Nigella seeds or kalonji seeds, also known as black cumin, black caraway or black seeds, are small sized black coloured seeds that are well-known for its benefits right from its culinary usages to health and medicinal benefits.
Apart from these benefits, black seeds are widely renowned and known for its benefits to hair growth and hair health. Hair fall is something faced by many and it could be due to innumerable factors like stress, hormonal imbalances, genetics, environmental factors like pollution, overexposure to sunlight, etc. Therefore, using kalonji seed oil can help promote hair growth and reduce hair fall.
Kalonji seeds contain a phytochemical compound called ‘thymoquinone’ that contains proteins, alkaloids and saponins that can help boost hair growth and slow down the aging process of cells and can thereby prevent hair thinning. Thymoquinone has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce hair fall which is caused due to inflammation of hair follicles.
Let’s look into how kalonji seed oil can help promote hair growth and restore and retain hair health:
1. Regulation of imbalance in hair growth cycle:
Hair growth usually occurs in three stages of hair growth and hair shedding, which are the anagen, catagen and telogen stages. Any disruption in the hair growth cycle can cause hair to fall. Kaonji seed oil can help regulate any imbalances in the hair growth cycle and activate the hair follicles to promote proper hair growth.
2. For hair shine and texture:
Black seed oil helps to nourish the hair and can promote hair shine. Black seed oil can be added into your shampoo as well or used directly on the scalp to help improve hair texture, promote hair shine and increase hair volume.
3. Can help reduce dandruff and promote better scalp health:
Black seed oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties which can keep bacteria away from the scalp and can promote better scalp health. It can also help reduce and treat scalp issues like dandruff and reduce dry scalp, by keeping the scalp moisturized and maintains the body’s natural sebum (oil) production.
4. Can promote hair growth:
Black seed oil is rich in nutrients which can help provide nourishment to the hair follicles in turn restoring hair growth. Black seed oil contains omega-3s which helps in increasing the blood circulation in the scalp in turn promoting hair growth and reducing hair fall.
5. Can prevent premature greying of hair:
Black seed oil also has linoleic acid which can help prevent premature greying of hair, as the linoleic acid helps prevent the depletion of the pigment cells in the hair follicles. READ MORE – AYURVEDIC HEAD MASSAGE for hair growth, good sleep and more…
6. It acts as a hair conditioner and can prevent hair damage:
Black seed oil can help normalize the sebum (oil) production in the scalp and can help ensure that the scalp and hair is well-conditioned and not too greasy at the same time. The amino acids in the black seed oil can help moisturize the hair shaft and reduce frizz, making the hair more manageable and prevent hair damage.
Here’s how you can make a DIY homemade black seed hair oil:
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp black seeds
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp castor oil
Method:
Into a mixer grinder, add in the black seeds and grind into a fine powder. Then into an empty container, add in the ground black seeds, coconut oil and castor oil and mix it well. Then, screw on the lid tightly and keep this container in a dry and dark place for 2 weeks for the black seeds to get infused into the oils. Then, after 2 weeks, strain the black seed oil into another container using a fine mesh strainer. Then the oil is ready to use.
To apply on the hair:
Partition your hair and using your fingertips or a cotton pad, apply this oil evenly onto your scalp and hair, for the hair, apply the oil using downward strokes. Once the application process is done, massage this oil into your scalp using circular motions for 5 to 10 minutes. Then let it sit for half an hour to one hour before rinsing off with a mild shampoo and conditioner.
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Ingredients:
- Aloe vera gel – 1/4 cup
- Black seed oil – 1 tbsp
- Rosemary essential oil – Few drops
Extract fresh aloe vera gel from the plant and add it to the blender along with the black seed and rosemary essential oil. Blend it together and pour it into a glass bottle. Apply few drops on your hair after washing your hair or massage few drops before going to bed on your scalp to treat hair fall and thinning hair. READ MORE – HIBISCUS TEA BENEFITS AND RECIPE for glowing skin and clear acne
Tip: You can also leave this oil on your head overnight for better effects.