4 Super Cheap Grocery Store Oils That Work Great For Your Hair

So picture this: You have just washed and conditioned your hair and you are set to moisturize and seal. You have just finished applying your favorite leave in to the last section and you are now reaching to seal that goodness in.

But… wait? Wholllleee up, what happen to my last bit of avocado oil*? You then learn that [fill in unfortunate person here] has used the last drop and you didn’t know it. You panic, “Where am I gonna find avocado oil* at this time of night?” 

The health food store is closed and the only thing that is open is the grocery store down the street. Well we can push pause on this scenario, because we have listed four highly effective oils that can be just as good for your hair and can be found at most grocery stores. Check them out!

1. Canola oil

Okay so side story: Besides me, was there anyone else that wonders where exactly canola oil comes from? I mean oils like olive* and sunflower oils are pretty obvious, but canola oil* was a mystery to me until a little while ago. But anyway lets get back to the matter at hand.

What is Canola Oil*?

Canola oil is an oil that is derived from the rapeseed plant which is a type of turnip plant. Canola oil can either be created cold-press style (which is great because a lot of the “goodies” remain in the oil) or through crush and heat extraction, which makes the oil more refined.

This oil also has a high amount of vitamin E* and omega 3 and 6. Side fact: Now, I know you have to be wondering where does the word “canola” come in? Well the “can” represents Canada and “ola” represents oil. This oil was named by the Rapeseed Association of Canada so the Canada part of it makes sense I guess.

What are the benefits of using Canola oil?

► Its good for coating the hair to seal in moisture.

► Reduces frizz.

► Aids in scalp issues such as dandruff.

► Excellent for hot oil treatments.

► Great alternative to olive oil*.

Where can one find Canola oil?

You can find canola oil in any grocery store and stores such as Walmart. If you want cold-pressed canola oil and cannot find it in your regular grocery store, try health food stores like Whole Foods or YES! Organics.

2. Olive oil

Most of us are very familiar with using olive oil* within our hair care routine. Heck, there are even a handful of hair care product lines that are based off olive oil as a key ingredient in their products.

While most of us know the benefits of olive oil for our hair some of us do not know that this wonder oil is actually fairly cheap at most grocery stores or what even is.

What is Olive oil?

Olive oil is oil that is extracted from the olive plant (big whoop there) through cold pressing or through a more refined process which uses heat similar to canola oil*. But the major difference with olive oil compared with other oils is that there are three different levels of processing the olive oil.

You have EVOO or Extra Virgin Olive Oil* which is the finest quality of olive oil made through the cold-press process. Then you have Virgin Olive oil which is made through the cold-press process but is of slightly less quality of EVOO. And then you have plain ol’ olive oil which is extracted through a crush and heat process and other processes that may involve chemicals.

If you are wondering which is best to choose from, I would say if you can get it EVOO would be your best bet. Now, although most say that the benefits are neck to neck, there are more health benefits within EVOO than refined olive oil or virgin olive oil.

What are the hair benefits of Olive Oil?

► Olive oil* protects the keratin in our hair which increases shine and strength.

► It’s great for alleviating dry scalp and dandruff.

► Its great as a hot oil treatment to aid in manageability.

► It penetrates the strands of our hair by 25% with moisture.

► It’s a great oil for sealing in moisture.

3. Sunflower oil

So, sunflower oil has become very popular within the hair care scene. It is touted highly for its ability to sink into the hair strands (great for our fine haired sisters out there) and most importantly for its ability to provide a great amount of ceramides, which act as a binder to the hair strands to keep them in tip top shape and aid in protein and moisture balance.

What is Sunflower oil*?

Sunflower oil is oil that is extracted from the seeds of the sunflower plant. The cold pressed oil is light in color and smell and the refined sunflower oil is more of a darker yellowish color.

It has a high amount of Vitamin E* and lecithin and is rich in Omega 6 and 9. Interesting un-hair related fact: There was a study conducted to show the effects of using sunflower oil on babies.

The results of this was that when sunflower oil* was used on newborn babies skin , it reduced their chances by 41% in catching hospital infections and other infections from outside sources. Cool, huh?

What are the hair benefits of Sunflower oil?

► High in ceramides which provides great protection to our strands.

► Great in increasing shine within the hair shaft.

► A great sealing oil to keep in moisture.

► Great for preventing premature hair loss.

Where can I find Sunflower Oil*?

Now, while most grocery stores have sunflower oil on the shelves these days in some stores it may be hard to find. If you cannot find sunflower oil* in your regular grocery store, it most likely can be found at most health food stores.

4. Grape seed oil

Grape seed oil is oil that has risen to fame recently in the healthy hair care world. It has become the oil of choice for naturals, relaxed ladies, and everyone in between.

Now, for those of us who are new to grape seed oil or interested in buying grape seed oil, you might think that it would cost an arm and a leg. But these days you can pretty much find it anywhere and it’s very reasonably priced. But before we go into that lets learn what grape seed oil is.

What is grape seed oil?

Now, for some reason grape seed oil gets mixed up with rape seed oil (canola oil*). I mean with a simple spelling error they may sound similar but they are totally different oils*.

Grape seed oil is derived from the seeds of the grape plant as a byproduct of winemaking. The extraction method of choice for grape seed oil is through the cold-pressed method. That’s why it is seen as a more of a “high class” oil within the oils family. It is high in fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) .

What are the hair benefits of grape seed oil?

► Is widely used as a natural heat protectant*.

► A very light sealing oil which is a plus for fine strands.

► Possibly can block dht production to decrease hereditary hair loss.

► Reduces dandruff and dermatitis.

Where can I find grape seed oil?

You can usually find grape see oil next to the other “exotic” oils* in your regular grocery store or health food store.

So there you go! Next time you need a nice cheap oil to get that moisture sealed in check these babies out.