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Nov 06, 2024

Benefits of prickly pear oil for hair and best products | CNN Underscored

Hair oil: Dae Prickly Pear Hair Oil Hair serum: Christophe Robin Regenerating Serum With Prickly Pear Seed Oil Pure prickly pear oil: Leven Rose Prickly Pear Seed Oil Hair mask: The Mane Choice

Hair oil: Dae Prickly Pear Hair Oil

Hair serum: Christophe Robin Regenerating Serum With Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Pure prickly pear oil: Leven Rose Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Hair mask: The Mane Choice Prickly Pear Paradise Apply to Dry Overnight Mask

Prickly pear oil has been gaining attention for its extensive skin care benefits, but if you’re only applying it to your face, you’re holding yourself back from attaining the best hair of your life.

Yep, prickly pear oil is somewhat of an overachieving ingredient that can enhance your skin and hair.

While it still flies relatively under the radar in the hair care space, prickly pear oil is quickly becoming hairstylists’ go-to ingredient for bringing dry, damaged and brittle hair back to life. Plus, it’s one of the few oils that all hair types can confidently use. What is it about this magic oil that makes it so great? Below we uncover where prickly pear oil comes from, how it can enhance your hair and the best nourishing treatments that will help restore your strands and scalp seemingly overnight.

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“Prickly pear oil, also known as cactus oil or prickly pear seed oil, is an oil extracted from the seeds of the prickly pear cactus, specifically the Opuntia ficus-indica species,” Gigi Pogosyan, master hairstylist and owner of Balayage by Gigi in West Hollywood, says. “This cactus is native to Mexico and other parts of the Americas, but it is also grown in various regions around the world.”

While you probably associate cacti with dry, arid conditions, the oil derived from the plant floods hair with moisture and can revive parched strands. “Prickly pear oil is filled with essential nutrients, making it a great choice for enhancing hair health,” Joey Scandizzo, celebrity hairstylist and Eleven Australia co-creative director, says. “It basically helps to hydrate, strengthen and promote overall vitality.”

Could prickly pear oil be a realistic desert island beauty item? According to Gina Rivera, professional hairstylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, it definitely fits the bill, considering its far-reaching benefits. “Because it’s packed with vitamin E and fatty acids, plus Omega 6 and 9, it’s very good for your scalp, hair and skin,” she says. When it comes to hair, the ingredient “conditions and strengthens, leaving strands soft and shiny.” As for the scalp, she adds that prickly pear oil is also known to be anti-inflammatory, “which can help when it comes to an itchy, dry scalp.”

Scandizzo tacks on to this, saying that this catchall oil can “boost blood flow in the scalp, which might help prevent hair loss and encourage growth, giving you stronger and healthier hair overall.”

No need to skip out on this oil if you have oily hair either. With its lightweight texture and oil-balancing abilities, this is one of those rare hair oils that can help rebalance the scalp and minimize dandruff. In short, there’s not much this super oil can’t do.

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Whether you’re looking for a serious moisture boost, you need a scalp refresh or you want to simplify your hair care routine, prickly pear oil could be the solution to your hair woes. Below, find our favorite prickly pear oil-infused hair products that will get you one step closer to the mane of your dreams.

Looking to simplify your hair care routine? Dae’s multitasking treatment oil works as a deep reparative treatment on brittle, damaged hair; an instant moisture booster/detangler on freshly washed hair; and a quick-flyaway tamer for dry, styled strands. One pump is all you need to reap the benefits. It may be tempting to go overboard because of the uplifting fruity scent, but trust us, less is more when it comes to oil.

While marketed as a skin care oil, Pogosyan says this multipurpose formula can also be used to revive your hair. “This oil is known for its high quality and purity,” she says. “It’s cold-pressed and rich in antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins, making it an excellent choice for both skin care and hair care.”

Prickly pear seed oil is intensely reparative on its own, but in this serum it’s supercharged with tucuma butter and castor oil (another super hair ingredient) to strengthen, nourish, enhance shine, minimize split ends and protect against heat damage for luscious, healthy hair. Smooth a pea-sized dollop from mid-lengths to ends before blow-drying to experience the silkiest blowout.

When’s the last time you gave your scalp a little TLC? The pipette dropper on this 100% pure prickly pear seed oil makes it easy to dispense directly onto your scalp for a simple, rejuvenating treatment that stimulates the delicate skin and increases blood flow to the area.

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To get longer, thicker hair, you need to focus on the root — literally. A healthy scalp is the key to cascading hair, and this oil ensures your scalp is functioning to the best of its ability. A mix of prickly pear oil, basil root extract and alpine rose extract soothes and moisturizes the skin, creating the optimal environment for your hair to grow and thrive.

Some people stray away from using hair masks because of how time-consuming they are. However, this one requires minimal effort since it’s meant to be applied to dry rather than damp hair. This mask dramatically softens and strengthens hair overnight courtesy of — you guessed it — prickly pear oil. Just run the rich formula through dry strands, cover with a cap and catch some zzz’s. In the morning, rinse it out and feel how silky, plush and healthy your hair is.

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The following FAQs have been answered by professional hairstylists Gigi Pogosyan and Joey Scandizzo.

While many people think that your hair texture dictates how much and how often you can use hair oil, Scandizzo says that when it comes to prickly pear oil, it’s more important to pay attention to how dry your hair is. Those with dry, heat-damaged hair will benefit from more frequent usage, up to two to three times a week, he says.

If you’re not dealing with excessive dryness, Pogosyan recommends those with fine, straight or wavy hair to smooth it in mid-lengths to ends one to two times a week. Because curly and coily hair types are more prone to drying out, she says that applying it to damp or dry hair two times a week can keep curls hydrated and tamp down frizz.

For those looking to use prickly pear oil as a scalp treatment, Scandizzo suggests adding it to your wash day routine once a week. “Apply a few drops directly to your scalp, leave it on for about one to two hours and then wash it out.”

Technically yes, though Pogosyan mentions that while prickly pear oil is a type of cactus oil, not all cactus oil is prickly pear oil. Prickly pear seed oil, in particular, is cold-pressed from the seeds of the cactus fruit and is richer in nutrients than other types of cactus oil. So, if you’re looking for major hair nourishment, always opt for prickly pear seed oil.

Much like most naturally derived hair care products, prickly pear oil can go bad after about two years. Scandizzo says you can extend its life if you store it in a cool, dark, dry place away from light and heat. “Some people [suggest] refrigerating it after opening can make it last longer, but it’s always a good idea to use it by the expiration date indicated on the label.”

For this article, we consulted the following experts to gain their professional insights:

CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when it makes sense to ensure we are testing each product accurately and speaking about pros and cons of each item. For this article, we spoke to a number of professional hairstylists to learn as much about the hair benefits of prickly pear oil as possible.

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