The Internet Loves This Lesser-Known Ingredient to Nourish, Soften, and Add Shine to Hair

When it comes to haircare, we have so many product options at our fingertips—not just shampoo and conditioner but reparative hair masks, growth-boosting serums, nourishing oils, and scalp treatments. Indeed, it's now possible to have a haircare routine to rival your skincare regime, with multiple steps to help target concerns ranging from dry ends to an oily scalp.

However, of course, sometimes simple really is best. If you prefer a low maintenance haircare routine, then it's understandable that aside from your shampoo and conditioner you may only want just one other product.

Personally, I love (and dare I say need) a multi-step haircare routine but if I was to strip things back, a hair oil would be an absolutely non-negotiable for me. Since they can be used in multiple ways—as an overnight mask, as a leave-in split ends treatment, or even as a frizz-smoothing, shine-boosting styling product—they have multiple benefits.

The likes of argan oil and rosemary oil have proven particularly popular in recent years, and can now be found within some of the bestselling haircare products on the market. However, searches are on the rise for batana oil, a lesser known (but still super effective) plant-derived oil. To learn more, I spoke to dermatologist Sonia Khorana for her verdict on this buzzy ingredient.

What is batana oil?

First things first, what exactly is batana oil? "It's an oil extracted from the American palm tree that is native to Central and South America," says Khorana. "It can be used to hydrate and moisturise the scalp."

What are the benefits of batana oil?

"Batana oil is often used for hair and skin," explains Khorana. "It has a smoky, tobacco-like, earthy scent, but that tends to go away once you rub it in and it doesn’t linger."

Like other plant-derived oils, batana oil is full of nutrients which can help to moisturise your hair and skin. "It’s rich in fatty acids like oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid, which all help to moisturise the hair and scalp to increase shine and strength," she adds.

Can batana oil help hair to grow?

There are currently no studies on batana oil for hair health or hair growth, and according to Khorana you'll need more than just a simple oil to do the trick. However, if you're after an oil to help soften and nourish your hair, and support a healthy scalp, it's a great option. "Batana oil contains carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta carotenes, which are beneficial for scalp health but cannot actually regrow your hair," she says.

Are there any side effects to using batana oil?

According to Khorana, batana oil is suitable for all hair types and textures, so there's no need to be concerned about any unusual side effects. "As with any oil, the only risk is potentially weighing down your hair, but you can’t really overuse it," she explains. "Batana oil might be a bit too rich for some fine hair types however, and individuals with nut allergies should exercise caution when using batana oil."

Alternatives to batana oil:

Batana oil is rarely used as an ingredient within formulations and isn't easy to source on its own. For similarly nourishing, shine-boosting benefits, Khorana recommends looking for hair products that contain ingredients like argan oil, castor oil, rosemary oil, and pumpkin seed oil. If you're specifically after an ingredient with hair growth benefits, she advises speaking to your GP about minoxidil, an ingredient with proven abilities as a hair loss treatment.

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