Clove buds, more commonly know just as cloves, are not one of the more popular essential oils. Despite that it is by far one of the most useful essential oils to have around the house and used on the body. For over 2,000 years, the clove tree has been cultivated for a variety of uses from medicinal to beauty. The clove bud tree is native to Indonesia and a member of the Myrtaceae family. Three types of clove essential oils are derived from the three: clove bud oil, clover leaf oil, and clove stem oil. Oil produced from the leaves and stems have stronger chemical compositions and can easily cause skin irritations but the clove bud oil or Eugenia carophyllata is most often used in aromatherapy.
What is the composition of clove bud oil?
Cloves are high in fiber, minerals, and even vitamins. The component responsible for its powerful effects comes from eugenol, which is toxic against harmful organisms like fungus and yeast. Clove bud oil is 60 to 90% eugenol, which is a very potent fat-soluble antioxidant and anesthetic and antiseptic properties. Even with a valuable asset as eugenol in its composition, clove bud oil also possesses nutrients like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vitamins A, B-Complex and C. The oil is prepared by steam distillation and this remarkable oil blends well with basil, bergamot, cinnamon bark, clary sage, grapefruit, and lavender, lemon, orange, peppermint, rose, rosemary, and ylang ylang essential oils.
Why use clove bud oil on your hair?
Many use clove bud oil for preventing hair loss, maintaining the hair’s luster, vibrant color, and hair conditioning. It however is perfect for the scalp because of its antifungal, antiseptic, and anesthetic properties, which will treat dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and other scalp ailments when mixed with olive oil or coconut oil. The antioxidants of clove oil help to increase circulation in the scalp and in turn work to stimulate new healthy hair growth. Eugenol refreshes and enhances your hair’s natural color.
Sometimes we overuse products and create an unhealthy overused space by product buildup, dirt and, sweat. Cloves are natural and an easy solution for keeping the hair and scalp clean, which is why they are often formulated in shampoo, conditioner, and hair coloring agents. They are often used in DIY recipes and we have listed a few below.
Clove oil massages
Clove oil scalp massages are great ways to press the reset button on your scalp and to rid it of scalp conditions like dandruff and seborrhea dermatitis. Mix a few drops of clove bud oil with coconut or olive oil and massage it into your scalp. Once it has been applied allow to set for about 5-10 min. before massaging your scalp again. Cleanse hair with a mild or sulfate-free shampoo and condition and style as usual.
Clove hair color refresher
- 1 qt. water
- 1 tbsp. whole cloves (freshly ground in a spice grinder”>
Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add ground cloves and steep for 20 min. Strain tea through a fine mesh strainer and allow to completely cool. Apply clove tea after coloring hair and shampooing. This clove tea will bring out chestnut highlights and warm tones like red.
Clove oil/tea deep conditioner
Create clove tea as above or just use a few drops of clove bud oil. Add a few drops of the oil or the tea it into your favorite deep conditioner for an additional cleansing enhancement along with color conditioning of the hair. If DIY is not your thing, then we have got a few shampoos and conditioners with the potent properties of clove bud oil below.
- LUSH Shampoo Bar
- Aveda Clove Shampoo
- Aveda Clove Color Conditioner
- Burt’s Bees Hair Repair Deep Conditioner Shea and Grapefruit
- Classic Man Beard Oil – Cedarwood and Clove
