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ayurvedic oil massage of the scalp image by NiDerLander from Fotolia.com

One of the great things about baby oil is that adults can use it, also. It contains no harsh chemicals so it is gentle on the skin and the hair. In addition to being inexpensive, baby oil is an excellent moisturizer that softens the hair and makes it shine. Baby oil can also help to grow hair longer and faster.

Ingredients of Baby Oil

Baby oil is made of different ingredients depending on which brand you buy. Most commercial baby oil has mineral oil as its main ingredient. This includes the well-known Johnson’s Baby Oil. Even the Johnson’s Baby Oil Lavender just has the fragrance of lavender but no lavender oil. For other baby oils the main ingredient is an essential oil like lavender or rose. Most baby oils that have mineral oil as its main ingredients also contain essential oils or other natural substances. Aloe Vera is popular as is Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E Oil, and Almond Oil. Read the label for the list of ingredients when buying baby oil.

How Baby Oil Works

The hair is made of keratin, a form of protein and for most people the hair only grows one-half inch a month. But since the hair strand is dead you can only make it look better. The follicle or hair root is alive and good nutrition and a healthy diet can aid in growing hair long. But baby oil can help you to keep the hair you have and in time your hair will be longer because you have taken care of it. Once the hair leaves the follicle you can keep it from becoming dry and brittle and breaking off by using baby oil. Add a dime sixe to your palm and gently distribute it all over your hair. This is best for people with dry or normal hair. The oil moisturizes the hair shaft which greatly reduces breakage. Another use of baby oil is as a scalp massage oil. Gently massaging in a small bit of baby oil stimulates the scalp and increases circulation. This brings nutrient-rich blood to the follicles and this increases growth. Massaging also increases the production of the natural oils of the scalp which is great if you have dry hair. The baby oil or natural oils slide down the hair strand to the ends of the hair where the oil is most needed. Adding baby oil just to the ends also helps to cut down on split ends which can rise up the hair strand and cause breakage.

For Those With Oily Hair

While baby oil will not hurt your hair at all, if you already have oily hair adding more oil could make a greasy mess that is harder to wash out. If you have truly oil hair using baby oil just on the ends of your hair is a smart move. This way you can protect your ends from breakage without weighing your hair down with more oil.