Sunflower oil for hair: what it is, what it does, how we blend it
Sunflower oil is the plain, dependable base: medium-light, neutral in scent and colour, and one of the three oils in the lab studies on whether oil gets into the hair fibre.
| Role | Base oil |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2 of 4, medium-light |
| Chosen for | Lightweight feel, softness |
| On the label | Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil |
| In our blends | Not in a signature blend yet |
| Builder limit | Up to 85% of a hair blend |
What it is
Pressed from sunflower seeds, the cosmetic grade is usually the linoleic type, about 60 to 70% linoleic acid, or the high-oleic type, which is more stable. Either way it is pale, light-bodied and close to scentless. It is the oil that lab studies on hair fibres used alongside coconut and mineral oil: one 2003 study found it did not penetrate the fibre, a later 2005 study found that it did, so we say it is contested and leave it there.
How it feels on hair
Weight 2 of 4, medium-light. It spreads easily, settles in a few minutes and leaves a soft finish without much shine. It is the base you do not notice, which is sometimes the point.
Who reaches for it
People who want an unscented, uncomplicated carrier for a scalp or length oil; anyone with a nut allergy who needs a base that is not almond, macadamia or marula; a budget-minded first blend.
Where it sits in our blends
No signature blend uses sunflower yet, which makes it one for the builder: start from a blend that is close and swap it in, or build from scratch. Every blend is weighed to the gram and the recipe is printed on the label.
How to compose with it
Sunflower can take up to 85% of a hair blend as a base. It is not in a signature blend; use it where you want the actives and the essential oil to do the talking. Pair with pumpkin seed or black seed for a scalp oil, or with baobab for lengths.
Good to know: Linoleic-type sunflower oxidises faster than oleic oils; keep the bottle out of the sun.
Compose with sunflower Find your formula
Weighed to the gram and blended to order in New Jersey, with the recipe printed on the label. For external use only; patch test before first use. Every oil, with its INCI name, is in the oil library.