The Benefits Of Tsubaki Oil For Your Hair

Tsubaki seed oil is a heritage hair care ingredient that has served as a cornerstone of Japanese beauty rituals for more than a thousand years. Locals on Izu Ōshima Island, just south of Tokyo Bay, used tsubaki oil for hair and scalp care. It added moisture, softness, and shine to the islanders’ hair.

These Japanese traditions continue today. Tsubaki hair oil offers a lightweight, fast-absorbing product for busy routines and on-the-go hair rituals.

Read on to learn more about this rich, natural ingredient and how it benefits your beauty routine.

What is tsubaki seed oil?

Tsubaki oil for hair comes from the Camellia japonica plant.1 It’s an evergreen shrub or small tree native to China, Korea, and Japan. It’s sometimes called camellia oil.

Manufacturers produce tsubaki hair oil by cold-pressing the seeds of the plant. This process creates a product rich in fatty acids (oleic acid), antioxidants, and vitamins. It absorbs easily because camellia oil contains high levels of fatty acids similar to the ones already found in your skin and hair.

Traditional Japanese beauty rituals used tsubaki seed oil for shiny hair, hydrating the skin, and removing heavy makeup.

The benefits of tsubaki oil for your hair

Tsubaki hair oil provides many benefits due to the unique nourishing properties of this natural product. This non-greasy oil:

• Contributes deep hydration without heaviness due to the oleic acid.

• Smooths frizz and flyaways and nourishes each strand.

• Adds shine and softness to the hair shaft.

• Supports scalp balance with oleic acid and antioxidants.

• Helps support the strength and resilience of hair, including hair stressed by chemical processing.²

• Helps protect against environmental stress thanks to antioxidants such as vitamin E, polyphenols, squalene, saponins, and phytosterols.

Crown Affair incorporates tsubaki seed oil across Tsubaki Meadows™  to support soft, healthy, and polished hair. Your hair ritual will feel easy to return to, more manageable, and intentional.

Why tsubaki hair oil feels different from other oils

This ingredient gives your hair routine something more compared to other oils found in natural hair care products.

Tsubaki oil for hair feels lighter than other popular oils

Because this component is made of mostly (around 80%) oleic acid,³ it's lighter than argan and coconut oils. Argan oil typically has about 47% oleic acid, while coconut oil contains just 6–8%.⁴,⁵

Tsubaki seed oil absorbs quickly into hair strands

Remember, tsubaki oil is very similar to your hair’s natural oils because of the high concentration of oleic acid. Oleic acid conditions hair, controls water loss, softens each strand, and coats your hair.

Tsubaki hair oil does not leave buildup or residue

The lightweight composition and high amounts of vitamins and antioxidants don’t leave a residue on your hair.

How to use tsubaki oil in your hair care routine

It’s very easy to incorporate this component into your hair care regimen. We recommend it for all hair types. This natural ingredient is especially good for dry, damaged, brittle, or frizzy hair.

• The Leave-In Conditioner for damp hair hydrates your strands and prepares your hair for the day. 

• The Oil for dry hair smooths and finishes each strand while adding shine and protection from heat or sun exposure.

• The Texturizing Air Dry Mousse for use between wash days refreshes and polishes your hair. It creates an effortless texture that lasts all day.

Building a hair ritual with tsubaki oil

We encourage you to use products with tsubaki seed oil to strengthen and nourish your hair. Ingredient consistency across your hair care routine gives you predictable and effective results. Your hair and scalp can adapt and strengthen over time.

This ingredient layers on moisture without weighing down your hair. Your strands receive the nutrients they need so you can get the results you want.

Ritual-based hair care strengthens your hair over time and maintains it for optimal results versus single-product fixes. Just like improving your health or maintaining an exercise routine, consistency is the key to success.

Feel free to see which products work for you. Try one to see if you love the results. Then layer on another tsubaki seed hair care item.

FAQs

Does tsubaki oil help with hair growth?

Tsubaki seed oil fosters a healthy scalp and supports the strength of each strand to help prevent breakage,² allowing your hair to grow longer without being damaged. The high levels of oleic acid help this ingredient act as a silky moisturizer that penetrates quickly into the scalp and hair.

Does tsubaki seed oil help with frizzy hair?

Yes, tsubaki seed oil is very effective at reducing frizzy hair. The natural moisturizers deeply hydrate each strand, which smooths out your hair while creating a natural barrier against humidity without weighing down your hair. This natural seed oil makes hair more manageable while adding shine.

Is tsubaki oil suitable for all hair types?

Absolutely. Tsubaki hair oil works for all hair types, whether you have straight or curly, thin or thick, natural or color-treated hair. As a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil, it deeply nourishes without being overly greasy. You may find many benefits if you have dry, damaged, or brittle hair.

Sources:

1. NC State Cooperative Extension. "Camellia japonica." https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/camellia-japonica/

2. Lee, W.J., et al. "Effect of rinse-off hair conditioner containing argan oil or camellia oil on the recovery of hair damaged by bleaching." Fashion and Textiles, 2021. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40691-021-00282-5

3. Ma, J., et al. "Lipid Characteristics of Camellia Seed Oil." Journal of Food Science, 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31178460/

4. FEDIOL. "Fatty acid composition of selected oils and fats." https://www.fediol.eu/data/fatty%20acids.pdf

5. Schwingshackl, Lukas and Sabrina Schlesinger. “Coconut Oil and Cardiovascular Disease Risk.” Current Atherosclerosis Reports. March 27, 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10182109/