Canola Oil - Natural Hair Conditioner

Looking for a fast fix for your dry or frizzy hair that doesn't require a trip to the salon or pricey hair treatments?

I am happy to report that there is likely an item that you have right in your kitchen that will do just what you need.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is a particular type of rapeseed oil, identified by its low--less than 2 percent--erucic acid content. Canadian rapeseed oil producers coined the term "canola" in the late 1970s as an abbreviation for Canadian Oil, Low Acid. According to the "Alternative Field Crops Manual," canola oil is high in both oil and protein--two ingredients that play a role in restoring hair's health.  This is a great Hair Conditioner!  

Directions: 

• Heat the canola oil to a warm (not hot) temperature...about 1/2 to 1 cup, obviously if you have extra long hair you will need more oil.  (1 cup is usually good for shoulder length hair, adjust accordingly)
• Apply it to your hair, roots, and scalp and massage it in generously.  For safety, you should do this over a sink as oil dripped in the tub can create a dangerously slippery surface when showering.
• Put on a shower cap or wrap plastic wrap (several layers is best to keep the oil in) around your hair making sure it is completely covered.
• Wrap an old towel around your head over the plastic wrap.  This will help to trap in your natural body heat and keep the oil warm.  Leave it on for at least 20 minutes, an hour is better if you have the time. For deeper conditioning you can substitute the dry towel for a hot damp towel.
• You may want to place another old towel around your shoulders to catch any dripping.
• Rinse your hair and then wash with shampoo.  You may need to repeat the shampoo process, just be sure when shampooing to massage shampoo into your scalp and cover all of your hair.  You will also want to be sure you do an extra good job of rinsing out the shampoo.

This treatment should last about a month, so although it is a process, it is definitely not  one that needs to be repeated daily or even weekly.

**If you get an oil stain on something important, try using regular corn starch.  Sprinkle the dry starch directly on the oil stain and gently pat it in.  If it starts to clump up, sprinkle a little more as this means it is working.  I personally leave it overnight, then brush off the corn starch and wash as usual.  It is recommended that you would wash these items separate from your regular wash.