The process of making hair oil varies depending on whether it uses petroleum-based oils or vegetable-based oils.
Manufacturing Process Based on Oil Type
Here's a breakdown of the two main processes:
1. Petroleum-Based Hair Oils
This process is relatively simple:
- Mixing: Perfume and coloring agents are combined with petroleum white oil in a mixing tank.
- Bottling: The resulting mixture is then filled into PET bottles for distribution and sale.
2. Vegetable-Based Hair Oils
This process is more involved and typically uses natural ingredients:
- Heating and Infusion: Vegetable oil is heated, often along with herbal ingredients (e.g., amla, shikakai, bhringraj). The heat helps extract the beneficial compounds from the herbs into the oil. The specific herbs and heating times vary depending on the desired properties of the final hair oil.
- Steeping/Maceration (Optional): Some manufacturers allow the herbs to steep in the oil for an extended period to further enhance the infusion of beneficial compounds. This may occur at room temperature or with gentle heating.
- Filtration: The oil is filtered to remove any solid particles or herbal residue, resulting in a clear and clean oil. This step is crucial for achieving a smooth texture and preventing clogging of application nozzles.
- Cooling: The filtered oil is cooled down.
- Bottling: The cooled oil is then bottled for sale.
Summary
Essentially, making petroleum-based hair oil involves mixing, while making vegetable-based hair oil usually involves heating, infusing herbs, and filtration. The specific ingredients and methods used will determine the final properties and benefits of the hair oil.
