Indian hair oil: amla, coconut, almond and herbal blends compared

Indian hair oil is an oil that you massage into the scalp and hair before you wash it, a habit many Indian families keep from childhood. The common types are pure coconut oil, amla hair oil (a base oil with extract of Indian gooseberry), almond oil and herbal blends. In Polish, hair oil is "olejek do włosów" or "olej do włosów", and coconut oil is "olej kokosowy".

The main types of Indian hair oil

Always read the ingredient list on the bottle. Two oils with the same main name can have very different base oils and fragrances.

Coconut oil

Pure coconut oil is the simplest hair oil and the one most South Indian homes use. Parachute coconut oil is the brand many expats know from home, in the blue bottle.

One practical point for Poland: coconut oil turns solid below about 24 °C, so in a Polish flat it is white and hard for most of the year. This is normal. Stand the bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes, or warm a spoonful between your palms.

Amla hair oil

Amla is the Indian gooseberry, a small, sour green fruit. Amla hair oil is a base oil in which amla extract is mixed. Dabur Amla hair oil is the bottle many Indian families know. It has a strong herbal scent that some people like and others find heavy. Dabur also sells other amla variants, such as Amla Gold.

If you want to know more about the fruit itself, read our guide to amla, the Indian gooseberry.

Almond, herbal and scented oils

• Almond hair oil is lighter than coconut oil and does not go solid in the cold. Example: Bajaj Almond Drops hair oil.
• Enriched coconut oils keep coconut as the base and add plant extracts. Examples are Vatika enriched coconut hair oil and Parachute coconut oil with bhringraj and hibiscus.
• Cool oils such as Dabur Amla Gold cooling oil give a fresh, tingling feel. Use a small amount the first time, and keep the oil away from the eyes.
• Jasmine hair oil is mostly about the scent: a light oil with a flower perfume.

How people use hair oil

The Indian habit is simple:

1. Warm a little oil (one or two teaspoons for short hair, more for long hair).
2. Part the hair and rub the oil into the scalp with the fingertips for a few minutes.
3. Smooth what is left on your hands along the lengths and ends.
4. Leave it for an hour, or overnight with an old towel on the pillow.
5. Wash with shampoo. Oily hair may need two washes.

Many people oil their hair once or twice a week, often on the weekend. If your skin is sensitive, try a small amount on the inside of the arm first and read the label for allergens such as fragrance.

Where to buy Indian hair oil in Poland

Little India has a full hair oil category with Dabur, Parachute, Vatika and other Indian brands, and the Dabur brand page shows the whole range. Little India has shops in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk and ships orders online across Poland. Our guide to the Indian shop in Poland lists the shop addresses.