Many of us hoping to grow our hair turn to oils, and one woman has taken to TikTok to reveal the common mistakes you might be making. The user, @vanilla_swirlxx, insists there are “mistakes to avoid” if you’re aiming for “long, healthy hair”.
She claimed that while she doesn’t want to come across as “dramatic,” her technique of “hot oiling” her scalp has “literally transformed” her hair, showcasing a before-and-after image to prove her point. The influencer even mentioned that people have accused her of “lying about having hair extensions” due to the length of her hair. She points out that ineffective hair oiling often comes down to errors such as “using way too much oil,” leaving individuals “dripping in oil.”
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According to her, you should use enough oil enough for your “roots to look oily” without the serum “dripping down your back or over your face”.
She also highlighted another frequent blunder: “The second-most common mistake I see people make is not stimulating their hair follicles. You can definitely do a five-minute scalp massage before you put the oil in”.
While a “five-minute scalp massage before applying the oil” can work wonders, she personally prefers massaging post-application to enhance absorption and promote growth through the movement of the massager. Moreover, she advises on the optimal duration for leaving the oil in, noting that both “not long enough, or way too long” can negatively affect your hair growth journey.
She argued that “the longer you leave it on doesn’t make it more effective,” a myth believed by many. The specialist in promoting hair growth stated she allows the treatment to work on her locks for between two and six hours, though she never exceeds the six-hour limit.
She highlighted another issue could be that people are “not washing the oil out properly”. If your hair after treatment appears “greasy” and feels “weighed down”, this could be the reason, and she advised making sure to cleanse thoroughly, revealing she personally opts for shampooing two or three times post-oiling.
She emphasised the importance of focusing on getting a good “lather in” during the wash to prevent any residue.
Commenters joined the conversation, with one asking: “Does the oil being warm make a huge difference?” and another specifying: “When your hair oil is warm, it allows the oil to penetrate into your hair shaft, which maximizes the benefits of hair oiling, thus providing a more conditioning effect.”
One user commended the technique when applied carefully, stating, “I have been using this for two weeks. I can honestly say my hair fallout has lessened significantly. I thought it would take months, but no. I was surprised how easy it was to wash out.”