Non-penetrating Natural Oils for Chemically-treated Hair: Almond Oil

Until I'd started my healthy relaxed hair journey I had never heard of almond oil. I didn't even know that you could make oil from almonds. In fact, there are two kinds of almond oil - sweet and bitter. Sweet almond oil is the one best used for hair and skin as bitter almond oil is highly toxic.

Sweet almond oil is made from the pressing of the almond nut or seed. The oil is rich in polyunsaturated and mono fatty acids, Vitamins A, B and E, copper, zinc, and protein making it a great oil for all types of hair, including chemically-treated hair.

Related post: Non-penetrating Natural Oils For Chemically-treated Hair

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The benefits of almond oil

 Here are some of the key benefits of including almond oil in your hair regimen:

• It's great for adding shine to the hair
• The oil can help reduce scalp irritation and inflammation by moisturizing the scalp and helping to remove dead skin cells
• It can help reduce hair breakage because of the levels of protein the oil contains
• Assists with healthy hair growth when massaged into the scalp. The antioxidants from the Vitamin E in the oil can help produce sebum which helps with healthy hair growth

Related post: Natural Oils Good For Chemically-treated Hair

Ways to use almond oil

• You can use almond oil on your relaxed, natural or colored hair in the following ways:
• A sealant after moisturizing
• A hot oil treatment when you pre-poo
• A scalp massage
• Adding a teaspoon to your deep conditioner to enhance the conditioning experience
• Adding drops to your shampoo 

Things to keep in mind

• When purchasing almond oil look for an oil with a yellowish tine and slightly nutty smell
• Check the ingredients list to make sure there are no additives and it's pure organic oil
• While almond oil isn't a thick oil, higher grade almond oil is a little bit thicker than cheaper grades
• The oil should stay good for about a year, even after opening it

What's been your experience with almond oil?

References: http://almond-oil.org/, http://greenlifediary.com/almond-oil-for-hair/