Nagaraj — Scalp & Hair Oil
About the 8 Carefully Selected Oils
We've uniquely refined a traditional formula inherited from an Ayurvedic doctor in India.
The deeper you look, the more profound the story of these carefully selected oils becomes.
01What are Ayurvedic Oils?
It gets more interesting when you understand how it works
When you hear "Ayurvedic hair oil," it's easy to just think "it sounds good" and leave it at that. However, there's a clear rationale behind it, built up over thousands of years. Once you understand that, the oil in your hand will look different.
02The Role of This Oil from an Ayurvedic Perspective
Ayurveda views the human body as a balance of three functional energies: "Vata (air)," "Pitta (fire)," and "Kapha (water)."
| Function | If it increases too much | |
|---|---|---|
| Vata (Air) | Movement, dryness | Dryness, frizz, restlessness |
| Pitta (Fire) | Heat, transformation | Hot flashes, warm scalp |
| Kapha (Water) | Heaviness, moisture | Sluggishness, stickiness |
Concerns related to hair and scalp are often primarily about Vata and Pitta. Dry and frizzy hair, a tight scalp — this is a state where Vata has increased. A warm scalp — this has been considered a state where Pitta has increased.
This formula is designed to address both.
- Oils with warming properties to calm VataSesame oil, castor oil. They address dryness and replenish moisture. Traditionally, the relaxing effect of oil on the mind has also been attributed to the calming of Vata.
- Oils with cooling properties to calm PittaCoconut oil, hibiscus seed oil, sandalwood. They alleviate trapped heat and maintain a healthy scalp.
- Amla is added to thisA fruit called "Rasayana" (that which maintains youthfulness) in Ayurveda, and it has been central to hair formulations.
Warming oils and cooling oils. The design of this formulation is to include seemingly contradictory elements simultaneously. It can address both dryness and trapped heat.
03Detailed Information on Blended Oils
"Effect on Dosha" column for each oil ── ↓ = calms (reduces) that dosha / ↑ = increases that dosha / ↓↓ = strongly calms
Coconut Oil
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
- Sanskrit Name
- Narikela
- Properties
- Cooling / heavy and smooth
- Effect on Dosha
- Vata (Air) ↓Pitta (Fire) ↓↓Kapha (Water) ↑
- Function
- Calms trapped heat in the head and moisturizes
- Main Fatty Acids
- Medium-chain fatty acids, primarily lauric acid
- Role in this formula
- Highest concentration. Forms the base of the overall texture
In South Indian households, coconut oil was the go-to for hair care. Used almost daily in hot climates, Ayurveda classifies it as an oil with cooling properties that calms heat. It's an oil that addresses states where Pitta has increased, such as when the scalp feels warm.
Its characteristic as an ingredient is that it's rich in "medium-chain fatty acids," mainly lauric acid. Because its molecules are relatively small and straight, cosmetic science research has also reported its property of being easily compatible with keratin, the main component of hair. Among many plant oils, it is an oil that has been particularly noted for its compatibility with hair.
In this formula, it has the highest concentration and forms the base of the overall texture. Its role is to carry the subsequent oils to the hair and scalp without leaving a heavy residue.
Sesame Oil
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil
- Sanskrit Name
- Tila
- Properties
- Warming / heavy and deeply penetrating
- Effect on Dosha
- Vata (Air) ↓↓Pitta (Fire) ↑Kapha (Water) ↑
- Function
- Soothes dryness and coldness, promotes calm. Base of traditional oil formulations
- Main Fatty Acids
- Oleic acid, linoleic acid / Antioxidants like sesamin
- Role in this formula
- A base alongside coconut oil. Provides a moisturizing and calming sensation
Sesame oil has long been the first choice for "Abhyanga," the Ayurvedic oil massage. Considered to have warming properties, it has been used for thousands of years as a base to calm conditions prone to dryness and coldness — Vata. This is why this oil has continuously been chosen for Abhyanga.
Sesame oil is also often the base for traditional hair oils made by infusing herbs. This means that sesame oil is, in a sense, the starting point of Ayurvedic oil formulations themselves.
As an ingredient, it contains a balanced amount of oleic acid and linoleic acid, and is also known to contain unique sesame antioxidants like sesamin. Its relatively high resistance to oxidation compared to other vegetable oils is due to this composition. This is also an important property for this preservative-free formulation.
Hibiscus Seed Oil
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil
- Sanskrit Name
- Japa (name of the flower)
- Properties
- Cooling / light and smooth
- Effect on Dosha
- Vata (Air) —Pitta (Fire) ↓Kapha (Water) ↓
- Function
- Soothes hot flashes, leaves no heaviness
- Main Fatty Acids
- Unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and linoleic acid
- Role in this formula
- Lightest of the base oils, adjusts the overall heaviness of the formulation
The hibiscus, with its vibrant red flowers, is called "Japa" in India and is a sacred flower offered in temples. It has also been a beloved plant for hair care. Traditionally, its flowers and leaves were crushed into a paste or steeped in oil. It is considered a plant with cooling properties and has been chosen for formulations during seasons when hot flashes and dryness are concerns.
This formula uses oil pressed from the seeds, not the flowers. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and linoleic acid, and has a light, smooth texture.
It was the first oil chosen when Nagaraj was developing the formula.
Amla Oil
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
- Sanskrit Name
- Amalaki
- Properties
- Cooling, yet said to turn sweet after digestion
- Effect on Dosha
-
Vata (Air) ↓Pitta (Fire) ↓↓Kapha (Water) ↓A rare ingredient that balances all three
- Function
- Rasayana (that which maintains youthfulness). Has been central to hair formulations
- Main Components
- Vitamin C, polyphenols, tannins
- Role in this formula
- The core of the formula. A central Ayurvedic ingredient
Amla is a prime example of an ingredient called "Rasayana" — that which maintains youthfulness — in Ayurveda.
It is also an ingredient that repeatedly appears in Ayurvedic formulations. Especially in hair care, the name Amla is commonplace in both traditional hair oils and treatments. It can be said that no other ingredient has been as highly regarded for hair. The sight of Amla oil being applied to hair in Indian households is still a part of daily life. A traditional hair oil without Amla is unthinkable.
What makes Amla special is that it is a rare ingredient said to balance all three doshas (energies). While many ingredients calm one while increasing another, Amla has been believed to have no such imbalance.
As an ingredient, Amla is known for containing exceptionally high levels of Vitamin C among fruits, and as a fruit rich in polyphenols and tannins, it has been studied extensively in both food and cosmetic fields for a long time.
Castor Oil
Castor Oil / Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
- Sanskrit Name
- Eranda
- Properties
- Warming / heavy, viscous, and sticky
- Effect on Dosha
- Vata (Air) ↓↓Pitta (Fire) ↑Kapha (Water) ↓
- Function
- Relieves dryness and stiffness. Ranked first among "Vata medicines" in classical texts
- Main Fatty Acids
- Ricinoleic acid (approximately 90% of total)
- Role in this formula
- Determines the shine and manageability of the finish
Castor oil is a thick, viscous oil obtained from the seeds of the castor bean plant. In India, it is called "Eranda" and has repeatedly appeared in classical oil formulations. It is categorized as an oil with warming properties, combining heaviness and stickiness, and has a history of being used in formulations for dry and stiff areas.
Its most significant ingredient feature is that ricinoleic acid accounts for nearly 90% of its composition. This is an extremely rare composition among plant oils, and it creates the unique stickiness of castor oil and the smooth, deep luster that remains after drying. When seeking "shine" in hair oil, there is little that can replace castor oil.
This oil plays a role in enhancing hair's shine and leading to a manageable texture. It has been blended in an adjusted amount to achieve a user-friendly texture and effective results.
Sandalwood
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil
- Sanskrit Name
- Chandana
- Properties
- Cooling / light, clear
- Effect on Dosha
- Vata (Air) ↑Pitta (Fire) ↓↓Kapha (Water) ↓
- Function
- Calms heated excitement. A scent that soothes both mind and head
- Main Fragrance Component
- Santalol
- Role in this formula
- The core of the fragrance. Emerges more over time
In Sanskrit, "Chandana." In India, sandalwood is a sacred wood that has been burned in temples and placed in meditation spaces. In Ayurveda, it is considered to have cooling properties and has been cherished as an ingredient to calm an easily agitated Pitta.
Its scent is a deep, long-lasting woody note with sweetness and a subtle, milky roundness. It emerges more over time, forming the core of this oil's fragrance.
Eucalyptus
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
- Indian Name
- Nilgiri (a later name)
- Properties
- Warming / light, clear refreshing sensation
- Effect on Dosha
- Vata (Air) ↑Pitta (Fire) ↑Kapha (Water) ↓↓
- Function
- Clears away heaviness and dampness, opens up blockages
- Sanskrit Name
- None (a plant not mentioned in classical Ayurveda)
- Properties
- Slightly cooling / mild
Lavender
Cosmetic Ingredient Name: Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil