Lisa Mattam, founder and CEO of the Ayurvedic magnificence model Sahajan, has been oiling her hair since she was a toddler. The apply is rooted in south Asian tradition, Mattam says, however not simply due to the aesthetic hair advantages.
“There is an element of it that is so familial,” she explains. “Most people have stories of their moms and dads sitting around and oiling their hair on a weekly basis.” For Mattam, it was her father who took on the role of oiling her hair to encourage strong and beautiful locks.
“Hair is considered a reflection of health,” she notes. Further, there’s a perception system in Ayurveda that claims, “The act of anointing oneself with oil from head to toe is the ultimate form of self-expression or love,” she says.
Even the place you begin massaging your scalp holds significance. “When you start at the crown of the head, that’s the crown chakra, which is the area of knowledge and energy,” she explains. The crown chakra can also be the realm that holds warmth, which might result in stress, Mattam explains. (That could clarify why it is so widespread to carry stress in your scalp.)