Black sesame seeds are some of the tastiest flavor enhancers out there. You might see these tiny seeds most often sprinkled on top of your sushi rolls or brioche burger buns.
But did you know that black sesame seeds are as loved in the beauty world as they are in the culinary world?
These tiny, black seeds are just one of many types of sesame seeds you can get at your local Asian mart, but they’re packed with so many vitamins and minerals that are terrific for almost any hair type.
And with those nutrients come a plethora of benefits for your locks.
They keep your hair naturally dark in color and also soothe a super itchy and inflamed scalp.
In this post, we’ll look at some key benefits of black sesame seeds for hair.
You’ll also get to know how you can use them on your tresses.
Table of Contents
What Are Black Sesame Seeds?
Sesame seeds come from the sesame plant, which is native to Asia but has been growing in popularity across the entire world.
These tiny, oil-rich seeds are small but pack a punch.
They’ve been used for thousands of years for their health and beauty benefits.
These seeds come in many different colors, depending on what type of sesame plant they come from and how they’re prepared.
There are red, white, and even gold sesame seeds.
But today, we’ll talk specifically about one of the classics: black sesame seeds.
Black sesame seeds are rich in B vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, and copper.
They are also a rich source of amino acids, which strengthen the hair and skin.
But the vitamin most associated with black sesame (and sesame oil in general) is vitamin E – the moisturizing, antioxidant vitamin.
So as you can see, there are tons of nutrients packed into such tiny seeds.
This is why many people incorporate black sesame seeds into their diet to help with health conditions like high blood pressure and other heart diseases.
Meanwhile, others make use of black sesame extracts for the skin, since sesame oil is known to be fatty and incredibly nourishing on dehydrated, thirsty skin.
Another reason people love using black sesame on their skin is because of its antioxidants.
These include sesamin and sesamol which help prevent skin aging and wrinkles.
Benefits Of Black Sesame Seeds For Hair
The benefits of black sesame seeds don’t stop at the skin only.
They also work magnificently on hair, addressing many concerns.
Here are some ways they can help:
Nourishes The Hair For Strength And Shine
Sesame seeds are known to have a higher oil content compared to other seeds.
This is why you can get sesame oil (for either cooking or beauty) everywhere nowadays.
All kinds of sesame seeds have tons of omega fatty acids that are ultra-moisturizing, and black sesame seeds are no exception.
They also have vitamins and minerals that are essential to strengthening the hair, like calcium, copper, selenium, amino acids, and magnesium.
Not only do these help strengthen the locks, but they also nourish the scalp.
How To Use The Seeds
Because of all these nutrients, black sesame seeds make for a terrific addition to your DIY hair mask.
Just combine the crushed-up seeds with other hydrating superfoods, like honey, yogurt, or aloe vera, and you can make your own deep conditioner right in the kitchen.
You can also create a leave-in conditioner with it.
Infuse the black sesame seeds with a lightweight oil (like grape seed oil or sweet almond oil) and add a few drops of your fave essential oil.
Use it as a sealant after your usual hair styling routine for immense shine and hydration that lasts all day long.
Delays Graying As You Get Older
Many people experience premature graying in their hair.
This is can be due to either high-stress levels or exposure to oxidative stress, like pollution and the sun’s UV rays.
Fortunately, black sesame seeds can help with that in two ways: prevention and reversal of graying.
Black sesame seeds are chock-full of antioxidants that can fight free radicals in the environment that can cause your hair to age faster.
This delays the onset of gray hairs, which is a huge help if you’re in your mere thirties and have been noticing a few silver strands sticking out. Yikes!
And then we have the reversal of these gray hairs.
Black sesame seeds can promote the production of melanin in your hair, which is the pigment that gives your locks their natural color.
The seeds also have tons of melanin themselves, so they can help color your hair a bit when you need it.
How To Use The Seeds
Just combine equal parts black sesame seeds and hibiscus powder (the ground form of a melanin-rich flower) with coconut oil.
Heat them all up in an iron or steel pan for about 10 minutes.
Let the mixture cool and settle for two days.
Strain the seeds and transfer the oil over to a glass jar.
Three times a week, warm up some of this oil and apply it to your scalp.
Make sure you massage it thoroughly into your hair.
Leave it in your locks overnight and then wash it off the next morning.
Soothes An Irritated Scalp
Black sesame seeds are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe irritated skin.
This is fantastic to apply all over your scalp if you have flare-ups from sensitive skin conditions such as eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
A black sesame seed-infused oil is also a nice way to treat your scalp with a moisturizing treatment when it’s irritated by dryness and itchiness.
Remember, it’s rich in fats and oils, and anything that’s emollient can help soothe irritated sensitive skin.
Its antifungal properties also help prevent issues with dandruff.
Promotes Healthy Hair Growth Over Time
All the fats and minerals found in black sesame seeds – from the omega fatty acids to vitamin B to iron and magnesium – help promote healthy and strong hair growth.
A black sesame seed oil will help stimulate your hair follicles when massaged into the scalp.
And since black sesame seeds moisturize and nourish the hair, it aids in hair growth in another way – by preventing breakage.
When hair is properly hydrated and cared for, you can prevent split ends and damaged strands from snapping off.
That means you can retain your length for a long time, making it easy to achieve the hair length you’ve always wanted.
Healthy, moisturized ends also mean fewer trips to the salon for a trim, so you can keep all that length.
Add Some Amla Fruit
If you want to make your black sesame seed-infused oil even more beneficial for growing strong hair, add some amla fruit into your mixture too.
Amla is known to combat hair thinning and baldness because it has amino acids to help fortify your strands and roots.
To do that, heat up coconut oil, black sesame seeds, and grated amla fruit in a pan for two minutes.
Then, wait for the concoction to cool down.
Pour it into a blender and blend them all together.
Put it over the stove one last time (for one final squeeze of all those nutrients from the black sesame seeds and amla fruit) and then strain everything out.
Use this oil before wash day at least once a week.
Who Can Benefit From Using Black Sesame Seeds?
A lot of people can benefit from the nourishing and protective qualities of black sesame seeds.
It’s perfect for those with dry and damaged hair.
This is because the seeds are known to have a higher oil content than any other seed in proportion to their size.
And since sesame oil is rich in vitamin E, it can help restore thirsty, tired hair.
But black sesame seeds work better for some more than others.
Since the seeds have a black hue, they’re most compatible with women that have black hair, or at least a very deep, dark, rich color.
Those with blonde or light brown hair might want to stay away, though.
When infused or blended into an oil mixture, the black sesame seeds can stain their locks, at least temporarily.
So, if your hair color is light to medium in shade, consider looking into other sesame seeds, like the red, brown, or white ones.
Another group that should stay away from black sesame seed treatments is those allergic to sesame.
If you know you get rashes whenever you eat something with sesame in it, don’t risk using black sesame seeds in your hair.
Sure, it’s topical and not ingested, but you still shouldn’t flirt with the possibility of getting a flare-up or severe swelling.
Conclusion
Black sesame seeds may look like just another fancy food ingredient to use as a finishing touch for your dishes.
But as you might have learned today, they can make a huge impact on your overall hair and scalp health as well.
Black sesame seeds are incredibly useful for your tresses.
You can extract the oil out of these toasted little seeds.
You can also put them in a blender together with other superfoods to make the perfect hair mask.
They’re packed with fats and vitamins that strengthen the hair and keep aging at bay
Other benefits of black sesame seeds for hair include eliminating scalp issues, and helping to grow smooth locks faster.
That’s so many benefits in just one ingredient!
Get on the black sesame seed craze before everyone else does.
Try it out on your hair next time you feel like a DIY treatment and experience all its wondrous benefits!