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Walnut oil is another oil in the nut oil family alongside sweet almond oil, macadamia nut oil, kukui nut oil and hazelnut oil.
Walnut oil is extracted from English walnuts, which are aka Persian walnuts. Walnut oil producers can be found in the USA, France, Australia and New Zealand.
How Do You make Walnut Oil?
Walnut oil is obtained by cold pressing walnuts. Sometimes, the walnut oil is also expeller pressed and saturated with a solvent to extract as much oil as possible.
While the results of both processes are food grade, the cold pressing preserves more of the nutrients and flavor. The good news is you can use both types of walnut oil for hair treatments.
The video below shows extraction of walnut oil using an artisan cold pressing method in Australia. The result is a rich light brown color:-
Is Walnut Oil Good for Hair?
Walnut oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and oleic acid. It’s a nutrient-rich oil to use on hair for achieving silkiness. It can be used with hazelnut oil for colored hair as well.
Walnut oil is also edible but is an expensive oil so it doesn’t feature prominently in cooking oils. However, it’s an excellent oil to use for salad dressing.
The Benefits of Walnut Oil for Hair
1. Supple Hair
Walnut oil contains a high concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fatty acid that helps promote supple and easier to manage hair.
2. Promotes Hair Growth
Walnut oil is rich in vitamins B1, B2 & B3, vitamin e, zinc, manganese, niacin, potassium and copper, all minerals that can help boost hair growth.
3. Treats Scalp Issues
Walnut oil is beneficial in eliminating dandruff and has anti-fungal properties, which nourishes the scalp and prevents scalp infections.
4. Antioxidant
Walnut oil is one of the best antioxidants and can counter the effects of free radical damaged on the scalp and skin.
I bought walnut oil to include in my healthy oil for cooking series but ended up experimenting with my hair instead and I liked the way my scalp felt afterward. I mixed and matched various oils until I settled on the recipe below.
How to Use Walnut Oil for Hair
Walnut Oil Recipe for Silky Hair & Healthier Scalp
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons of walnut oil
- 5 tablespoons of jojoba oil
- 5 drops of tea tree essential oil
Directions
- Mix all the ingredients together.
- Section your hair and apply the mixture to your scalp until your whole head is covered.
- Massage in circles with firm pressure until your scalp feels heated, cover with a shower cap, then a damp hot towel and leave in for an hour.
- Wash out with diluted mild shampoo and deep condition your hair.
You can use the above recipe once or twice a week. If you’re not fond of walnut oil, appropriate substitutes are olive oil, almond oil, hazelnut oil, hazelnut oil, flaxseed oil and safflower oil.
Is Walnut Oil Good for Hair Growth?
Yes, walnut oil is good for hair growth. It contains essential B vitamins that can help promote hair growth. Use it with other hair growth oils for even better results.
Where to Buy Walnut Oil?
Walnut oil is available cold pressed or refined. While you can use both for hair, the recommendations below are all cold pressed. You can buy them at your local grocery store or online.
Jean LeBlanc French Walnut Oil
La Tourangelle Roasted Walnut Oil
Erbology Organic Cold Pressed Walnut Oil
Eating Walnuts
As with all nut oils, you can add the nut the oil is derived from into your diet to get the benefits. A few handfuls of walnuts every day is more than enough and can help lower bad cholesterol.
However, you get more benefits from consuming walnut oil. Read Healthier Salad Dressings with Walnut Oil.
Sincerely Nuts Walnuts
Fisher Chef’s Naturals Walnut
Did you enjoy the article? For more on how to solve hair issues and doing more to your hair with natural oils, have a look at How to Grow Your Hair Healthy & Long with Natural Oils.
References
I read somewhere that this also helps with colured hair. Is this true?
It may. Remember everyone’s hair is different but what I would recommend for coloured hair is safflower oil or hazelnut oil. Read more here – https://www.naturaloilsforhair.net/2014/08/solve-coloured-hair-problems-with-safflower-oil.html and https://www.naturaloilsforhair.net/2014/09/seal-in-moisture-colour-with-hazelnut-oil.html. HTH.