Red Palm Oil

February 1, 2011 Hair Garden
Tags: palm oil, palm oil benefits, palm oil black hair, palm oil hair, palm oil hair benefits, palm oil hair recipe, palm oil hair uses, palm oil natural hair, palm oil natural hair benefits, red palm oil

I want to share some information about an oil I have added to my hair, scalp, and skin favorites! I always see palm oil or palm kernal oil in many natural hair ingredients when I read the labels, but never thought much of it. My mom used to cook with red palm oil all the time when I was growing up. I knew it gave food a great aroma and taste and a distict color, but I was not aware of all of its internal and extral benefits for our bodies. I came across it one day while searching for coconut oil at the Oriental grocery store and decided to bring a bottle home to experiment with. 

Palm oil is rich in beta-carontene which is a great antioxidant. It has a higher content of beta-carotene than carrots and tomatoes. It’s high in vitamins A and E, so it helps repair damaged skin. It is effective in treating eczema, psoriasis, scars, and stretch marks. It is used in a lot of a products geared towards renewing and moisturizing skin.

This oil also has several amazing benefits for hair! It softens, improves elasticity, and adds shine. Red palm oil also has antibacterial properties which aids in providing a healthy growing environment for your scalp and hair follicles.

Unlike some oils, red palm oil does not lose its nutrients when it is heated. It is a very heavy, thick oil and solidifies at room temperature like coconut oil. Due to the intense nature of the oil, it is great for a pre-poo (pre-shampoo) treatment and even a hot oil treatment. I have added this ingredient to my Avocado Deep Conditioner (pre-poo)

I did a pre-poo treatment with the red palm oil. I used:

• 1/4 cup red palm oil
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• a few drops of lavender oil

I melted the red palm and coconut oil before I started. I filled the sink with hot water from the faucet and let it sit for about 5 minutes and enough melted for my mixture. I poured in the red palm oil then followed with the coconut oil. I had a hard time with that coconut milk- I was drinking more than I was pouring! LOL! I then added stirred in the coconut oil and added about 6 drops of lavender oil.

I warmed the mix up in the microwave for about 30 seconds and then applied it to my hair in sections. I covered with a plastic shower cap and left it on for about 4 hours. I followed with my cleansing shampoo. I shampooed twice and followed with Giovanni Hair Reconstructor. After rinsing, I applied coconut oil to my soaking wet hair and then towel blotted it. I used a little Giovanni Direct Leave-In and then sealed my ends with shealoe and banded it to dry overnight. The next day, my ’fro was soft and bouncy, I had a lot of movement. My scalp and hair were both moisturized and  I didn’t have much styling difficulty the days after, finger styling was  much easier.

If you have tightly curled/coiled hair or hair that is very dry, then I would recommend  red palm oil as a pre-shampoo or hot oil treatment! I hope you found something helpful in my entry. Please feel free to share any of your experiences with palm oil. Thank you for reading!

*Note: I also use palm oil daily for my skin and I love it. The smell was to strong for me to use it alone so I did a half and half blend with coconut oil in an 8oz container. I added about 8 drops of lavender essential oil and about 6 drops of orange oil. This disguises the smell very well and leaves you with a nice light and sweet smell. Other varieties of essential oils can be used to alter the smell. I enjoy long lasting moisture now that I have added this oil to my skin regimen. I use it all over my body including my face.

Entry Filed under: Hair Care,Natural Hair,Products

4 Comments Add your own

• 1. eva  |  February 5, 2011 at 7:43 AM

  wow! for some reason i never thought palm oil was edible.This is great info!

  Reply

  • 2. Hair Garden  |  February 6, 2011 at 12:00 AM

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you find more interestin info on here!

    Reply

• 3. muyee  |  July 29, 2011 at 2:21 PM

  I find it hard to belive! I know palm oil is rich in vits, can it b washed out completly?

  Reply

  • 4. Hair Garden  |  August 7, 2011 at 10:53 PM

    Yes it can. I use it all the time!

    Reply

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