Is Black Garlic Good for Your Hair?

Black garlic is a powerful natural ingredient included in a number of hair care products and solutions. It can be a very effective remedy for a range of hair problems, especially when found in an easy-to-use format such as an in-shower shampoo or conditioner.

In this article, we explore what black garlic is, how it differs from regular garlic and what benefits it can have for your hair.

What is black garlic?

For many, garlic is a staple of a wide range of culinary dishes, but you might not have heard of the less well known black garlic. Originating in Asian cuisine, black garlic isn’t actually a different plant species from regular garlic – it’s just been through a process of heat-ageing. This effectively caramelises the garlic, which can unlock different health benefits.

For example, black garlic is believed to contain twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic.

So, black garlic is just regular garlic that has been slowly cooked to release more nutritional goodness for your benefit. But how does that help your hair?

What are the benefits of black garlic for hair?

In the wider world, black garlic has a range of uses – most notably in cooking. But like many natural ingredients, it can be used in hair care applications to support healthy hair and scalp health. Below are some of the key benefits of black garlic in haircare.

Supplying antioxidants

Antioxidants are key for limiting damage to the hair caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. Essentially, free radicals are very reactive molecules that can react with the molecules in your hair or scalp and cause the breakdown of certain structures. In the long term, this contributes to an ageing effect.

Your hair can be sustaining damage from free radicals and oxidative stress without you even knowing. It can come from a range of sources, including sun exposure, pollutants or inflammation from a microbial issue. Smoking can also cause oxidative stress.

In order to limit this damage and the resulting ageing effects, it’s important to get lots of antioxidants. You can do this partly through your diet, but another way is to use products that contain antioxidant-rich ingredients on your hair.

Black garlic is one such ingredient. In fact, black garlic has twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic, meaning it can be twice as effective. A black garlic shampoo can help to protect anyone’s hair, but it may be particularly beneficial if you live in an area with lots of pollution or you spend lots of time out in the sun.

Stimulating the hair follicles

Another important compound found in black garlic is allicin, which is a substance that helps to increase the circulation of your blood. Therefore, when applied as a hair product, it can help your scalp to receive more nutrients and oxygen to power hair growth, strengthen the roots and increase regeneration to repair and protect areas of damage.

Providing vitamins and minerals

As well as improving access to the vital nutrients in your blood by increasing circulation around the scalp, black garlic can also increase your nutrient levels. That’s because, as a nutritious natural ingredient, it contains lots of vitamins and minerals that your body needs in order to support a healthy scalp and hair.

Smoothing the outer cuticle

When your hair is damaged, the outer layer of each strand can be rough, which can make it feel dry and scratchy while also reducing your hair’s natural shine. As well, this can make the hair more prone to tangling.

Products infused with black garlic help to smoothen that outer layer – known as the cuticle – to reduce tangling, provide a sleek, soft texture and give a healthy lustre to your hair.

Moisturising hair

Black garlic doesn’t just make your hair look healthier – it can also add moisture to rehydrate dry hair and restore its natural flexibility. This can help to reduce the likelihood of breakages along your hair strands, meaning less hair fall and fewer split ends.

At the same time, black garlic oil can help to lock moisture into your hair – helping your hair to avoid dryness and frizz in future.

Anti-inflammatory effects

Black garlic is known to have anti-inflammatory properties – it reduces swelling and redness in areas of irritation. In haircare products, that means it can help to address irritated scalps, reducing itchiness and visible redness.

Antibacterial qualities

Lastly, black garlic also has antibacterial qualities. This means it can help to control the levels of bacteria found on your scalp, which can mean you’re less likely to develop infections such as folliculitis – a condition where a hair follicle becomes inflamed.

Whether there’s a specific hair problem you’d like to address or you’re just looking for a new shampoo that can take full care of your locks, black garlic infused products are an excellent choice. Our black garlic shampoo combines the benefits of this natural ingredient with ivy extract to keep your hair luscious and healthy.

Sources:

• https://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/blogs/news/what-is-black-garlic
• https://www.clinikally.com/blogs/news/the-transformative-power-of-black-garlic-in-hair-care
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26574302/
• https://goldcoastdermatologycenter.com/garlic-skin-benefits/
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/folliculitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20361634