How Sweet Almond Oil Really Affects Your Hair

When it comes to healthy hair, there are limitless products on the market touting benefits like repair, recovery, replenishment, growth, and shine. From drugstore buys to specialty salon products, there is no shortage of hair care in a bottle. 

The buzz-worthy benefits of using oils for healthier hair have been trending for quite some time now, and there are many different oils on the market. You may have tried argan oil, Moroccan oil, or perhaps you've even combed olive oil through your tresses in hopes of moisturizing and locking in a healthy shine.

Jasmine Merinsky, a Toronto-based hairstylist, explains to HuffPost that adding oils to your hair is a means of supplementing for oils we make naturally but may be lacking. Those who either have chemically treated or processed hair or use relaxers can especially benefit from using oil, as can people with curly hair. Los Angeles-based celebrity stylist Bobby Eliot tells HuffPost that hair with a curl "is naturally drier so an oil coats the hair and absorbs for a smoother cuticle."

Almond oil, which you may have used for cooking, happens to be a great choice for your hair.

Sweet almond oil comes specifically from almonds grown to have a sweeter flavor, and while tasty, these nuts are also packed with nutrients like vitamin E, fatty acids, proteins, and antioxidants (via La Tourangelle). Adding some sweet almond oil to your diet can benefit your hair in terms of growth and hair loss, especially if you are mineral deficient, as the oil contains magnesium which helps hair grow. 

The oil can also be applied directly to the hair, as it has been shown to be beneficial for dry, damaged hair because the oil is an emollient, which fills hair gaps at the cellular level (per Healthline). Using sweet almond oil on your hair can not only soften it but also make it easier to style and detangle over time. La Tourangelle suggests combing the oil through washed and towel-dried hair, as it can help restore moisture and protect hair from further damage. 

Healthline reports that sweet almond oil can also help reduce the symptoms of certain dry scalp conditions. In fact, this method has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Simply apply a small amount to the scalp and massage it in to begin reaping sweet almond oil's many benefits.