Camphor Oil for Hair: How to Make It, Uses, and Benefits
Camphor oil, extracted from camphor trees (Cinnamomum camphora), has a long history of hair care usage. This article will explore the benefits of using camphor oil for hair growth, hair loss, dandruff, and much more.
Camphor oil has antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that soothe your scalp, remove dandruff, cleanse your hair and scalp, and strengthen your hair strands.
We will also discuss the different camphor hair mask recipes that can help treat various hair conditions, including dry hair and hair loss.
Table of Contents
Is Camphor Oil Good for Hair?
Camphor oil is highly beneficial for hair, as it boasts many natural properties that promote healthy hair growth and improve the health of your hair and scalp. Camphor oil has been used for centuries to address skin and hair issues and is rich in antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Key Takeaways
- Benefits of Camphor for Hair Care: Camphor oil, a natural substance, is highly effective in promoting scalp health and treating hair-related issues. Its healing properties address scalp infections and flaky scalp and help reduce dandruff, making it a valuable addition to hair care routines.
- Combating Scalp Irritations and Dandruff: Camphor oil’s strong aroma and antifungal properties make it an excellent remedy for scalp irritation and dandruff treatment. Regular use in a coconut oil mixture can soothe an itchy, oily, or dry scalp, reducing flaky skin and scalp ringworm.
- Hair Growth and Strength: Camphor hair oil helps enhance hair growth and prevent further hair loss by strengthening your hair roots. Its use stimulates blood circulation, contributing to healthier hair strands.
- Natural Remedy for Various Scalp Conditions: As a disinfecting agent with natural remedies, camphor oil can treat various scalp conditions like scalp dryness and hair lice.
- Safe Usage and Precautions: While camphor offers numerous health benefits for hair, it’s essential to use it correctly to avoid skin irritation. Blending it as a base oil with other carrier oils, like coconut oil, ensures safe and effective application, suitable for different hair types.
This premium-quality Pure & Natural Camphor Essential Oil stands out due to its 100% pure, undiluted, and therapeutic-grade formulation. This oil is free of additives and harmful chemicals. Each batch undergoes rigorous GC-MS testing to ensure authenticity and purity, with results accessible on the manufacturer's website. It is conveniently bottled in a 10ml amber glass bottle with a built-in eyedropper, allowing for effortless pouring and application.
By increasing blood circulation in the scalp, camphor oil encourages hair growth and strengthens hair follicles, reducing hair breakage and hair fall.
As a scalp detoxifier, it effectively decongests the hair scalp, soothes irritation, eliminates dandruff, and cleanses the scalp. Those with dry, brittle, weak hair strands or scalp problems can benefit from camphor oil treatments, especially when mixed with other essential oils.
Camphor products are available in various forms, including pure oil, brown, yellow, or white camphor oil, camphor powder, camphor tablets, and camphor tree wood.
What Does Camphor Oil Do for Your Hair?
Camphor oil is beneficial for hair health due to its antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It soothes the scalp, removes dandruff, cleanses the scalp, helps with hair loss, and strengthens hair strands.
It has been used for over a century to solve skin and hair problems and is still widely used today in hair treatments. Overall, camphor oil can promote a healthy scalp, encourage hair growth, and improve the strength and appearance of your hair strands.
For people with dry, brittle, or weak hair strands or scalp problems, camphor oil mixed with other essential oils is an excellent hair treatment.
In addition to 100% pure oil, you’ll also see camphor products marketed as brown, yellow, or white camphor oil, camphor powder, and camphor tablets, and we’ve seen people selling the wood of camphor trees.
If you’re wondering whether camphor is good for your hair, here are some additional details about its benefits.
1. Soothes Your Itchy Scalp and Removes Dandruff
Oily and irritated skin is a cause for concern for many women, especially if a build-up of dead skin cells and an itchy, flakey scalp accompanies it.
Dandruff, one of the fungal infections, is caused by seborrheic dermatitis, which turns the skin red, oily, and scaly. While dandruff and other scalp yeast infections are stubborn, camphor oil has proved to be an effective treatment option.
One study found that camphor oil has highly potent anti-fungal properties and is effective against a wide range of fungi. To treat dandruff and scalp issues, you need to mix camphor oil and lemon juice for optimal results.
Below are the ingredients and instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of camphor oil
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- Egg Yolk (optional)
Directions
- Beat the egg yolk, then combine it with the camphor oil and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Apply the mixture to your scalp, lightly massaging the mixture in and around the hair roots.
- Work the mixture throughout your hair, applying the recipe evenly.
- Wear a plastic shower cap or cover your head with a clean microfiber towel.
- Wait for 30 to 50 minutes before rinsing your hair and scalp with a mild shampoo.
- Condition your hair afterward.
2. Camphor Cleanses Your Scalp and Hair
Camphor exhibits several biological properties, such as antimicrobial, insecticidal, and antiviral activities. Camphor oil is widely used as a fragrance in cosmetics and is a common ingredient in household cleaners.
Its natural compounds also make it a potent cleansing agent that can work magic on your scalp and hair. If you struggle with head lice, mixing camphor oil with coconut oil will help kill the lice.
Directions:
- Mix two tablespoons of coconut oil and one tablespoon of camphor oil.
- Apply the paste to your scalp and leave it overnight.
- Wash your scalp and hair with lukewarm water the following day.
- Condition your hair.
3. Helps with Hair Loss and Hair Thinning
Men and women often begin to notice thinning of their hair strands as they grow older. While camphor oil isn’t a magic hair product that will speed hair growth overnight, it creates an environment that’s perfect for hair growth.
For instance, it boosts blood circulation, which enriches the hair follicles with the necessary nutrients for improved hair growth and regrowth.
Similarly, camphor oils can increase collagen production, which holds the dermal layer and hair follicles together. Collagen levels reduce as we age, making the hair follicle brittle.
This may also result in dermal layer dryness, which leads to hair loss (also called hair fall in certain cultures). Applying camphor oil on your scalp and hair helps keep the hair strong and healthy, from the roots to the ends of your strands.
Ingredients:
- Two tablespoons of camphor oil
- One tablespoon of burdock oil
- One raw yolk
- 5 to 6 drops of rosemary essential oil
Directions:
- Break the raw yolk, then add camphor and burdock oil.
- Stir the mixture, then add the rosemary essential oil while stirring to get an even mixture.
- Apply the paste to your scalp as you massage lightly.
- Work the paste through your hair as you pay attention to your scalp and hair roots.
- Wait for 30 to 50 minutes before rinsing your hair and scalp with a mild shampoo.
- Condition your hair.
Remember, hair loss can result from hormonal changes, genetics, medical conditions, aging, or more. A hair loss recipe isn’t a quick fix and isn’t guaranteed to work in every situation.
4. Improves Hair Texture
Your natural hair can become dull and lifeless due to ongoing wear and tear from styling, handling, and other environmental reasons.
When mixed with other essential oils such as coconut oil and rosemary oil, camphor oil can soften and smoothen your hair, along with mitigating hair damage.
Some of the camphor elements, such as bisabolol, a naturally occurring protein common in certain essential oils, soften the hair giving it a lasting shine.
5. Strengthens Hair Roots
Combining camphor oil and other ingredients: egg yolk, olive oil, and yogurt have been shown to strengthen the hair roots, thanks to the much-needed nutrients penetrating the scalp and enriching the hair follicles.
Does Camphor Oil Penetrate the Hair Shaft?
Hair shaft penetration is a huge consideration for many people looking to enrich their hair with essential oils and benefit from the antifungal and antibacterial properties, vitamins, and amino acids.
Despite being an essential oil, camphor oil doesn’t penetrate the hair shaft. Camphor is an isoprenoid compound classified as a terpenoid ketone, composed of two or three hydrocarbon units that don’t penetrate the hair shaft.
Some of the essential oils that penetrate the hair shaft include coconut, avocado, olive, and meadowfoam seed oils.
Essential oils that are considered triglyceride, the main constituent of body fats in humans, have a high affinity for hair proteins. Additionally, oils with a straight liner chain and low molecular weight, such as coconut oil, can easily penetrate the hair shaft.
On the other hand, mineral oils, being hydrocarbons, have no affinity for hair proteins and won’t penetrate the hair shaft.
Other essential oils like sunflower oil, although being a triglyceride, have a bulky structure due to double bonds in their molecular structure; hence, they won’t penetrate through to the hair follicle.
A rule of thumb is to mix camphor oil with essential oils with high shaft-penetration potentials, such as olive and coconut oil.
How to Use Camphor Oil for Hair
Camphor oil is best used alongside other essential oils or ingredients such as lemon, egg, and yogurt. This oil can also be used with many different hair types or textures.
If you have dry, weak hair, you can use camphor oil and other ingredients like egg yolk and coconut oil to strengthen the roots and get some extra moisture in the hair follicles and hair roots.
When making a camphor oil hair mask, ensure that the solution is thick and more of a paste so that camphor doesn’t get into your eyes or mouth, as it can cause irritation.
Before applying the mask, wash your hair and do not dry it thoroughly. This ensures that the hair is pliable, so it’s easy to work with.
For optimal results, always massage the scalp while applying the camphor hair mask. After the treatment, cover your head with a plastic bag or a microfiber towel.
To avoid difficulties when washing the mask, apply the shampoo directly to the hair strands and rinse them gently with warm water. You can also use lemon or diluted vinegar solution instead before conditioning your hair.
Camphor Oil Hair Mask Recipes
Camphor oil can be paired with several other essential oils and natural ingredients, and it’s easy to apply these recipes to the hair and scalp. There are several recipes you can make from different ingredients and for various uses.
As we’ve seen above, you can make a camphor oil mask for many hair conditions or problems – from dandruff to dry and itchy scalp and hair loss. Below are several common camphor hair mask recipes:
Lemon-Camphor Hair Oils Mask Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of camphor oil
- 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
Directions:
- Warm the coconut oil to a slightly higher than room temperature.
- Add 3 to 5 drops of camphor oil.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then stir the mixture.
- Massage your scalp with the mixture for a few minutes.
- Work the remaining through your hair, particularly the base of the hair.
- Wrap your hair with a warm towel and wait for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse off your scalp and hair with a mild shampoo.
- Condition your hair.
Rinse your scalp and hair with apple cider vinegar to further enrich your scalp with beneficial nutrients. This recipe is often used to encourage hair growth.
Camphor-Castor Filming Mask
Another common hair mask is a combination of camphor oil and castor oil with a few other ingredients, such as raw egg yolk and rosemary oil. This recipe is mainly a hair loss remedy that, besides cleansing the scalp, stimulates blood flow and has been shown to promote hair growth.
Mixing camphor oil with highly potent essential oils like rosemary oil and castor oil comes with several benefits. For instance, castor oil is a natural moisturizer containing humectants such as ricinoleic acid that prevents water loss through the outer skin layer.
Castor oil also has some antifungal properties, which can be very beneficial for people with scalp fungal infections.
Besides making a potent hair mask, you can also make camphor oil shampoos for both oily and dry hair. However, the shampoo you’ll get is mild, and for the best results, you want to alternate this with a commercial shampoo.
To make a camphor shampoo for oily hair, mix the following:
- 2 teaspoons of camphor oil
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 raw egg yolk
To make a camphor shampoo for dry hair, mix the following:
- 1 teaspoon of camphor oil
- 2 tablespoons of burdock and almond oil
- 1 raw egg yolk
- 4 to 5 drops of tea tree essential oil
Is Camphor Oil Good For Hair?
Camphor oil is safe for external use, i.e., when applied topically on your skin or hair. However, it should also be in low concentration.
Undiluted camphor or products containing more than 11% camphor can severely affect the skin, causing irritation or skin redness. Before using camphor oil on your skin, you want to do a skin patch test or consult your medical doctor (or dermatologist).
Apply a small amount of low-concentration camphor oil to your inner forearm, then wait to see if there’s any reaction. To ascertain that your body doesn’t react to any of its compounds, wait for up to 24 hours to see if there’s any reaction, such as itching, skin redness, or burns.
Camphor oil is available in four different types: white, yellow, brown, and blue fractions. Yellow and brown types contain high levels of safrole, a carcinogen that’s harmful to human health. Ingesting camphor or applying it to an open wound could lead to complications.
However, this will depend on the level of concentration and several other conditions, such as pregnancy, age, and body sensitivity. Children below the age of 2 should not be exposed to camphor as any little ingestion or intake through the nose, mouth, or an open wound could cause seizures.
To ensure safety, do not use camphor oil, camphor hair mask, or homemade camphor shampoo if:
- You have allergic reactions to the smell of camphor
- You have high blood pressure or various convulsive diseases
You should also dilute the oil before using it so that in case it accidentally gets into your eyes, you won’t suffer from adverse side effects.
Does Camphor Mitigate Premature Gray Hair?
People struggling with premature graying may benefit from applying camphor oil to their scalp and hair. There are some medical ways of reversing this condition, such as hormone therapy and re-pigmentation therapy, but going natural is always the better option.
Below is a recipe to help treat premature graying.
Ingredients:
- 4 hibiscus flowers (preferably fresh)
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon of camphor oil
Direction:
- Warm coconut oil slightly above room temperature.
- Add hibiscus flowers to the coconut oil and stir it for approximately 1 minute.
- Add camphor oil and let the mixture cool down to room temperature.
- Use the mixture to massage the scalp and hair roots gently.
- Wait for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing off your scalp and hair with a mild shampoo.
- Repeat this procedure periodically (e.g., once per week) to reduce the appearance of gray hair.
Graying of the hairs can start at any age and can be caused by a range of factors. In some cases, deficiencies of vitamins B-6, B-12, E, and D can cause premature graying.
Other causes include genetics, autoimmune diseases, stress, smoking, and thyroid disorders. Camphor oil strengthens the hair follicles and improves your scalp’s health. It also conditions your hair, making it soft, manageable, and healthy.
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Camphor oil is often sold as a 10% solution for skin and hair care, and you always want to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you have questions or concerns about the potential uses of camphor, be sure to discuss this product with a medical professional to avoid allergic reactions or other complications.
