Burdock oil is excellent for treating issues such as hair thinning, itchy scalp, dandruff, and scalp irritation.
If you’re on the lookout for a product to promote scalp health, burdock oil is one of my top recommendations in the Healthy Hair Care Series.
This article will break down all the relevant information about burdock oil, burdock oil uses, and how to use it for healthy hair growth.
What is Burdock Oil?
Burdock oil is aka burdock root oil and bur oil. They are all the same thing.
Burdock oil is derived from the roots of the burdock plant, which is native to Europe and Asia but grows widely in different regions around the world.
Burdock oil is made by infusing burdock roots and leaves with a high-quality carrier oil like olive oil.
Burdock Oil Uses
Traditionally, burdock root was used by Native Americans to make candy while in Chinese medicine, it was used to treat many ailments.
In herbal medicine, burdock root is used as a diuretic, to treat diabetes and purify the blood.
In cooking, burdock root is eaten as a vegetable in East Asia. It’s usually pickled and eaten as a salad.
Parts of the burdock root can also be eaten raw.
In the UK, dandelion and burdock is a carbonated soft drink known as Fentiman’s Dandelion & Burdock beverage.
In modern times, burdock oil is used to treat scalp conditions that prevent healthy and strong hair growth.
Interesting fact, in the 1940s, George de Mestral studied the mechanism behind burdock seeds attaching to clothes while walking through it.
He used that knowledge as inspiration to invent the hook and loop fastener which became known as velcro.
Is Burdock Oil Good for Hair Growth?
Burdock oil is one of the hair growth oils recommended in The Ultimate Hair Growth Guide.
It is also one of the key ingredients in the upcoming hair growth oil in the Ade Ori Hair Care collection.
Burdock oil is very good for hair growth and reversing thinning hair.
Burdock oil contains a good amount of amino acids; the building blocks for protein in hair.
Some other beneficial components in burdock root include vitamin A, inulin, mucilage, and tannins.
In addition to hair growth, burdock oil nourishes the scalp, relieves scalp irritation, and alleviates scalp issues like itching and dandruff.
How To Use Burdock Root on Hair
You can use it in various ways but the best application for burdock root is as a scalp massage oil.
You can use burdock oil on its own or in combination with other hair growth oils.
What Part of Burdock Do You Eat?
All parts of the burdock plant are eaten in Asia where it is prepared in different ways.
Burdock is rich in dietary fiber, amino acids, calcium, and potassium plus it’s low in calories.
Burdock root can be eaten as a root vegetable and is the star in the Japanese dish, kinpira gobō.
It is also used in makizushi, sushi filled with pickled burdock root.
How Do You Make Burdock Oil?
Burdock oil can be made with dried burdock roots or fresh burdock roots. I shared detailed recipes for both in How To Make Your Own Burdock Oil.
What Are the Side Effects of Burdock Oil?
The topical application of burdock oil to hair and skin has no known side effects. Ideally, I would recommend diluting with other suitable oils.
If you are allergic to flowers like ragweed, daisies, marigolds, etc, you may want to avoid burdock oil in favor of something else.
Burdock Oil Substitutes
If you don’t like burdock oil, you can replace it with pumpkin seed oil, emu oil, and castor oil.
For more on treating scalp issues with natural oils, check out The Ultimate Hair Growth Guide; one of the bestselling resources from Ade Ori Hair Care.
Burdock Oil for Hair Growth
Below are my top recommendations for authentic burdock oil if you’re not keen on making it.
Aromatika Burdock Root Oil
Dr. Adorable Organic Burdock Root Oil
Burdock Oil Hair Products
Burdock oil is very popular in hair growth and hair styling products. Below are some of my favorites:-
- Christophe Robin Aloe Vera Hydrating Melting Hair Mask
- Aveda Scalp Benefits Balancing Conditioner
- Flora and Curl Sweet Hibiscus Curl Defining Gel
- Mielle Rosemary Mint Growth Oil
- Philip B – Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo
- Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream
- PhytoDetox Purifying Mask Pre-Shampoo
- The Mane Choice Heavenly Halo Herbal Hair Tonic and Soy Milk Deep Hydration Softening Milk
- Tabitha James Kraan Clean Conditioner Golden Citrus Conditioner
Abi is a curly hair expert, researcher, product tester, and author of the highly-rated Healthy Hair Care Series. She is also the founder of Ade Ori Hair Care, Healthy Natural Hair Products, and Natural Oils for Hair & Beauty. HNHP has strict editorial standards and ensures all the information on Healthy Natural Hair Products is the best for natural hair care. Learn more about our Editorial Policies
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