Queens of Curls - Natural Hair Care: February 2013

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Natural Hair Care: The Curl Whisperer on Essential Oils

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Natural Hair Care: The Curl Whisperer on Essential Oils: Continuing our series on product ingredients: essential oils. With more and more individuals moving towards "green" and natural living, essential oils are playing a much larger role in the formulation of hair care products than ever before.

What are essential oils? Essential oils are concentrated liquids from plants containing the oil of the plant material from which they were extracted. They have been used in hair preparations for centuries to promote shine and enhance natural hair health.

Essential oils are most commonly mixed with some type of carrier oil in hair product formulations, as they are either too concentrated or will evaporate upon contact on their own. Because of their concentrated nature, essential oils should not used in undiluted form as some can cause severe irritation, or can provoke an allergic reaction.

Despite their benefits, it is important to note most essential oils carry what are known as "contraindications." A contraindication is a condition in which application of a particular treatment or substance is not advisable, i.e., if someone is allergic to penicillin, we would regard that as a contraindication for penicillin use, since further use of penicillin on that individual would trigger an allergic reaction. Continue..... www.curlynikki.com