Coconut oil vs Ghee: Which is better for hair growth? |
Natural care products such as coconut oil and ghee taken the world by storm with their nourishing benefits. While the sources of both these items are distinctive, hence possessing unique benefits for better hair health, they are a challenge in terms of choosing the best one for specific needs. Let’s compare the properties, benefits, and applications of coconut oil and ghee to find out which one is the better option for hair health.
Overview of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is extracted from mature coconut meats. It is a saturated dietary oil, rich in fatty acids, especially lauric acid, known as an antimicrobial agent. Since ancient times, it has been used in the tropics for various uses such as a cooking oil, skin and hair care. The oil is light and was easily absorbed and had a fragrant smell; thus, it has a lot of beauty fans.
Overview of Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter prepared by sipping butter to eliminate its water content and milk solids, leaving it deep golden, rich oil. Ghee has been an indispensable element in Indian traditional practice, Ayurveda, and diet, it having great health benefits and functionality in cooking. It does contain fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, and K, and antioxidants that make it a great nourishing agent for your body and hair.
Benefits to hair
Coconut Oil
Moisture retention: Coconut oil, as an oil, penetrates the hair shaft nicely and helps lock in moisture, thereby stopping dryness. It is very beneficial especially for those who have curly or dry hair types.
Strengthens hair: Lauric acid present in coconut oil strengthens the hair by retarding the loss of protein; this means hair becomes less vulnerable to damage caused by styling or environmental factors.
Scalp health: The antifungal as well as antibacterial property could assist your scalp to remain healthy and prevent dandruff or other scalp-related problems.
Improves shine: Consistent application of coconut oil ensures shine to your hair, naturally. Shine makes your hair look rich and lively.
Ghee
Ghee has immense essential fatty acids that nourish your hair and scalp from deep within, which helps further promote overall hair health.
Encourages hair growth: Ghee is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that stimulate hair follicles, so it favors hair growth and reduces hair fall.
Smoothens frizzy hair: The thick ghee texture smoothens out frizz and moisturizes the hair, so that the hair becomes smoother and easy to handle.
Conditioning agent: It is a pretty good conditioner that hydrates and softens hair to keep it all the more fashionable.
Application
Application of Coconut Oil
Pre-wash treatment: Apply coconut oil on dry hair and sit for at least 30 minutes or apply overnight to get full benefits. Scalp massage: Gentle scalp massage with the applied coconut oil will stimulate blood flow and help achieve healthy hair growth.
Leave in conditioner: This can be applied in a small quantity to the ends of your hair in order to hold the frizz, without weighing your hair with shine.
Application of Ghee
Hair mask: Mix ghee along with other beneficial ingredients such as honey or yogurt in order to create a nourishing hair mask. Apply it on to your hair and scalp and leave it on for about 30-60 minutes before washing it off.
Scalp treatment: Like coconut oil, ghee can be massaged into the scalp, which might improve blood flow in the scalp and result in healthy hair.
Deep conditioning: Ghee, as a deep conditioning treatment, hydrates damaged or dry hair immensely, restoring shine.
Considerations and compatibility
Both Coconut Oil and Ghee can help your hair a lot but with different preferences and different hair types.
Hair type: This can be better done for fine hair types since coconut oil is light in weight. Thicker ghee might work perfectly if you have thicker coarse hair since it keeps moisture and nourishment.
Scalp sensitivity: You would surely avoid using coconut oil if your scalp is sensitive since its lighter texture would never clog pores like the thicker ghee.
Personal preference: Products may also become a deciding factor because of smell and texture. Coconut oil has a fresh smell, and ghee has a rich buttery smell that may be too overpowering for some. Conclusion
In a nutshell, coconut oil and ghee work in totally different ways to benefit hair, and they can definitely form an integral part of a hair-care routine. If you need something very lightweight penetrated into the depth of the hair shaft and also nourishes the moisture, coconut oil is the better choice. If you are in a need of the rich treatment as it promotes growth, makes it smooth and tames frizz and all that, maybe ghee would be your best option.
Homecare remedies to treat hairfall
Ultimately, the decision lies between the two depending on your hair type and needs. Try both applications to know which gives better results to your hair. Whichever is applied, these natural ingredients will bring you a step closer to healthier, shinier, and more manageable hair.
Source: times of india