Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Amla oil has been used in India for centuries to help strengthen, smooth and grow the hair. It is a key component of Ayurvedic hair care.
What is Amla Oil?
Amla oil is typically derived from the fruit of the amla tree, called Phyllanthus emblica. It’s also known as Indian gooseberry. Amla can be found in many parts of the world, including India, the Middle East and some parts of Southeast Asia. Amla is an important part of Ayurveda.
Ayurveda is a holistic form of medicine, traditionally practiced in India. It’s thousands of years old, and stresses the health of the mind-body connection. Ayurveda is said to balance the energy forces between body, health and the universe through lifestyle, diet and herbal medicines. You can read more about amla and its hair and health benefits here.
All parts of the amla tree are used in Ayurvedic medicine, including the fruit, seeds, roots, leaves, bark and even flowers. The fruit of the amla tree is what is most often used in making amla oil to strengthen and grow hair.
Reported Hair Benefits of Amla
- Promotes hair growth
- Promotes shiny hair
- Strengthens the hair
- Reduces hair breakage
- Helps with dandruff
- Prevents premature graying
- Darkens and thickens the hair
Here is video from Samantha Pollock using Amla oil to tame and hydrate her thick natural curls:
Amla Oil to Strengthen and Grow Hair
This study reported that amla inhibits (slows down) an enzyme called 5α-reductase. Inhibiting this enzyme can help with hair loss prevention. The male hair loss medicine, finasteride, works by inhibiting this same enzyme! You can purchase amla oil. Or, it you’re the more adventurous type, you can infuse your own amla oil. Let’s talk about both:
1. Purchase Amla Oil
If you decide to purchase amla oil, be careful! Many products sold as amla oil are actually made of many other cheaper oils, additives and fragrances. Sure, they’re cheaper, but if you look at the ingredient list, amla is actually far, far down on the list. That means that there really isn’t much amla in the product at all, and you’re really not getting much of the benefit of amla for your money. Instead, you want to look for a product that has amla oil as the main or only ingredient.
2. Infuse Your Own Amla Oil
If you have a bit more time and want to get more bang for your dollars, I would suggest infusing your own amla oil at home. Here’s a video of how Maicurls infuses her own amla oil to strengthen and grow hair.
If you’re looking to infuse your own amla oil like Maicurls, she uses Hesh amla powder and grapeseed oil. Amla can also be used as part of a hair rinse, often mixed with tea and other herbal ingredients. Ayurvedic tea rinses, done regularly, can reduce inflammation, rebalance the scalp and support healthy hair growth.
featured image credit: Gessye Gee IMG_9697 via photopin (license)
