Would You Put Onion Water In Your Hair?

by BR Tabatha

It's not unusual to read about pantry products being used in DIY hair concoctions. From apple cider vinegar to eggs to coconut oil, my hair's seen a fair few of them. One thing I've never heard of putting in your hair though... onion water. This spicy little hair tip came to my attention recently when Cardi B posted a picture on the 'gram of her long hair looking lush and shiny, along with a caption saying that she's restarted washing her hair with onion water, and that after doing it twice she's already noticed her hair becoming more shiny.

Well, you could've knocked me down with a scallion stalk. Onion water? In your hair? Was it really a thing? I had to find out!

What is onion water?

Onion water is water that's had onions boiling in it. For how long, who knows? In all my skulking about the interwebs I couldn't find a single article about creating onion water, leading me to believe it's one of those old wives tales that gets passed on over time. But does that mean it's actually a waste of time? 

Is onion water really beneficial to hair?

While I couldn't find anything that said onion water itself is good for your hair, the internet did have its thoughts on using onion juice. It turns out onion juice is filled with sulfur, which is said to stimulate hair regrowth. Onion juice is also antibacterial, which helps with scalp health, and it contains antioxidants, which battle the free radicals that can damage hair follicles and cause hair thinning. 

So while onion water might not be widely used, it seems we could be onto something with onion juice.

So, how does one get their hands on onion juice?... And how would one apply it?

Creating onion juice is pretty simple. Simply grab your grater and grate the onion, pop the pulp on a piece of clean muslin then squeeze to extract the juice. Alternatively, you can use a juicing machine.  

As for applying it, there are a number of ways you can try onion juice:

If you're looking to stimulate hair growth or to soothe your scalp, simply apply the juice to your scalp and leave it in for fifteen minutes before rinsing it out. If your skin's not sensitive to the juice you can leave it in longer, even overnight.

You can create a hair mask by combining olive oil or coconut oil and onion juice, then apply it root to tip before washing it out after 15 - 20 minutes.

Alternatively, you can add onion juice to your existing shampoo and conditioner if you're wanting to improve the condition of your scalp while increasing your hair's shine.

Like many things in life, in order to see success you have to consistently use onion juice rather than hope that it's a one hit wonder. A few times a week appears to be the recommendation, with results seen after a few uses in terms of an increase in shiny-looking hair, and after a couple of month's time in terms of hair regrowth.

Should I really try an onion juice hair treatment?

If you're allergic to the onion family, I'd sit this one out just to be on the safe side. If you're not? Even if you're not allergic to onions you may find your scalp is senstive to it and becomes red and/or itchy, so do patch test first in a discrete area, such as behind your ear or on the hairline near the nape of your neck, before going all in.

All in all, as far as a pantry product that's good for you goes... we love a product with layers, and as long as you're not sensitive or allergic, a little onion juice in your hair won't give you anything to cry over. (For crying out loud, Tabby, stop with the bad puns already...)

So, are you keen to try onion juice in your hair? And if you've tried it already, how did you find it?

Get chatting below!