The Secret Behind Hunza Women's Hair (And How You Can Follow It)
by Mysticare Team on Jun 03, 2026
Every few months, videos of women from the Hunza Valley with long, thick, shiny hair go viral again. Hunza, in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan's far north, has long been admired for the health of its people, and their hair is part of that story.
So what is the secret? It isn't one magic ingredient. It's a combination of simple habits: weekly oiling with local oils, gentle washing, a nourishing diet and protecting hair from the elements. The good news is that you can bring most of these habits into city life.
In this guide:
- Where is Hunza?
- The Hunza hair care ritual
- Traditional Hunza ingredients
- Why city hair struggles
- Your Hunza-inspired routine
- FAQs
Where is Hunza?
The Hunza Valley sits in Gilgit-Baltistan, surrounded by some of the world's highest mountains, including Rakaposhi and Ultar Sar. Life there has traditionally meant clean mountain air, glacier-fed water, walking and outdoor work, and a diet built around apricots, walnuts, mulberries, whole grains and fresh produce. Mysticare is based in Aliabad, Hunza, and our products are inspired by this heritage.
The Hunza hair care ritual
1. Weekly oiling with warm oil
Long before oiling became a social media trend, women in Hunza oiled their hair every week. The oil is warmed, massaged into the scalp for 10–15 minutes, smoothed through the lengths, and often left overnight before washing. It's simple and consistent, and it's done as a routine rather than when there's already a problem.
2. Gentle washing, not too often
Traditional hair care used plant-based cleansers such as reetha (soapnut) and shikakai, which clean without stripping the scalp the way strong detergents do. Hair wasn't washed every day, so its natural oils weren't constantly being washed away.
3. A diet that feeds hair
Apricots, walnuts, mulberries, dairy, whole grains and vegetables provide protein, healthy fats, iron, zinc and vitamins, all of which hair needs to grow. Hair reflects what you eat.
4. Protection from sun, wind and cold
Covering hair with a dupatta or scarf protects it from harsh mountain sun and dry wind. That's a useful habit in Pakistani cities too, against summer sun and dust.
5. Patience
Hair care in Hunza is a weekly ritual passed from mother to daughter, not a quick fix. The results come from years of consistency.
Traditional Hunza ingredients
- Apricot kernel oil (khubani ka tail): Hunza is famous for its apricots, and oil from the kernels has long been used on hair and skin. It's light and rich in oleic acid and vitamin E, which soften and condition hair.
- Walnut oil: walnuts grow widely in Hunza; the oil is rich in fatty acids and traditionally used to nourish hair.
- Sea buckthorn: a hardy berry of the northern mountains, rich in omega fatty acids.
- Herbal cleansers: reetha and shikakai for gentle washing; amla for strengthening.
Our Mysticare Customized Hair Oil brings these together: sea buckthorn, apricot kernel and walnut oils with argan, almond, jojoba, vitamin E, aloe vera, amla, shikakai, reetha, baal jhar, rosemary, lavender and tea tree.
Why city hair struggles
Most of us live very differently from traditional Hunza life. In Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and other cities, hair deals with:
- Hard water that leaves hair dry, rough and brittle
- Harsh, sulfate-based shampoos used too often (see are sulfates causing your hair fall?)
- Heat, humidity, dust and pollution
- Heat styling and chemical treatments
- Stress and diets low in iron and protein
The result is the hair fall, dryness and dandruff so many people here are fighting. Our complete hair fall guide covers every cause in detail.
Your Hunza-inspired routine
- Oil 2–3 times a week. Warm the oil, massage it into your scalp for 5–10 minutes, and leave it for at least an hour (overnight for dry hair). Raat ko lagao, subah dho lo.
- Wash gently, 2–3 times a week. Use a sulfate-free shampoo with reetha, shikakai and amla and lukewarm water.
- Add a herbal scalp treatment. On nights you don't oil, massage 3–5 ml of Mysticare Hair Serum (bhringraj, amla, neem, tulsi) into your scalp and wash it out the next morning.
- Eat like Hunza. Add apricots, walnuts, eggs, daal, yogurt and leafy greens, and drink enough water.
- Protect your hair. Cover it in strong sun and dust, limit heat styling, and avoid tight hairstyles.
- Stay consistent for at least 2–3 months.
The Mysticare Complete Hair Kit includes the oil, shampoo and serum for this routine. For a full schedule, see our step-by-step hair care routine.
What our customers say
Customer reviews on our hair oil page describe what consistent use can look like: one customer who has used the oil twice a week reported less hair fall, smoother and shinier hair, and new baby hairs. Another, with 2b–2c curls, found the oil light but moisturising and her curls much more manageable in humid weather.
Frequently asked questions
Which oil do Hunza women use for their hair?
Apricot kernel oil is the best-known traditional oil in Hunza, along with walnut oil and other local plant oils, usually massaged in weekly and left overnight.
Is apricot oil good for hair?
Apricot kernel oil is a light oil rich in oleic acid and vitamin E. It conditions and softens hair and suits most hair types, including fine hair that gets weighed down by heavy oils.
Can I get Hunza-like hair living in a city?
Genetics play a part, but the habits behind healthy Hunza hair — regular oiling, gentle washing, good food and protecting hair — work anywhere. Consistency matters more than any single product.
Roman Urdu mein khulasa
Hunza ki aurton ke khoobsurat baalon ka raaz koi jaadu nahi, balke saadi aadatein hain: har hafte garam tel (khaas taur par khubani ka tail) se scalp ki maalish, reetha aur shikakai jaisi naram cheezon se baal dhona, roz nahi balke hafte mein 2–3 baar, khubani, akhrot aur sehatmand khana, aur dhoop aur dhool se baalon ko dupatte se bachana. Shehar mein rehte hue bhi yahi routine apnayi ja sakti hai. Bas kam az kam 2–3 mahine lagatar karein.
