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Batana oil is the thick, bright orange oil from the kernel of the American oil palm, Elaeis oleifera. It is made by hand by the Miskito of La Mosquitia in Honduras; on the label of our batana oil the ingredient reads Elaeis Oleifera Kernel Oil, and there is no second ingredient. It is partly solid at room temperature, turns liquid in the hand, smells mildly nutty and is used above all as a weekly hair mask. It comes in a 30 ml and a 100 ml bottle.
Many people search for 'batana oil hair loss' or search for 'how to use batana oil'. We make no claim about what this oil does to the hair, to the root or on the scalp: the label says nothing about that, and neither do we. What batana oil is, what the label says and what you notice on the hair is in the companion article. This one is the routine itself: what you need, how to warm, apply, leave and wash out the oil, how often, how much, and what goes wrong most often.
The routine at a glance
- Amount: a tablespoon, about 10 ml, for mid-length hair; two for long or thick hair.
- Warm: between the hands until liquid, or the bottle in warm water.
- Apply: on towel-dried hair, lengths to ends, scalp if you wish.
- Cover: shower cap or towel.
- Leave: at least thirty minutes, or overnight.
- Wash: mild shampoo on barely wet hair, then a second shampoo.
- Repeat: once a week; twice for very dry or curly hair.
Step 1: what you need
The bottle of batana oil; a tablespoon; a shower cap or an old towel; an old towel for your shoulders, because the oil is orange and marks light fabric; a wide-toothed comb; and a mild shampoo. For the scalp, a spoon of a thinner oil such as jojoba oil to mix with, because neat batana is too thick to spread parting by parting. Do the mask on a wash day, in the evening if you want to leave it overnight.
Step 2: warm the oil
At room temperature batana oil is partly set, like a soft butter. Scoop a tablespoon out and rub it between the palms until it is liquid, a matter of seconds; or stand the bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes until it pours. Do not heat it on the stove or in the microwave: it only has to be liquid, not hot, and hot oil on the scalp burns.
Step 3: apply to towel-dried hair
Wash or wet the hair and towel it until it no longer drips. Divide it into sections and spread the liquid oil from the lengths to the ends with the hands, then comb through with a wide-toothed comb so that every strand is coated. If you want the scalp done too, mix a tablespoon of batana with a tablespoon of jojoba oil and massage it in parting by parting with the fingertips. Use the amount for your hair length and no more: what the hair does not take stays on top and only makes the wash longer.
Step 4: cover and leave
Put on a shower cap or wrap a towel round the head. The trapped warmth keeps the oil liquid and helps it spread. Leave it for at least thirty minutes; an hour is common; overnight is fine, on a pillowcase you do not mind marking, because the oil is orange. Longer than a night adds nothing.
Step 5: wash it out in two shampoos
This is where most people go wrong. Do not wet the hair first: put the shampoo straight onto the oiled, barely damp hair, work it in until it foams, and rinse. Then shampoo a second time as usual. A thick oil does not always come out in one wash, and hair that still feels heavy after one shampoo is not a fault of the oil but a missing second wash. Conditioner afterwards is a matter of taste; most people skip it on mask days.
Step 6: how often, and how much per bottle
Once a week; twice for very dry or curly hair. A tablespoon is about 10 ml, so a 30 ml bottle is three masks and a 100 ml bottle about ten weeks at one mask a week. Between masks, one or two drops rubbed between the fingertips and passed over the ends of dry hair is enough; on fine hair one drop, on thick or curly hair two at most, and avoid the roots if your hair gets greasy quickly.
Two home-made blends
Batana, coconut and honey mask: mix two tablespoons of batana oil with one tablespoon of coconut oil and one teaspoon of honey. Apply to dry or slightly damp hair, leave for thirty to sixty minutes under a shower cap and wash out with a mild shampoo and lukewarm water. The honey makes the mixture stickier and rinses out with water; it is there for texture. Make it fresh each time.
Batana and shea body butter: melt two tablespoons of batana oil with two tablespoons of shea butter in a bain-marie. Let it cool until it starts to set, then whip it to make it airy. Keep it in a clean jar, cool, and use it on dry patches of skin within a few months. Shea comes from a nut; anyone who reacts to nuts does the wrist test first.
The mistakes that make people give up
Too much oil: a tablespoon is plenty for mid-length hair, and a handful means three washes. Oil on dry, unwashed hair with a lot of product in it: the mask sits on top of the styling product; do it on a wash day. One shampoo instead of two: the hair feels heavy and the oil gets the blame. Wetting the hair before the first shampoo: water and oil do not mix, and the shampoo cannot get at the oil. The oil on the scalp of someone whose scalp gets greasy quickly: keep it to the lengths. And a white towel: use an old one.
Who this oil does not suit
Fine hair that goes flat easily takes badly to a heavy oil; use one drop on the ends only, or a lighter oil such as argan oil. Light blond or grey hair can take on a warm tint with frequent use; test a strand first. And anyone who wants an oil that absorbs and disappears should look elsewhere: batana stays until it is washed out, and that is the point of it.
What to watch out for
External use only; do not swallow. If your skin is sensitive, apply a drop to the inside of the wrist first and wait a day. Avoid contact with the eyes. Keep out of reach of children. Store the bottle cool, dark and closed; oil that has set turns liquid again in warm water. Finish an opened bottle within a year, and if it smells rancid instead of nutty, do not use it.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I leave batana oil in my hair?
At least thirty minutes, or overnight. Longer than a night adds nothing.
Why does my hair still feel greasy after washing?
One shampoo is not enough for a thick oil. Put the shampoo on barely wet hair first, rinse, and shampoo a second time.
Can I leave it in without washing?
Only one or two drops on the ends. A mask is washed out.
How many masks from a bottle?
Three from 30 ml, about ten from 100 ml.
