Geraniums are among my favorite flowers in my garden. They have a lively pink color that spruces up the backyard of any flower lover like me.
So imagine my surprise when I found out that geranium extracts have a wide plethora of benefits for another passion of mine – my hair!
Geranium essential oil isn’t just a weapon for aromatherapy.
It has plenty of benefits for your struggling locks too, like providing your strands with a boost of hydration.
It also adds shine back to dull hair, as well as soothes sensitive and problematic scalps.
It’s not the first essential oil you’ll see on hair care shelves in your local beauty store.
But once you learn more about it, there’s no doubt you’ll pick it up for your beauty regimen.
Here’s everything you have to know about the benefits of geranium oil for hair.
Table of Contents
What Is Geranium Oil, And What Is It Used For?
Geranium oil has been used for centuries, since the time of ancient Egypt.
Back then, it was known as a medicinal oil for many skin conditions, such as acne and hormonal imbalances.
Today, it’s used in the beauty space to give you clearer, more radiant skin and as an aromatherapy oil to lift your mood.
This oil is made by distilling the leaves of the geranium plant, which blooms those beautiful pink and red flowers we know and love.
Because it gives off such an enchanting floral scent, it’s used in many cosmetics and perfumes to liven up any fragrance.
Geranium essential oil contains chemicals like linalool, citronellol, and geraniol.
These may not be common ingredients we beauty enthusiasts are familiar with, but they’re known for their antioxidant and antibacterial properties that are super beneficial to problematic skin.
But geranium oil isn’t helpful only to your skin.
When you use it correctly and in proper methods, your hair can reap multiple benefits from this gorgeous oil.
Benefits Of Geranium Oil For Hair
Although we haven’t heard much about geranium oil in the hair care space, there are many benefits to enjoy when incorporating it into your hair regimen.
Here are eight of its benefits that may surprise you:
Softens And Conditions Your Hair
Like most essential oils and botanical extracts, geranium oil provides light hydration to your hair.
This allows it to soften your hair and condition it to make it silkier and smoother.
One way to reap geranium oil’s conditioning benefits is by adding a few drops of this oil to your shampoo and conditioner during wash day.
This helps not only with moisturizing your hair, but by giving it a natural sheen as well.
Boosts Shine In Your Hair By Hydrating It
Because it hydrates and moisturizes your locks, geranium oil boosts the shine and radiance of your mane.
Since it has astringent properties, it cleanses the hair lightly to break down impurities.
And as we know, healthy, clean hair shows off the nicest luster.
One way to use geranium oil to maximize its luminosity-boosting properties is by combining it with apple cider vinegar.
Both ACV and geranium oil balance the natural pH of your hair and scalp, allowing it to look shinier and feel healthier.
Just combine two teaspoons of ACV, eight drops of geranium oil, and a cup of water in a spray bottle.
Shake all the ingredients together and spray it into your hair, saturating every lock.
Let it settle for about ten minutes before rinsing it out and air-drying your hair.
You should notice a bit more shine afterward.
Balances Out A Dry Scalp With Light Hydration
If you’ve been struggling with a dry scalp that tends to grow inflamed, itchy, and irritated over time, geranium oil can be a huge help.
This oil can help manage excessive dryness by regulating a healthy production of sebum in your scalp.
It also helps if you have a super oily scalp and need to keep it under control.
Geranium oil balances it out the other way, managing an overproduction of sebum so you don’t always feel like a greasy mess by the end of the day.
Do this by massaging the oil gently into your scalp.
Simply dilute geranium essential oil in a light oil of your choice (I recommend argan oil and jojoba oil for daily scalp massages!).
You can rinse it out afterward with shampoo and conditioner or leave it in to maximize the moisture it leaves in your scalp.
Promotes Healthy Hair Growth
Been yearning for thicker, longer hair?
Geranium oil might just do the trick.
Because this oil helps balance your natural sebum and nourishes your scalp properly, it gives the hair follicles the nutrients they need to grow hair properly.
It also fosters the best environment for your roots and follicles when it minimizes excess sebum production.
This prevents your follicles from getting clogged with impurities, allowing for better growth.
Fights Free Radicals That Can Damage Your Hair
Exposing your hair to free radicals floating in the pollution-ridden environment can make your hair age faster.
That means it can become dull, dry, and fragile even when you try to care for it properly.
Luckily, geranium oil is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants, which are known to fight against free radical damage to keep your hair happy and healthy.
These ingredients protect your hair from forces in the elements you don’t see but can bring a lot of harm to your locks, rendering them lifeless.
Prevents Drastic Hair Loss
When your hair doesn’t have enough keratin, its main protein, your hair will be susceptible to hair fall and breakage, causing you to lose more hair.
Geranium oil is rich in amino acids, which are essential in building proteins to keep your hair strong and resilient.
By feeding your hair these amino acids, you double down on hair strength, ensuring you don’t lose more strands than necessary.
Stress is another culprit of hair loss.
Fortunately, geranium oil is also known for its aromatherapy benefit that helps relieve stress and tension, decreasing your chances of facing hair loss in the long run.
Soothes Irritation And Sensitivity On Your Scalp
Geranium oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that kill bacteria, which is why it’s an excellent oil for treating many skin issues that face infection.
For the hair and scalp, this is beneficial when it comes to combating dandruff.
Dandruff can be caused by bacteria and fungi, but with geranium oil’s help, you can be rid of those in a snap.
Its antimicrobial properties zap away any flake-causing bacteria that causes dry scalp, and consequently, dandruff.
Geranium oil is also useful in prepping sensitive scalps for chemical treatments at the salon.
Serums infused with geranium extracts are sometimes used as a pre-treatment to prevent adverse reactions on clients with delicate skin on their scalp.
Leaves A Fresh, Floral Scent In Your Hair
If you’re big on scents, you’ll love this.
Geranium oil can leave its sweet, fresh, floral smell in your hair.
It leaves it smelling pleasant all day without using artificial fragrances.
The geranium aroma also has soothing benefits.
This means it’s perfect if you need a little extra something to help you wind down throughout the day.
Are There Any Side Effects To Using Geranium Oil?
Generally, geranium oil is safe to use for most people when prepared and applied with care.
It may cause a tingling sensation for first-timers applying it topically, but it shouldn’t be too bad as long as you dilute it with a high-quality carrier oil.
But like most essential oils, geranium oil is pretty potent, so you have to be very careful when using it.
Make sure you always avoid your eyes and mouth when using geranium oil.
It can cause burns to sensitive skin, especially when used in copious amounts with no carrier oil.
Always use geranium oil sparingly so as not to put yourself at risk of any burns and harsh reactions.
You can choose any hair-loving carrier oil to dilute your geranium oil in.
Be strategic about your carrier oil so that it addresses your specific hair concerns.
If you’re dealing with avid dryness, use coconut oil or shea butter.
If you want to focus on hair growth, dilute your geranium oil in Jamaican black castor oil.
On the other hand, if your skin is prone to allergies, make sure you do a patch test with this oil before diving deeper into using it.
Test it on a patch of skin by your leg or elbow to see if there are any adverse reactions before applying the oil to your hair and scalp.
Conclusion
Geranium essential oil isn’t exactly a traditional hair care ingredient.
You’ll rarely see it in any of the bestselling hair products in your local beauty retailer.
But with such amazing benefits, you’d be a fool to sleep on this unconventional oil.
The benefits of geranium oil for hair are quite a number.
It’s a great essential oil to incorporate into any hair care routine for many reasons.
You’ll find it helpful for restoring your scalp’s sebum production, as well as adding bounce and shine to your locks.
Moreover, it gives you that light, pleasant floral fragrance you want to mark as your signature scent.
There are loads to gain from using geranium oil in your hair.
Try it today to experience the wonders it can provide your tresses!