3 Best Old-School Indian Hair Oils for Growing Long Natural Hair That We Forgot About
by Team CurlyNikki
Before rosemary oil took over the internet, some of us were in Indian grocery stores buying bottles of hair oil we couldn’t even pronounce.
VATIKA.
AMLA.
BRAHMI.
GIRL. WHAT A TIME lol.
Back in the early natural hair days, we were obsessed with Indian women’s long, thick hair. We were researching Ayurvedic ingredients, experimenting with pre-poo treatments, and trying to figure out whether these little bottles could help us grow our natural hair down our backs.
Well, we went looking to see which ones were still around.
AND THEY NEVER LEFT.
Three old-school Indian hair oils deserve another look.
The Best Old-School Indian Hair Oils Compared
| Product | Best For | What’s Inside |
|---|---|---|
| Dabur Vatika Enriched Coconut Hair Oil | Pre-shampoo treatments | Coconut oil, amla, henna, lemon |
| Dabur Amla Hair Oil | Shine and sealing dry ends | Amla extract, mineral and vegetable oils |
| Parachute Advansed Ayurvedic Coconut Hair Oil | Traditional herbal oiling | Coconut oil, bhringraj, brahmi, fenugreek |
1. Dabur Vatika Enriched Coconut Hair Oil
VATIKA!
If you were natural in 2008, you might remember this one.
That familiar green bottle filled with coconut oil and Indian herbs.
Vatika became a favorite in early natural hair discussions because it combined coconut oil with ingredients like amla, henna leaf extract, and lemon.
And don’t worry. We’re talking about a small amount of henna extract in an oil, not a traditional henna paste treatment that’s going to leave gritty residue behind. It isn’t intended to dye your curls red.
And here’s why we’d revisit it.
Coconut oil is one of the better-studied traditional oils for reducing protein loss from hair strands.
For natural hair that’s constantly being washed, detangled, and manipulated, that makes a coconut-based pre-shampoo treatment worth considering.
Because it’s coconut-oil based, it can solidify in cooler weather. Just stand the closed bottle in warm water until the oil liquefies.
Smooth it over your lengths and ends, and leave it on for at least twenty minutes before shampooing.
No need to drown your scalp.
The formula varies by region, so check the ingredient label on the exact bottle you’re buying.
Best for: Naturals who want an old-school pre-poo treatment to help care for fragile lengths.
2. Dabur Amla Hair Oil
Now THIS bottle takes us back.
The dark green oil.
The unmistakable herbal-perfume smell.
And the way everybody was talking about AMLA.
Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry, has a long history in traditional Indian haircare.
But here’s something interesting.
The classic Dabur Amla formula isn’t simply pure amla oil.
Ingredient listings for traditional versions include mineral oil, canola oil, palm oil, fragrance, amla extract, and colorants.
YES. MINERAL OIL.
And you know what?
That’s not automatically a bad thing.
In fact, a study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science examined how oils affect moisture movement in human hair.
Researchers found that oil-treated hair absorbed moisture vapor more slowly than untreated hair. Mineral oil and plant oils both acted as barriers to moisture movement.
SO MINERAL OIL REALLY CAN HELP SLOW MOISTURE LOSS.
It’s not necessarily inferior to vegetable oils when it comes to coating the hair and limiting moisture exchange.
But there’s an important difference: coconut oil has also been shown to penetrate hair fibers and reduce protein loss in ways mineral oil doesn’t.
Two different oils. Two different strengths.
For natural hair, we’d use a small amount of Dabur Amla on the lengths or over already-moisturized ends before a tucked hairstyle.
And if you don’t enjoy strong fragrance, this may not be your bottle.
Best for: Women who love traditional hair oils and want shine and lubrication without spending a fortune.
3. Parachute Advansed Ayurvedic Coconut Hair Oil
PARACHUTE.
Another name from the Indian hair-oiling tradition.
And this particular formula takes the herbal approach much further.
Parachute Advansed Ayurvedic Coconut Hair Oil combines coconut oil with 25 Ayurvedic herbs, including amla, bhringraj, brahmi, fenugreek, neem, and henna.
If you remember researching Ayurvedic haircare back in the day, those names should sound familiar.
Bhringraj was especially popular in conversations about stronger, longer hair.
But we’re not pretending a collection of herbs automatically guarantees growth.
What interests us is using a conditioning oil treatment to make the hair softer and easier to manage.
If the oil has solidified, stand the closed bottle in warm water until it liquefies.
Apply before shampooing, concentrating on your lengths and ends, and leave it on for about an hour before washing and conditioning as usual.
If you’re sensitive to botanicals, patch-test first.
Best for: Women who want to revisit traditional Ayurvedic oiling with a multi-herb coconut formula.
Can Old-School Indian Hair Oils Really Help Grow Long Natural Hair?
Here’s what eighteen years of natural hair conversations have taught us.
SOMETIMES THE OLD PRODUCTS STILL MAKE SENSE.
Not because Indian hair oils contain a secret ingredient that makes hair grow overnight.
But because oiling can be a useful part of caring for the hair you’ve already grown.
A coconut-based pre-poo may help reduce protein loss.
A lubricating oil can help reduce friction and slow moisture loss.
And a consistent routine can encourage us to handle our hair more gently.
The important thing is remembering that length retention and faster follicle growth are different.
You don’t need all three bottles.
Choose the one that fits your hair and your routine.
And maybe revisit some of those old natural hair forums while you’re at it.
Because before TikTok told everybody to put rosemary oil on their scalps…
WE WERE ALREADY IN THE INDIAN GROCERY STORE BUYING VATIKA.
And honestly?
What a beautiful time to be natural.
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