Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended as medical advice. For any medical concerns, always contact your doctor.
Grapeseed oil for hair? Now that’s a head scratcher. Sure, grapes are a commendable fruit. They bring us juice, jam, and (most importantly) wine. But putting grapeseed oil in your hair? That seems like a strange way to use this fruit of the vine. Shouldn’t we just stick to eating grapes in fruit salad?
Well, put your skepticism aside because we’re here to tell you that the benefits of grapeseed oil should not be ignored. Like avocado oil and coconut oil, the versatility of grapeseed oil is fruitful and far-reaching. So, let’s take a journey through the vineyard and get a look at what grapeseed oil is, how it’s made, the potential benefits it can have for your hair, and the best way to use it.
From Seed to Bottle: How Grapeseed Oil Is Made
If you’ve ever wondered what winemakers do with the leftover parts of the grape, here’s your answer: they make grapeseed oil. This odorless oil is extracted from the seeds of a grape either by force or through use of an organic solvent. It’s then bottled in its oil form, converted into grapeseed extract, or added into hair and skincare products.
Whether it’s for cooking or your haircare routine, always read the label of the grapeseed oil you’re using. Some grapeseed oils have been extracted with the chemical hexane, which is a neurotoxin that can be damaging to your nervous system — definitely not something you want to put in or on your body. Look for grapeseed oil bottles that are labeled as cold-pressed. This means that it was extracted without using hexane, heat, or chemical treatments. It also ensures that none of the beneficial properties of grapeseed have been removed from the oil.
3 Benefits of Grapeseed Oil for Hair
Grapeseed oil is full of antioxidants, including vitamin E, vitamin D, and vitamin C. It’s also rich in omega-6 fatty acids and the polyphenol OPC (oligomeric proanthocyanidins), a potent antioxidant. But what exactly do these ingredients do for your hair? Let’s break it down.
1. Fights Scalp Dryness
There are many possible causes for dry scalp. It can be exposure to everyday elements like UV rays, high temperatures, or dry climates. It can also be shampooing too much or using chemical treatments and dyes that have a drying effect on your skin and scalp. Luckily, grapeseed oil can provide some solace for your dry scalp issues.
Grapeseed oil‘s high vitamin E content means that it has the potential to ward off scalp dryness. That’s because vitamin E has a naturally moisturizing effect on skin and can help minimize transepidermal water loss, a process that rids you of hydration and leaves your skin looking dry. Because scalp dryness is often linked to having dry skin in general, applying grapeseed oil to your scalp may help restore some hydration.
2. Reduces Damage and Frizz
Frizz, damage, and dryness are the culprits of every bad hair day. But cutting back on heat styling, blow-drying, and anything else that causes split ends and breakage is not a fun or realistic option for many of us.
If you struggle to keep frizz at bay, grapeseed oil can help save the day. This oil is high in a fatty acid called linoleic acid, which serves as a damage-fighting agent when used in haircare products and treatments. This acid gives grapeseed oil the ability to coat the surface of the hair cuticles, which can diminish the effects of friction and help you avoid additional hair damage.
3. Increases Shine
Everybody wants shine. It’s what many people consider a defining quality of healthy hair. For those with dry or brittle hair, the hunt for a product that gives a glossy, photoshoot-worthy look is never-ending. But for those with plenty of natural oils to spare, you want to make sure your shine isn’t mistaken for a greasy scalp or sticky hair. Is there a hair oil treatment made for both dry and oily hair types? Yes, there is. And it’s called grapeseed oil.
Grapeseed oil is lightweight, allowing it to easily absorb into the hair and bring out a natural shine without causing product buildup. Because of its light density, grapeseed can be applied directly to hair or infused into products like Function of Beauty’s thermal protection-boosted custom shampoo and conditioner. Made with naturally-derived and synthetic ingredients like linseed extract,this duo has a lot to offer, including:
- High temperature tolerance to help protect against heat
- Moisture sealing abilities for combating frizz and dryness
- Deep conditioning for rejuvenating heat damaged hair
How to Use Grapeseed Oil for Hair
By now you’ve probably been convinced that grapeseed oil has a place in the life of your locks. But how exactly do you use grapeseed oil on your hair? You can start by purchasing a bottle of pure grapeseed oil from a natural foods market. Make sure the bottle is labeled cold-pressed and isn’t meant for culinary use.
Unlike thicker options, such as olive oil and castor oil, you don’t need to dilute grapeseed oil with a carrier oil before applying it to hair. It can be used directly on your locks as a natural hair treatment. Follow these simple steps for creating a DIY grapeseed oil treatment:
- Apply a few teaspoons of pure grapeseed oil to damp hair — perhaps right before a shower
- Use a wide tooth comb to make sure all sections of your hair are coated with grapeseed oil — unless you tend to have an oily scalp, you do not need to avoid the roots.
- Leave the treatment on for 30 minutes before washing out with shampoo
Apply this grapeseed oil treatment a few times to help fight off frizz and encourage softness and shine.
Change Your Hair Luck With Grapeseed Oil
While argan oil and coconut oil have enjoyed plenty of time in the spotlight, grapeseed oil has earned its spot among these much-loved haircare ingredients. With its potential to fight the effects of dry scalp, reduce the look of frizz and dry hair, and increase shine and luster, it’s surprising that grapeseed oil isn’t used in every hair product on the market!
To update your haircare routine, take our hair quiz, where you can create a hair formula featuring customized ingredients to benefit your unique hair type. You can also include a variety of hair goals in your formula, such as color protection, oil control, deep conditioning, scalp soothing, and more. Function of Beauty products are 100% vegan and free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and other potentially harmful ingredients. Learn more about how Function of Beauty can help you make the most of your haircare regimen.
