Cardamom seed (Elettaria cardamomum“> oil is steam distilled from the dried cardamom seeds after a long drying process. The three-month drying process is essential to get the best levels of chemical constituents possible. Although sourced from several places around the globe, Guatemala is widely known to have the optimal growing climate to produce the most potency of oils from the cardamom seeds. This spicy, fruity, warm, and balsamic essential oil has sabinene, limonene, terpenene, eugenol, cineol, nerol, geraniol, linalool, nerodilol, heptenone, borneol, alpha terpineol, beta terpineol, terpinyl acetate, alpha pinene, myrcene, cymene, neryl acetate, methyl heptenone, linalyl acetate, and heptacosane as its chemical composition.
Benefits of cardamom seed oil
The seeds contain a variety of important minerals like calcium, sulfur, and phosphorus, making this a valuable oil. Apart of its culinary uses, it is extensively used as a mouth freshener, but there are additional benefits. It is antispasmodic, making it is highly effective in curing muscular and respirator spasms. It is antimicrobial and antiseptic make it great for scalp care. This oil not only stimulates the digestive tract, but it stimulates the entire system. Cardamom essential oil keeps the stomach healthy and functioning properly by maintaining proper secretion of gastric juices, acids, and bile.
Cardamom essential oil for your hair and scalp
It is a wonderful oil for treating scalp infections because of its disinfecting nature, which is great if you exercise regularly. It is great for treating dandruff because its main properties are cleansing. It is an antioxidant and antiseptic, so dandruff and other scalp disorders do not stand a chance against it, but it does more than just clean. The stimulating components boost up the immune system and help generate red blood corpuscles, which initiates the cellular energy metabolism. Besides aiding in cardiovascular health, it pumps its own rich nutrients to the scalp and contributes to healthy scalp and hair. Great for maintaining healthy hair and scalp.
How to use cardamom oil
If you are interested in hair lightening with natural ingredients, then cardamom oil is the essential oil for you. When used in conjunction with honey and distilled water or with EVOO and cinnamon, it will lighten the hair due to its peroxide value. A fun oil to add to other concoctions, it blends well with bergamot, cedarwood, cinnamon, clove, orange, rose, and ylang ylang essential oils. Whether you are wanting to lighten your hair or just cleanse your scalp to perfection, here are a couple DIY recipes that utilize the benefits of cardamom essential oil.
Natural hair lightener
Recipe via DIY in Crafts
- 2 cups of distilled vinegar
- 1 cup of raw uncooked honey
- 1 tbsp. of EVOO
- 1 tbsp. ground cardamom
Mix ingredients and apply to damp hair. Cover hair in plastic wrap and place a plastic shower cap on to secure the wrap in place. Then, wrap a towel around your head. Leave the mixture in overnight and then wash out in the morning.
Conditioning beard oil
Recipe via Sustainable Baby Steps
- 15 ml argan oil
- 15 ml jojoba oil
- 4 drops of cardamom essential oil
- 7 drops of sandalwood essential oil
- 4 drops of grapefruit essential oil
- 3 drops bergamot essential oil
Mix well and apply to beard to soften and condition. Here are a few products for the non-DIY curlies wanting to give cardamom essential oil a go at it.
Products with cardamom
If DIY is not your forte, you can find cardamom as an ingredient in hair and body products like these:
- Tangerine Cardamom Dry Shampoo
- AIVITA Men’s Care Hair & Body Wash
- Skinnyskinny Organic Grapefruit and Cardamom Dry Shampoo
