list of carrier oils to repair damaged hair here.
Mustard Oil For Hair Benefits
Finally, let us move on to what this stinky but magic oil can do for your hair and how do we use it.
Mustard oil, when used on the hair regularly, can help reduce hair fall, eliminate scalp problems like dandruff, prevent premature greying of hair, act as a natural hair moisturizer, and above all promote hair regrowth as well.
Yes, one simple oil doing all of those great things. How does all that sound to you? Sounds pretty darn good to me!
Let us learn about each of these benefits in a bit more detail.
1. Hair Conditioner
Mustard oil acts as a natural hair conditioner as it is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fats seal moisture and provide each hair strand with the much-needed nourishment. The cuticles become hydrated, giving the hair a shinier, smoother finish. The oil provides nourishment to the roots all the way to the tips of the hair, preventing split ends, dryness, and brittleness.
2. Scalp Treatment
The antibacterial and antifungal properties in mustard oil help keep the scalp healthy by fighting fungal infections. The oil helps to clean out the scalp so itchy and dry flakes are reduced and dandruff is kept at bay. Common scalp infections like eczema and psoriasis are also treated with the use of mustard oil.
3. Premature Greying
Mustard oil is the most effective treatment for preventing premature greying of hair. Due to aging, it is common for hair to lose its color because of reduction in melanin production. This happens in and around age 50.
However, most young people are noticing a lot of grey hair a lot earlier and this is a result of their unhealthy lifestyle and poor hair-health habits. Mustard oil is loaded with essential minerals and vitamins that boost the production of melanin so that hair color is darkened and future hair greying is prevented.
4. Hair Regrowth
These same essential minerals (selenium, manganese, and copper) and vitamin B also aid in preventing hair fall and promoting hair growth at a faster rate. Vitamin B12 provides oxygen to the scalp, nourishing the roots and hair follicles. The antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress on the scalp and fight off free radicals, both of which cause significant hair loss.
Mustard oil also is loaded with protein and since our hair is made up of a protein called keratin, applying the oil nourishes the hair follicles and promotes hair that grows thicker and stronger.
DIY Mustard Oil Hair Growth Masks
Now that we know how beneficial the oil is for the hair, let us look at some extremely effective hair masks that I have tried and tested personally and seen great results with. These masks are ones that I have researched and compiled on my own. Having said that, if it works for me, does not necessarily mean it will work for you as well. Everyone’s hair is different.
However, if something works for me, my goal is to always share with others because who knows how many people I may have helped in the process- so, why not share the love? 🙂
But first, as I always say in all my posts: always perform a patch test when you are using something new, regardless of it being natural. Here is how:
Patch Test: test a small amount of oil by applying it to a small patch of skin. Best area to do this would be on the under-side of your forearm or on the back of your hand. If you develop a rash or any kind of redness in that area after applying the oil, chances are that your scalp will have the same kind of irritation too.
Here are the mustard oil hair masks you should try- I have given them my own fun names so they are easy to remember what is in them! Feel free to adjust the quantities according to your hair length.
1. Yogana Hair Mask
What you need:
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- ¼ cup yogurt
- 1 ripe banana mashed well (make sure to blend the banana so there are no lumps. This is important because a lumpy banana does not come off the hair easily after a wash.)
Method: Apply to scalp and hair, wear a shower cap, leave it on for 30 mins.
Use this once a week for long lasting results. Hair will feel super soft and shiny with regular use.
Benefits: Yogurt contains zinc and lactic acid so that split ends and hair damage is prevented.
2. AloeMust Hair Mask
What you need:
- 4 tbsp Aloe Vera gel
- 2 tbsp Mustard oil
- 1-2 capsules of Vitamin E (optional)
Method: Mix the ingredients together and massage on to the scalp and hair for 5 minutes. Leave the mask on for 30-40 minutes and then wash off. Do this twice a week for best results. Hair will have instant shine and health of hair will drastically improve.
Benefits: Aloe Vera is rich in protein and Vitamin E. Both promote healthy hair growth and protection from sun damage.
3. FenuBlack Hair Mask
What you need:
- 2 tbsp Fenugreek Seeds soaked overnight
- 2 tbsp Black Seed Oil
- 2 tbsp Mustard Oil
- Add your choice of Essential Oils
Method: Strain & blend the soaked fenugreek seeds in a food processor. Add the other two oils and mix. Apply and massage the mixture to scalp and hair. Leave on for 30 minutes and then wash off. Use this twice a week for best results. Hair fall will reduce significantly and you will notice new hair growth very quickly.
Benefits: Lecithin acid in fenugreek seeds strengthens hair follicles and boosts hair growth. Black seed oil prevents scalp dryness and hair thinning and premature hair greying.
You can check out some other effective DIY hair masks that I highly recommend here.
Uses For Mustard Oil
You can use the oil on its own or mix other oils with it. I just can’t seem to use it without essential oils because of the pungent smell. If you are anything like me, I would suggest you do the same.
Also, the oil itself is quite thick so mixing it is always a good idea. You can use it as a quick pre-wash treatment where you apply it to your hair and leave it for a few minutes, then wash off with shampoo.
Always use small amounts when you are starting out because this oil can be a skin and eye irritant for some people.
Moreover, mustard oil can cause a skin rash called “lichen planus”, where colored lesions or blisters can form on the skin or scalp. This rash is due to naturally occurring compounds like capsaicin, erucic acid, and allyl thiocyanate, in the oil that can cause serious irritation in some people.
This is why doing a patch test should always be your first step!
If there is one thing I would like you to take away from this article, it would be to ….always listen to your mother when you are younger! Lol, I am only half-joking!
But all jokes aside, mustard oil is loaded with so many benefits as you have just read, it is worth it to try for yourself if you are having problems with hair loss, hair greying or just hair-health in general.
Add this to your hair care regimen and watch not only how fast your hair grows, but how thick and healthy it grows as well! Don’t believe me?
If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, nothing is impossible for you.
-Matthew 17:20
Will you try mustard oil for your hair?
What did you think of my hair masks and their cheesy names?
I would love to hear your thoughts! If you have tried a hair mask with mustard oil that worked for you, please leave a comment below!
12 Responses
Loved reading your article. I learned something new about the FDA ban on mustard oil. And silly me would have been trying to eat it lol lmao.
Great post! I look forward to more…
Thanks Thomas! Feel free to drop by again; I will be adding a lot more great content here! 🙂
Interesting article, I have a bit of dandruff. This is just what I was looking for, so I definitely will give it a try!
Awesome! Let me know how it goes, Isabella!
Hi Sasha,
I did not realize there were so many uses for mustard oil when it comes to hair. I like the idea of using a natural conditioner rather than a store-bought one. I’m not sure if my store-bought one is actually working. I think I am going to try the AloeMust Hair Mask. One, I like the name. 🙂 But I also like the added benefits of the Aloe Vera.
-Amanda
Although I said mustard oil will work great as a conditioner, you still do need your regular store-bought conditioner after you wash your hair with shampoo. So use mustard oil as a deep conditioning pre-wash! 🙂
I must admit this is a new one I have never seen or heard about before, so I am going to try mustard oil and see what it does for my hair. I am not losing hair so that is not a problem for me, but I liked all the other benefits you mentioned so this is worth trying to see how it does for my hair.
Jeff
Definitely do give it a try! It can do wonders for you hair even though you do not have much hair fall.
Thank you for this article, I have been looking for a solution for my hair issues and so glad I found this. I am definitely going to try this. Its sounds like a magic portion.
Nice- I am so glad I was able to help! Feel free to drop by again for more informative posts 🙂
I must say I had a similar experience as you with mustard oil as child! 🙂 I too, did not like the smell of it! Now, I was losing quite a bit of hair recently so I went back to my mum’s top favorite oil and have been applying for it for the last 2 week and massaging my hair for 5 minutes daily and my hair fall is almost stopped! This may sound unbelievable but its true!
Thank you for this great share
All the very best to you
This is so awesome, Habib! so so glad it worked to stop your hair loss! I love that you were consistent- that is definitely the key to seeing results! 🙂