Testing Chili for Hair Growth

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know I've gone a little kind of seriously chili crazy as of late. There have been all sorts of infusions and brews ongoing with different oils and different chili strengths on the scoville scale in my lab, and it's all for a reason.

Well, several reasons.

My interest in capsaicin (that's the active component in capsicum plants) is multi-faceted. I want to see what it has to offer with different kinds of topical use.

Birds Beak Chili  

Pictured above: my current pre-shampoo, scalp-massaging and perhaps-hair-growth-boosting oil.

This is a very simple infusion of dried birds beak chili (also called Arbol) in Fractionated Coconut oil. I let it sun-infuse for about 5 weeks and didn't hold back on the amount of chilis I added to the oil.

Arbol has a heat index of between 15,000 and 30,000 scoville units, so it's not the strongest chili around, but it does have enough of a zing to where it makes an impression on lips and is not something you want near your eyes.

I chose fractionated coconut oil because it has a long shelf life, neutral scent, is almost as runny as water and therefore lends itself to being sprayed out of a bottle (which I find allows for easier control and no dripping when held very close to scalp with application)

Chili Head

I have only been testing this a few weeks so far, so there are no measurable results (yet).

I have, however, learned a few things about applying this oil to ones head prior to shampooing that I thought I'd share with you.

1. Fractionated coconut oil is perfect as a base for an oily scalp spray
2. This oil gives a bit of a pleasantly tingly zing to the scalp as it is lightly massaged in
3. It is quite easy to shampoo out and leaves my scalp feeling 'alive' and my hair very smooth
4. It is highly recommended to keep ones eyes closed while rinsing out the 'chili-shampoo'

More to come as results (or lack thereof) ensue.

Also to come: tester feedback on a chili balm featuring piri piri chilis, infusing oil with the hottest chilis on the planet, and a look at what in the world they might have to offer skincare.

Do Tell

Have you ever tried a chili oil scalp massage? Which chili was used?

More About Chili for Topical Use

Chili in Cosmetics, how does that work? (this blog - with links to more info at bottom)