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Oiling your hair is a fundamental step of any hair care regimen. The lubricating oil nourishes and conditions the hair and scalp, while the massaging action stimulates blood circulation under the scalp to bring more nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicles.
Different hair oils offer different benefits depending upon their ingredients. You may have heard about onion oil, which has gained a lot of attention for its multiple hair benefits, and you can make it even better.
This article will discuss a recipe for onion oil combined with the healing properties of aloe vera, another natural ingredient that is considered great for your hair.
Recipe for Aloe Vera-Onion Oil
Onion hair oil is a widely available product, but you can never be too sure of its purity. You may get diluted versions adulterated with chemical additives that will never deliver the desired results. So, it’s best to use homemade onion oil.
Here are two easy and inexpensive ways to make aloe vera-onion hair oil.
Recipe 1: Heat method
Ingredients:
- 10–11 medium-size onions
- 400 ml cold-pressed coconut or sesame oil
- 4 whole aloe vera leaves
Steps:
- Put 9–10 onions in a blender to extract their juice.
- Grind 1 onion to make a fine paste.
- Put 400 ml cold-pressed coconut or sesame oil in a heavy-bottom vessel, and mix in the onion juice and paste.
- Slice 4 aloe vera leaves to extract their gel.
- Pour the aloe gel into the vessel, and give all the ingredients a stir.
- Put the vessel on a stove and turn on the heat.
- Keep stirring the mixture, and lower the flame after some time to let it simmer. This heating process will separate the oil from the paste.
- Turn off the stove after 20–30 minutes and keep the vessel aside until the mixture cools down.
- Once cooled, pass the mixture through a muslin cloth and collect the oil in a container. Your aloe vera-onion hair oil is ready for use.
Recipe 2: No-Heat method
Ingredients:
- ½ an onion, chopped
- 1 aloe vera leaf
- 1 cup almond oil
Steps:
- Cut open a fresh aloe vera leaf and scoop out its gel.
- Chop half an onion.
- Put the aloe vera gel and chopped onions in a bottle and cover them with almond oil. The ingredients should be fully immersed in the oil.
- Keep the bottle in a cool, dark place for 2 months.
- After the waiting period, pass the contents of the bottle through a muslin cloth to strain the oil in a container.
- Your homemade aloe vera-onion oil is ready for use.
How to Use Aloe Vera-Onion Oil for Optimum Hair Care
- Apply this oil liberally to your hair and scalp.
- Massage it into your scalp with your fingertips using medium to high pressure for 5 minutes, followed by another 10 minutes of light-handed rubbing.
- Let it sit for at least 30 minutes so that it gets properly absorbed.
- Rinse it off with a mild shampoo and plain water.
- Do this oil massage once a week for 3 months to see gradual improvement in the quality of your hair.
Storage
Aloe vera-onion oil should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge to prevent it from going bad or losing its potency.
Shelf Life
Aloe vera-onion oil remains usable for a maximum of 2–3 years if stored properly, but its potency begins to diminish after months from production. So, try to finish it within the first months for maximum hair benefits, and then make a fresh batch.
Adding a bit of vitamin E can help extend its shelf life. Simply break open a vitamin E capsule, pour its contents into the oil bottle, and give it a good shake before stacking it in the fridge.
Hair Benefits of Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has a plethora of benefits including preventing hair fall and dandruff and treating dry scalp. (1)
Some of its major hair benefits include:
- Promotes healthy hair growth (2)
- Helps relieve itchy scalp and dandruff due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties
- Has a pH level similar to that of your scalp and hair, making it safe to use (3)
- Helps hydrate the scalp and condition the hair due to its rich water content
- Loaded with proteolytic enzymes that help repair damaged cells in the scalp (4)
- Contains various nutrients that make your hair strong and shiny
- Helps make your hair soft and frizz-free
Benefits of Onion Oil/Juice for Hair
The high sulfur content of onions helps in treating a multitude of hair problems including thinning, dandruff, and baldness. (5)
Here are some reasons to incorporate onion oil in your hair care regimen:
- Helps accelerate the hair growth cycle
- Helps build stronger and healthier hair that is less prone to splitting, breakage, or shedding (6)(7)
- Helps prevent premature graying of hair (8)
- Works as a natural conditioner
- Helps balance the pH level of the hair and scalp, which is essential for healthy hair growth
- Helps treat dandruff and other scalp infections due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties (9)
- Helps repair and rejuvenate damaged hair to make them shiny, healthy, and bouncy
- May soothe scalp inflammation (10)
Is This Oil Suitable for All Hair Types?
Aloe vera-onion oil suits all hair types but is especially recommended for hair that is dry, frizzy, or prone to hair fall. This is because it helps condition, soften, and smoothen your rough unruly tresses to make them more manageable.
People with a naturally oily scalp should use this oil sparingly.
Side Effects of Onion Juice and Aloe Vera Gel on Hair
Aloe vera-onion oil is mostly safe for topical use with little to no reported side effects, unless you are allergic to any of the ingredients or have scalp conditions or sensitive skin. Some people may experience mild redness at the application site, but it is not really a cause for concern.
The major drawback of using this oil is the strong unpleasant onion smell that can stick to your hair and scalp for a while, even after shampooing. You may have to wash your hair more than once to properly get rid of it.
Moreover, excessive application of onion oil can make your scalp dry and itchy. The constant head scratching can weaken your hair roots and trigger undue hair fall.
Aloe vera gel is one of the mildest and most soothing topical ingredients there is, but not for people who are allergic to it. So, it’s best to always patch test this topical remedy before using it to make sure you are not allergic to any of its ingredients. (11)
Final Word
Aloe vera-onion oil can help address a number of hair-related problems, but only when used properly as part of a consistent and wholesome hair care regimen. No single product can be a magic cure for your hair woes, and the same stands true for this oil.
But aloe vera-onion oil does pack in a lot of nourishing qualities that can help make your hair long, strong, voluminous, and healthy. It also soothes scalp irritation and fights scalp infections to keep your hair follicles functioning properly.
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