Hair Oiling: the Ayurvedic Scalp Ritual

If you have watched videos of people dividing their hair into small sections to place oil directly onto the roots, you have probably seen a version of what is known as hair oiling. The technique has become popular on social media as a beauty ritual, yet the idea of applying oil to the scalp is far from new.

In Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of health and care, scalp oiling has formed part of practices carried out for centuries. One of these is Shiro Abhyanga: Shiro means head, while Abhyanga refers to oiling combined with massage.

The key difference lies in its purpose. Rather than focusing solely on the appearance of the strands, this practice directs attention to the scalp and the area from which the hair grows.

“I like to use a very simple comparison: when we want a plant to grow strong, we do not only care for its leaves. We look at the soil and the roots. With hair, for a long time we were taught to do the opposite. We apply masks to the lengths, repair treatments to the ends, and products for shine and the appearance of the strands, but we forget that there is a scalp where that hair grows from. In my practice, oiling starts there,” explains Nina Habib, Ayurvedic therapist and founder of Taila Veda.

The roots change the logic of the ritual

Most hair products are designed to work on the lengths and ends. Nina’s approach to oiling begins with a different principle: the oil should reach the scalp first.

To do this, the hair can be divided into sections. Using a dropper, small amounts of the product are placed close to the roots, then distributed with a gentle massage using the fingertips.

The aim is not to coat the entire head of hair in oil, but to concentrate the ritual on the chosen area.

“I do not teach people to take the oil all the way to the ends. My focus is the scalp. That is where I apply it and massage it. Once we understand this, oiling stops being simply another pre-wash mask and takes on a different role within the ritual,” Nina explains.

After application, the oil is left on for a period before washing. In the routine taught by the therapist using Force of Gaya, the guidance is to leave it to work for at least two hours. Those who prefer can also sleep with the oil in and wash their hair the following day.

Frequency is also part of the approach. During the first few months, Nina advises carrying out the ritual two to three times a week. Afterwards, oiling can be reduced to once a week for maintenance.

Ayurveda is not simply about choosing an oil

This is where the traditional practice differs from much of the content found on social media.

In Ayurveda, an oil is not selected solely because a particular ingredient is popular. There are preparations called tailas, in which the oil acts as a carrier for different plants. The tradition has specific methods for making these medicated oils, including Taila Paka Vidhi, which involves oil, plants and liquid preparations undergoing stages of cooking and reduction.

In other words, it is not simply a matter of putting a herb into a bottle of vegetable oil.

“The preparation of the oil is part of the knowledge too. When we talk about an Ayurvedic taila, we are not merely talking about choosing a herb that is well known for hair and putting it in a bottle of oil. There is a logic to the preparation, the carrier, the combination of plants and the timing. The process matters as well,” Nina explains.

This is the approach followed in the production of Taila Veda oils.

Amla and Bhringaraj are among the traditional plants

Certain plants appear regularly in Ayurvedic preparations intended for hair. These include Amalaki, also known as Amla, and Bhringaraj.

Amla is the fruit of Phyllanthus emblica and has a traditional role in Ayurveda, featuring in different preparations and associated with Rasayana. Its use therefore extends beyond hair care, although it has been used for generations in formulations intended for hair.

Bhringaraj, meanwhile, has a particularly strong historical connection with care for the head and scalp within the Ayurvedic tradition.

These plants may be combined with other ingredients to create preparations with different characteristics. In Force of Gaya, developed by Taila Veda, Amla and Bhringaraj are blended with other plants used by the brand, including aloe vera and rosemary. In the version made with sesame oil, the formula also includes Brahmi.

The base oil is part of the choice too

Another important aspect of oiling is the base used to carry the ingredients.

Within Ayurveda, base oils have their own characteristics. They are therefore not regarded as neutral carriers for plants alone. The choice can take account of both the formulation and the context in which it will be used.

Force of Gaya comes in two versions: one uses coconut MCT and the other is based on sesame oil. In the Ayurvedic tradition, coconut is associated with more cooling characteristics, while sesame is traditionally recognised for more warming qualities.

“There is not only the question, ‘which herb is in this oil?’. I also want to know what the base is. In Ayurveda, the carrier is part of the formulation. Coconut and sesame do not have the same qualities. This completely changes the idea that oiling is simply about choosing any oil and putting it on your head,” Nina explains.

This distinction also makes it possible to adapt the choice according to conditions such as climate, season and individual response. Nina tends to link the sesame-based option to colder periods and the coconut MCT version to warmer times, while also considering each person’s characteristics.

How to do hair oiling at home

The practice is carried out before washing the hair. The first step is to divide the hair into small sections, making the scalp easier to reach.

Using the dropper, apply a small amount of oil close to the roots. There is no need to spread the product through the lengths or ends.

Next, gently massage the scalp with your fingertips. The oil should then remain in place for at least two hours before washing.

Those who adapt well to the routine can leave the product in overnight and wash their hair the following morning.

For people beginning the routine with Force of Gaya, Nina’s recommendation is to maintain the ritual two to three times a week for around three months. After this period, the practice can be reduced to once weekly.

“The most important thing for me is understanding that oiling is not about using too much oil. It is about consistency. You do not need to soak your entire head of hair. I want the oil close to the scalp, I want a few minutes of massage, and I want this practice to be something that can genuinely fit into a routine. The care that changes a routine is the care we can repeat,” she says.

Between the trend and the tradition

The rise of hair oiling has given the scalp a greater place in conversations about hair care. However, copying the gesture seen in a video is different from understanding the tradition behind similar practices.

In Ayurveda, oiling brings together elements that go beyond the oil itself: there is a choice of plants, a preparation method, a base oil, massage, processing time and regularity.

More than a hair technique, the ritual suggests a shift in focus: looking at the area that is usually hidden and from which the strands emerge.

“For years, I thought my hair had a limit. Then I realised I was trying to care only for what I could see. When I began to look at my scalp, my relationship with hair care changed. The roots stopped being the place where I was afraid to apply oil and became precisely the place where my ritual began,” Nina says.

Hair oiling may have found a new generation of followers through social media. Scalp oiling, however, belongs to a much older tradition. Understanding this context helps explain that, in Ayurveda, it is not only about putting oil in the hair: it is about how, where, with what, and as part of which ritual that care is carried out.