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Move over almond milk, sweet almond oil for hair is our new favourite elixir. Used for centuries as a natural remedy for hair and skin care, this golden and versatile oil is packed full of essential vitamins and minerals that make it a powerful ingredient for healthy hair.
Lots of beauty brands have touted sweet almond oil for its skincare benefits, but over here at Sitting Pretty we think it's even better for hair! Jump below for all the benefits of sweet almond oil for hair and how versatile this oil can be for your hair concerns.
See: The Best Hair Extensions For Fine Hair
Sweet almond oil—not to be confused with "almond oil" or "bitter almond oil"—is a natural oil derived from the seeds of the sweet almond tree. Sweet almond oil is a carrier oil where these other two are often created as essential oils which are more volatile and don't evaporate off hair and skin.
Sweet almond oil is produced by cold-pressing the almonds, which helps preserve the natural properties that make this oil great for beauty routines. It's rich in vitamins A, B, and E, as well as essential fatty acids and minerals like magnesium and calcium.
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One of the key benefits of sweet almond oil for hair is its ability to promote hair growth. Sweet almond oil is rich in biotin and magnesium (two essential nutrients in getting thicker, longer hair).
You've likely heard of the benefits of biotin as a supplement, but when used topically it too can help prevent hair loss and thinning. Magnesium works similarly to the beloved inversion method for growing hair: it helps promote growth by improving blood circulation to the scalp, which in turn boosts cell turnover.
So adding sweet almond oil into your at-home scalp massages is an amazingly easy way to feed the follicles and get hair growing!
As a natural moisturizer, sweet almond oil can penetrate deep into the hair shaft, providing long-lasting hydration. Full of rich fatty acids that help to nourish and condition the hair, this oil helps hair look and feel softer (win!) and healthier (double win!).
Plus, when hair is properly moisturized and conditioned, it prevents further breakage, frizzing, and split ends! Which always makes hair look shinier and more lustrous. In short, hydrating hair is always a good idea.
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Another benefit of sweet almond oil for hair is its ability to reduce dandruff, itchy scalp, and other scalp irritations caused by more minor bouts of scalp bacteria. It contains anti-fungal properties that help reduce the yeast and sebum overproduction that are quite common causes of dandruff.
Try massaging the anti-fungal benefits of sweet almond oil at home with a simple scalp massage before bed or the shower. It's especially great if you have dry skin or irritation caused by the sun because of its extra moisturizing qualities!
One of sweet almond oil's main properties is its vitamin E content: a powerful antioxidant that can help to strengthen hair and prevent hair breakage. Like in skincare, vitamin E helps to improve the elasticity of the hair, making it less prone to breakage from heated styling tools, brushing, or ponytails. Because this oil is pretty light, try adding a few drops to your regular finishing oil to help nourish your ends and get stronger locks.
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Not only a great moisturizing oil, sweet almond oil is also rich enough that it can deep condition thirstier strands. When used as a deep conditioning treatment, like an overnight mask, this oil is able to penetrate deep into the hair shaft, providing long-lasting hydration and nourishment to the hair.
By massaging sweet almond oil into your scalp and ends, it can help soften rougher textures and improve the look of frizzing. Just like a great conditioner in the shower, sweet almond oil can make your hair more manageable and easy to style with regular use!
One surprising benefit of sweet almond oil is that its high level of fatty acids and antioxidants can help protect hair from sun damage and UV radiation. This is not at all to say it's a replacement for your usual SPF or physical coverage like hats, but it can provide a protective barrier around the hair, preventing it from becoming dry and brittle due to sun exposure.
Definitely add sweet almond oil into your leave-in conditioner in the sunnier months to help protect your hair from UV damage and keep it hydrated and healthy.
Written by Tiana
