I really wanted to like the Suki’s Hair/Scalp Conditioning Oil ($32.95), but at the end of my trial I found myself underwhelmed with its performance.
Suki calls this product a “3 in 1” oil that can be used as a hot oil treatment, leave-in conditioner, and scalp repair treatment. Suki also says that the oil is formulated for dry and damaged hair, and is especially intended to heal scalp problems. I’ve used it several times over the last four weeks, but I simply found it too oily to be used in any way except as a rinse-off product. While it may help condition hair, it did nothing for my itchy and irritation-prone scalp – honestly, I’ve had better and more pleasant results with argan oil-based products.
Suki is an appealing brand in general, eschewing synthetic ingredients and featuring lots of wonderful stuff and attractive formulations. Suki’s literature on the Hair Scalp Conditioning Oil packaging stresses the use of lavender (“highly soothing, antibacterial”) and rosemary (“promotes hair growth”). The ingredients list includes: jojoba seed oil, rice bran oil, apricot kernel oil, sunflower oil, all of which precede those two, incidentally. Calendula extract, rose hip fruit, neem oil are also listed.
I tried it with high hopes, following the instructions: to massage two pumps of product onto scalp when hair is damp for scalp treatment; or, for deep conditioning, to brush one to two pumps through hair and style as usual. Now, I have A LOT of hair. I can’t apply the product (solely) to my scalp, since it’s so well-defended; I couldn’t distinguish between hair and scalp application. It’s an oil, and it gets everywhere. I did love the smell though, which is dominated by rosemary (one of my all-time favorite things, though I’m more used to experiencing it in the kitchen) but also with a lavender note. It’s lovely.
For me, the scent was the best thing about the oil. Whenever I applied it I simply had a very slick head of hair – hair that looked, and felt, greasy after drying. After the first couple of attempts I decided to just use it as an overnight conditioner, and didn’t leave the house without a careful shampoo. But there was really no result to report, though perhaps any oil improves dry winter hair to some degree.
I concluded that a very small amount (perhaps a drop or so) could be used during styling. But I think that the lighter properties of something like Moroccan oil make it more appealing for that kind of use. The Suki hair/scalp conditioning oil sounded very promising, even at a not-inconsiderable $32.95 for an ounce, but neither the experience of using it, nor its effects, met my expectations.
Ingredients: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Rosemarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Tocopherols Mixed (Vitamin E), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract, Meliaazidirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Fruit Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract & Squalene, *Aroma/Fragrance, Linalool, Geraniol