The Ritual Your Grandmother Practised That Modern Life Forgot
Discover the history of traditional hair care, Ayurveda and hair oiling—and what modern research actually says about their benefits and limits.
Soumm
6 September 2026
There is a particular memory many Indian families know.
A bottle of oil sitting quietly on a shelf.
A grandmother warming a little between her palms.
A child sitting between her knees.
Hair being parted gently.
Oil being worked through the scalp and lengths.
A braid made at the end.
No timer.
No ten-step routine.
No ingredient list designed for an algorithm.
Just oil, hands, hair—and time.
Modern hair care has become remarkably sophisticated. We now have shampoos designed for specific concerns, conditioners for different textures, serums, masks, leave-ins and targeted treatments.
And yet something about the old ritual feels different.
Perhaps it was never only about the oil.
Perhaps what modern life forgot was the ritual of attention.
But nostalgia alone cannot tell us whether traditional hair care actually worked.
So there is a more interesting question:
What did traditional hair oiling really do—and what does modern evidence tell us about it today?
Traditional hair care was more than a product
In many Indian households, hair oiling was not treated as a cosmetic treatment performed only when hair looked dry.
It was part of a rhythm.
A particular day.
A familiar sequence.
Oil.
Massage.
Combing.
Bathing.
Braiding.
Rest.
The practice could also carry family meaning. Knowledge about which oil to use, when to apply it and how to massage the scalp was often passed from one generation to another.
Modern research confirms that hair oiling remains culturally significant in India. A 2026 survey of 1,200 participants from southern India found that family tradition was the most commonly reported influence on hair-oiling practices. ()
That matters.
Not because popularity proves effectiveness.
But because it tells us that hair oiling is not simply a modern cosmetic trend. It is part of a much older cultural relationship with hair.
Where Ayurveda enters the story
Traditional Indian hair care and Ayurveda overlap, but they should not be treated as exactly the same thing.
Ayurveda has its own terminology, theories and practices surrounding oil application.
One important term is Abhyanga, broadly referring to oil massage or oleation. Indian Ayurvedic institutions describe Abhyanga as an external application of an unctuous substance, used within Ayurvedic therapeutic and wellbeing practices. ()
When oil application involves the head, the term Shiro Abhyanga is used.
Ayurvedic sources also describe different forms of head oil application, including massage and other procedures involving oil. Contemporary Ayurvedic research institutions continue to study the practice of hair-oil application, including Shiro Abhyanga. ()
This is an important distinction:
Ayurveda provides a traditional framework for understanding the ritual.
Modern dermatology asks a different question:
What measurable effect does the practice have on the hair, scalp or disease process?
The two perspectives can be placed alongside each other without pretending that they are the same form of evidence.
Why did generations of people oil their hair?
There may not be one answer.
Different oils were used in different regions and households.
Different traditions had different ingredients.
Some practices were primarily cosmetic.
Some were associated with massage and wellbeing.
Some were embedded in Ayurvedic traditions.
And some were simply inherited because that was how a family cared for its hair.
But modern hair research gives us at least one compelling reason why oiling may have had practical value:
oil can interact with the hair fibre itself.
The hair shaft and the scalp are not the same thing
This distinction is often missing from conversations about hair oil.
The hair shaft is the visible fibre extending beyond the scalp.
The follicle is the living structure within the skin that produces the hair.
An oil applied to the length of the hair can therefore influence the hair fibre without necessarily changing what happens inside the follicle.
That distinction matters enormously.
A product can make hair feel smoother, reduce friction or protect the fibre from damage without causing new hair to grow.
This is one reason we should be careful with the phrase:
“This oil is good for hair growth.”
“Good for the hair fibre” and “stimulates hair growth” are not interchangeable claims.
What modern science actually tells us about oiling
One of the better-studied oils is coconut oil.
A landmark comparative study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science examined coconut, mineral and sunflower oils and found that coconut oil was the only one of the three that substantially reduced protein loss from both damaged and undamaged hair when used as a pre-wash or post-wash grooming treatment. ()
Further research found that coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft, unlike mineral oil, and may influence the way the hair responds to repeated swelling and drying. ()
More recent hair-fibre research has also investigated how coconut-based hair oils can reduce increases in hair porosity associated with routine washing. ()
These findings help explain something important:
Some benefits of oiling may be about protecting the hair that already exists.
Not necessarily growing more hair.
That is a quieter claim.
But it is also a more scientifically defensible one.
So, does oiling make hair grow?
This is where tradition, marketing and evidence often become confused.
There is not strong evidence that ordinary hair oiling universally stimulates hair growth.
A systematic review examining coconut, castor and argan oils found that coconut oil had evidence for improving brittle hair and some hair-fibre outcomes, but evidence for its effect on hair growth was limited. The review found weaker evidence for castor oil improving hair quality and no strong evidence supporting castor or argan oil for hair growth. ()
That does not mean:
“Oiling does nothing.”
It means the question needs to be more precise.
If oil reduces friction, improves lubrication and helps protect the hair fibre, that can be valuable.
If a massage makes a ritual feel calming or creates time for self-care, that can also be meaningful.
But neither automatically proves that an oil is treating a hair-loss disorder.
The grandmother's ritual may have contained several rituals at once
Perhaps this is the part modern life most easily loses.
Imagine the traditional sequence.
First, someone takes time to sit down.
Then the hair is gently parted.
Oil is applied.
The scalp is touched.
The hair is combed.
The strands are gathered.
A braid is made.
The person rests.
The ritual ends with bathing and starting again.
The oil is only one component.
There is also:
touch.
attention.
slowness.
consistency.
connection.
These things are difficult to bottle.
And they are easy to lose in a life where every routine must be fast.
This does not mean that a grandmother’s ritual can be scientifically proven to reduce stress or prevent hair loss.
It means that the ritual itself created a form of intentional care that modern routines can sometimes overlook.
But traditional does not automatically mean suitable for everyone
This is where respect for tradition should coexist with modern awareness.
Hair oils are not universally beneficial for every scalp.
Some people may experience irritation, folliculitis or contact dermatitis associated with hair oils. Dermatological literature has documented these possibilities. ()
A 2026 survey also found that among its participants, some people who practised hair oiling reported dandruff or itchy scalp. However, because the study was self-reported and observational, these findings cannot establish that oiling caused those problems. ()
This is why “my grandmother did it” should not become:
“Therefore everyone should do it.”
Tradition gives us a starting point.
It does not remove individual differences.
Does Ayurveda say everyone should oil their hair?
It is better not to reduce Ayurveda to one universal instruction.
Ayurveda contains extensive frameworks around constitution, indication, timing, substances and methods of treatment.
Practices involving head oil application appear in Ayurvedic literature and continue to be studied within Ayurvedic institutions. The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, for example, lists ongoing research into the knowledge, attitudes and practices surrounding hair-oil application among adult women in Kerala. ()
At the same time, modern clinical evidence for Ayurvedic interventions in hair disorders remains limited overall.
A recent narrative review identified 16 studies involving Ayurvedic treatments for various hair disorders and noted that Ayurveda remains comparatively under-researched in this area. ()
That is an important place for intellectual honesty.
We can respect a medical tradition without claiming that every traditional indication has been clinically established by modern standards.
The difference between hair care and hair-loss treatment
This may be the most important distinction in the entire article.
Hair care
May involve:
cleansing,
conditioning,
lubrication,
reducing friction,
protecting the hair fibre,
grooming,
and maintaining comfort.
Hair-loss treatment
May involve identifying and treating an underlying condition.
Hair loss can have many causes.
Genetic hair loss.
Autoimmune conditions.
Hormonal changes.
Nutritional deficiencies.
Medications.
Inflammatory scalp disorders.
Physical or psychological stress.
And others.
Therefore, oiling should not be positioned as a universal treatment for hair loss.
If someone is experiencing persistent or significant hair loss, the more useful question is not:
“Which oil should I try?”
It is:
“Why is this happening?”
That question deserves professional attention when appropriate.
What about overnight oiling?
Overnight oiling is deeply familiar in many families.
But there is no universal scientific rule that oil must remain on the scalp overnight to be effective.
The appropriate duration depends on the purpose of the routine, the product, the person’s hair and scalp, and individual tolerance.
For someone using oil primarily as a hair-fibre treatment, the evidence for coconut oil’s protective effects does not require us to turn the practice into an elaborate overnight ritual. Experimental studies have examined pre-wash and post-wash applications rather than establishing a universal requirement for overnight use. ()
More is not automatically better.
A ritual should fit the person.
Not the other way around.
What about massaging the scalp?
Scalp massage is another part of many traditional oiling routines.
The experience itself can be pleasant and relaxing.
But it is important not to turn that experience into an unsupported promise of increased hair growth.
Research into scalp manipulation and Ayurvedic head-oil practices is ongoing, and evidence for treating specific hair disorders remains limited. ()
There is also a practical principle worth remembering:
Gentle is enough.
Hair does not need aggressive rubbing to receive care.
A soothing ritual should not become mechanical stress.
How modern hair care can learn from traditional rituals
The lesson may not be:
Go back to exactly how our grandmothers did everything.
Nor should it be:
Forget tradition because modern science is better.
A wiser approach sits somewhere between the two.
Keep the ritual.
Question the claim.
Keep the attention.
Update the evidence.
Keep the cultural meaning.
Adapt the practice to the individual.
That is how traditions remain alive without becoming frozen in time.
A modern version of the old ritual
A thoughtful hair-oiling ritual could be remarkably simple.
Choose an oil appropriate for your hair and scalp
There is no universally “best” oil for everyone.
Coconut oil has some of the stronger evidence for hair-fibre protection, but individual tolerance and hair characteristics matter. ()
Use a comfortable amount
The objective is care, not saturation.
Apply gently
If massaging the scalp, use comfortable pressure rather than vigorous rubbing.
Give the ritual time
The point is not to turn ten minutes into another productivity task.
Let it be ten minutes of attention.
Wash according to your needs
There is no universal requirement to leave oil overnight.
Observe your scalp
If an oil consistently causes itching, irritation, follicle bumps or discomfort, the appropriate response is to reconsider the practice rather than force yourself to continue it.
Separate grooming from treatment
Enjoy the ritual.
But if significant hair loss is occurring, seek to understand its cause.
What modern life forgot may not have been the oil
Perhaps that is the real lesson.
Our grandmothers did not necessarily possess secret knowledge that modern science has failed to discover.
They lived in a different relationship with time.
Hair care was sometimes slower.
More tactile.
More social.
More repetitive.
Less transactional.
A grandmother oiling her granddaughter’s hair was not simply applying a cosmetic substance.
She was spending time with her.
Teaching her.
Caring for her.
Passing something down.
That emotional and cultural meaning cannot be measured by a protein-loss assay.
And it does not need to be.
Not everything valuable about a ritual needs to become a medical claim.
Tradition can be respected without being romanticised
This is where a modern understanding of traditional hair care becomes richer.
We can say:
Yes, hair oiling has deep cultural roots.
Yes, Ayurveda has long included oil-based practices.
Yes, some oils—especially coconut oil—have measurable effects on the hair fibre.
Yes, the ritual itself can create time for care and connection.
And we can also say:
No, oiling is not proven to prevent every form of hair loss.
No, every traditional claim has not been clinically established.
No, every scalp responds identically.
No, more oil or longer application is automatically better.
This is not a rejection of tradition.
It is a way of carrying tradition forward responsibly.
The ritual worth keeping
Maybe the modern version of your grandmother’s ritual does not need to look exactly like hers.
Maybe you use a different oil.
Maybe you have ten minutes instead of an entire afternoon.
Maybe you live alone.
Maybe you oil only the lengths.
Maybe you prefer another form of scalp care.
Maybe you simply sit quietly while doing it.
The details can change.
The principle does not have to.
Care can be deliberate.
Beauty can be slower.
Routines can carry meaning.
And traditional knowledge can be respected while still being examined through the lens of modern evidence.
That may be the most useful inheritance of all.
Conclusion: Keep the ritual. Keep asking questions.
The old hair-oiling ritual survived for generations because it was more than a cosmetic habit.
It was practical in some ways.
Cultural in others.
And deeply human in its rhythm.
Modern science gives us a more precise understanding of what some oils can do. Research suggests that coconut oil, for example, can penetrate the hair shaft and help reduce protein loss, supporting the idea that certain oils can protect the hair fibre. ()
But science also asks us to be careful.
Evidence for hair-growth effects remains limited, and oiling is not a universal treatment for hair loss. ()
So perhaps we do not need to choose between tradition and modernity.
We can keep what is meaningful.
Question what is uncertain.
Adapt what no longer fits.
And understand the difference between a ritual that cares for hair and a treatment that addresses disease.
The next time someone in your family reaches for the oil bottle, perhaps the most valuable thing to remember is not simply what oil they used.
It is why they made time for the ritual in the first place.
The oil may have cared for the hair.
The ritual cared for the person.
And perhaps that is the part modern life is still learning to remember.
Continue the Soumm Knowledge Journey
Explore Soumm’s Rituals, Doctor Insights, Ingredient Library, Hair Wellness Encyclopedia, Soumm Papers and Soumm Answers to understand traditional practices through both cultural wisdom and modern evidence.
Key takeaways
Questions
Traditional hair care refers to culturally inherited practices used to cleanse, groom, condition or care for hair and scalp. In India, oiling is one of the most recognisable traditional practices.
Hair oiling has cultural, cosmetic and traditional roots. In many families it is also a recurring ritual associated with grooming, touch, family connection and self-care. A recent Indian survey found family tradition to be a major influence on hair-oiling practices. (PubMed)
Ayurvedic traditions include oil-based practices such as Abhyanga and Shiro Abhyanga. Contemporary Ayurvedic institutions continue to study hair-oil application. (CCRAS)
There is not strong evidence that ordinary hair oiling universally stimulates hair growth. Some oils may improve the condition of the existing hair fibre, which is different from stimulating follicular growth. (PubMed)
Among commonly studied oils, coconut oil has relatively strong evidence for reducing protein loss and protecting aspects of hair-fibre integrity. (PubMed)
Research suggests coconut oil can penetrate the hair shaft and reduce protein loss. However, individual scalp and hair responses vary, and these findings should not be interpreted as proof that coconut oil treats hair-loss disorders. (PubMed)
Strong evidence supporting castor oil for hair growth is lacking. A systematic review found weaker evidence for effects on hair quality and no strong evidence supporting hair-growth claims. (PubMed)
There is no universal scientific requirement for overnight oiling. The appropriate duration depends on the purpose of the routine, the oil used and individual scalp tolerance.
Oiling may not be suitable for every scalp. Some people report irritation or scalp problems associated with hair oils, but individual responses vary. Hair oils have also been associated with contact dermatitis and folliculitis in dermatological literature. (PubMed)
It depends on the purpose. Oil applied to the lengths can function as a grooming and fibre-care practice, while scalp application is a different practice with different considerations.
Evidence is not strong enough to treat scalp massage as a universal hair-growth treatment. It can, however, be a comfortable grooming and self-care practice.
Neither category is automatically better. Traditional practices can contain useful grooming knowledge, while modern research can help determine which claims are supported and which require more evidence.
Hair oil should not be considered a universal preventive treatment for hair loss. Hair loss has many possible causes, and some require medical evaluation.
Shiro Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic practice involving oil application and massage of the head. It belongs to a broader Ayurvedic tradition of oil-based practices. (CCRAS)
Perhaps that hair care does not have to be rushed or complicated. A ritual can combine grooming with attention, consistency and connection—while still being evaluated thoughtfully through modern evidence.