Physicochemical investigation of some marketed herbal hair oil

Hair is one of the vital parts of the body and a protective appendage on the body and considered accessory structure of integument along with sebaceous glands, sweat glands and nails. Hair oils are widely used by the consumer of the cosmetic industries. Many brands are available in the market under herbal hair oil category for the cooling effect to the scalp surface. These oils contain plant extractives and some agents that give cooling effect. All natural nourishing preparations for dry scalp and hair combines herbal oil extracts traditionally used to treat hair conditions. Herbal formulations always have attracted considerable attention because of their good activity and comparatively lesser or nil side effects with synthetic drugs. Two ayurvedic hair oils were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, i.e. color, odor, density, viscosity, pH, saponification value, acid value and peroxide value. The leading brands of hair oil in the market Nihar Shanti Amla Hair oil and Patanjali Amla Hair oil were standardized for their above physicochemical properties. Present findings suggest the selected parameters may be used in the standardization of herbal hair oil.