Macadamia Nut Oil for Hair

Macadamia oil can strengthen hair

Macadamia oil penetrates hair more efficiently than some other oils, like mineral oil. Mineral oil can build up on your scalp. Over time, it can make your hair feel heavier and look duller.

But vegetable and fruit oils (for example, coconut oil) have been found to penetrate the hair follicles more effectively. Macadamia oil shares this property.

When macadamia oil binds to the hair shaft and infuses it with fatty acids, your hair follicles may be left stronger and healthier. Macadamia oil also contains antioxidants, which help hair to recover from environmental exposure to things like pollutants in the air.

Macadamia oil can smooth hair
The emollient qualities of macadamia oil can help smooth hair, giving it a shinier appearance. Anecdotally, hair that’s treated daily with macadamia oil may hold its sheen and become glossier over time.

Macadamia oil can make curly hair more manageable
Macadamia oil is especially popular for curly hair. Curly hair types can be especially vulnerable to damage from the environment. Curly hair that’s dried out and damaged is very hard to style and can break easily.

But macadamia oil helps restore moisture to the hair shaft, locks it in, and adds natural protein to the hair. Curly hair that’s properly moisturized is easier to untangle and style.

Are there any risks?
Macadamia oil is a safe ingredient for almost everyone to use on their hair.

If you’re allergic to tree nuts, it’s possible that you’ll have an allergic reaction to macadamia oil. However, the oil contains less of the tree nut proteins that trigger a reaction, so there’s also a chance that you won’t react to it.

Otherwise, using macadamia oil for long-term hair treatment shouldn’t cause problems with your hair or scalp.

If you have a history of allergies or are concerned about an allergic reaction to macadamia oil, do a patch test of the oil on your skin before trying a full application. Put a small amount on a dime-sized spot on the inside of your arm. If there’s no reaction in 24 hours, it should be safe to use.

If you do develop allergy symptoms, discontinue use.

Using macadamia oil as a treatment
You can use macadamia oil on your hair using several methods. You might want to start by trying pure macadamia oil on your hair to add shine after blow-drying or straightening it.

It’s not a good idea to apply macadamia oil to your hair before heat styling because the oil may damage your hair if it’s heated above a certain temperature.

Take a dime-sized dollop of virgin, cold-pressed macadamia oil. Rub it between your palms and then smooth it throughout your hair. Pay careful attention to getting the oil to the ends of your hair to help repair split ends and damage.

Pure macadamia oil can be purchased in a small amount specifically for this purpose. Shop for these products here.

You can also purchase or make your own deep-conditioning hair mask using macadamia oil.

Mix macadamia oil with a fresh avocado and let it sit on your hair for 15 minutes. Then rinse your hair well. This may thoroughly moisturize your hair while restoring essential proteins.

If you’d rather buy something than make your own, shop online for hair masks now. Shampoos and conditioners that contain macadamia are also easy to purchase online.

Does it work?
Macadamia nut oil should make hair look shinier and stronger within one application. If you continue use, the consistency of your hair may change to be healthier and easier to maintain.

For curly hair and natural hair types, macadamia oil may be an especially valuable tool to combat frizz and flyaways. But we don’t have solid clinical evidence to understand the mechanism that makes macadamia oil work.


Macadamia oil vs. other oils
Macadamia oil contains high concentrations of palmitoleic acid. This makes it unique in comparison to the other tree nut and plant oils, many of which are richer in linoleic acid.

Macadamia oil is much more expensive to purchase and use than coconut oil, avocado oil, and Moroccan oil. While it promises similar results, we have less research to tell us how macadamia oil influences hair strength and health.

Compared to other popular hair oil treatments, macadamia oil is one of the lesser studied plant oils. It would appear, though, that macadamia oil is one of the more efficient treatments for curly or natural types of hair.