Sesame oil and its benefits for skin and hair

Commonly addressed as the ‘Queen of Oils’, Sesame oil aka Til ka tel, has had a place in Indian households since ancient times. Being packed with goodness, this nutty flavoured yellow oil is extracted from Sesame seeds. It is also commonly referred in India as the ‘healing oil,’ with multiple health benefits associated with it. Being antibacterial and anti inflammatory in nature, plus being loaded with multiple nutrients and vitamins makes it a great alternative for to chemical laden hair and skin care products, and it’s a key ingredient in many natural remedies.

Listed below are a few ways to use Sesame oil effectively for skin and hair care:

Sesame Oil for Skin Care:

• For anti-ageing: Sesame oil is packed with Vitamin E, which is known for its benefits and use in skin care products. In addition to that, it is rich in antioxidants like sesamol that fight free radicals – one of the things responsible for premature ageing. Apply it onto your skin at night prior to going to bed everyday, to keep wrinkles at bay.  

• For sun protection as a sunscreen: A natural sunscreen, Sesame oil provides 30% resistance from UV rays by forming a protective layer over your skin. So ditch your chemical laden sunscreen for this all-natural oil. Simply apply it topically all over the exposed area, including the face (avoid eyes). Since the oil gets absorbed quite easily, it doesn’t feel too oily, unless you have oily skin.

• For fighting acne: Being anti-bacterial in nature, applying Sesame oil on the face will help in fighting acne. The oil pulls out impurities from the skin and once the face is rinsed, the impurities are too. Apply this at night prior to sleeping and wash off in the morning.

• For deeply moisturised skin: Sesame oil penetrates deep into the skin, thereby keeping it hydrated longer. Plus the essential fatty acids present in it like palmitic, oleic, linoleic, and stearic acid make it an excellent moisturiser. You could apply it on your face before sleeping for fresh glowing skin. If the smell is too strong for you, try adding a couple of drops of lavender oil to it. Lavender oil also helps get better sleep.

• For cracked heels and dry hands and elbows: Being a great moisturiser, it also helps it fix problems of cracked heels and dry elbows. All you need to do is apply some oil on the affected areas prior to sleeping and rinse it off the next morning. Additionally, you could even add a little oil to your bath water for an overall moisturising effect.  

Sesame Oil for Hair Care:

• Dandruff and dry scalp relief: Since Sesame oil is antibacterial and moisturising in nature, it nourishes the scalp deeply and fights bacteria leading to relief from dandruff and other hair/ scalp issues. Gently massage onto scalp with fingertips and leave overnight. It is known to work best for dandruff relief when used regularly for a month.

• Stop premature hair greying: Sesame oil has natural hair darkening quality. Regular application of the oil not only helps in reducing premature greying, but also in helps naturally darken your hair colour.

• Deep hair conditioning and conditioning for chemically treated hair: If you are suffering from the effects of chemical treatment then Sesame oil head massages are for you. Known for its deep conditioning properties, Sesame oil locks in the moisture in the hair. For deep conditioning, just mix a little oil into your conditioner and apply to your hair. Rinse as usual.

• For better hair growth: The oil known for increasing scalp blood circulation, deeply penetrates the scalp and promotes faster hair growth.

• Sun protection: Hair, if constantly exposed to the scorching heat of the sun, can get damaged. Sesame Oil, works as a natural sunscreen for the hair too, and regular application keeps it from damage and breaking.

There are multiple more uses of Sesame oil but we’ve shortlisted the few that we thought were best. If you know of any others and have been using this wonder oil in your daily skin care regime, please do share the details with us. We’d love to hear.