Turn heads at your Chinese New Year gathering with these beauty editor secrets for soft and shiny hair

Here’s the thing. Yours truly has long extolled the benefits of a fatty diet for the face, so it wasn’t too big of a leap for me to consider lubing up my locks as well. So yes, I’m on a mission to convince you, dear reader, to fall in love with the good stuff – the new year being time for new hair and all of that.

Still iffy about taking the plunge? Click through for a curation of top tips to maximise the mileage out of your hair oils.

Image: 123rf.com.

Want more? Get off your high horse and try your hand (or is that hoof) at the so-called unicorn eyeliner, and load your larder with this list of face-friendly food items to give you that gorgeous glow you’re hankering after. Get your daily dose of beauty at www.herworldplus.com/beauty.

A really neat way of introducing oils into your routine, particularly if you’re predisposed to greasy hair, is to use them as a gentle pre-wash treatment. Think of this hair hack as being homologous to the oil cleansing component of your skincare ritual: The lipids lift away styling gunk for fuller penetration of the goodness from your subsequent shampoos.

Here’s how. Warm up a generous dollop of oil in your palms, work it into damp hair, then kick up your kitten heels and relax for 10 minutes or so. (If you’re daunted by the prospect of dripping all over your daybed, clip your coiffure up and secure with a shower cap.) When you think you’ve had enough, step into the shower and rinse off. Follow up with your go-to shampoo for surpassingly silky strands.

Ouai Hair Oil, $42 from Sephora.

Another fabulously fun way to incorporate oils into your hair diet is to stir it into your regular conditioner to create a richly reparative rinse-off mask.

The recipe, if you can call it that, is fantastically elegant in its foolproof simplicity. All you need to do is to dispense a drop or two of oil into your favourite treatment cream for maximum moisturising impact. Grab a bottle of conditioner, sploosh out into a baking bowl, drizzle in your oil of choice, then churn by hand into a beautifying butter. Resist the urge to lick the spoon!

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Nutri-Oil Serum, $8.90.

One of our favourite ways to use oils is to rake it through the ends for a titillating photoshoot-ready sheen. Opt for argan oil blends, which are awesome for lending a really reflective mirror-like mirage. I recommend rubbing just one drop between your palms and lightly skimming it across the surface for high-wattage shine without the extra weight.

Moroccanoil Original Treatment Oil, $73.

Like lubricating an engine, oils act as beautifying buttresses for brittle hair follicles, allowing the shafts to sop up precious moisture for sumptuously shiny strands.

Simply apply on damp hair, starting mid-length and paying extra care to the ends for easier styling. Incredibly intuitive and straightforward to use, try stashing a spray-type product in your purse for touch-ups on the go.

Percy and Reed Best Friend Totally Intensive Treatment Oil+, $53 from Sephora.

Oils can serve as Ray-Bans for your hair, especially if they come powered with sun-protective emollients. Brushing on a good-sized amount of nutritious oil before a dip in the pool will sop up free radicals and shield your scalp from the ravages of the sun and sea.

So yes, lipids are liquid love for your locks. Send us some virtual love of your own by way of sharing this article – we promise we won’t judge if your newly rejuvenated quiff inspires you decide to indulge in a slow-mo shampoo commercial hair flip!

L’Oreal Paris Extraordinary Oil + UV Protection, $26.90.