A Hair Oil By Way of A 900-Year Old Monastery

As a longtime beauty editor with fine hair (on the thinner side) — years of bleaching, UV exposure and heat styling have taken their toll. Although I’ve always held great interest in pre-shampoo hair oils, I’ve found most of them leave my hair greasy, even after a good scrub and detox shampooing.

That’s until Najeau Follicle Drops appeared.

A beauty brand rooted in tradition and sustainability, Najeau also ensures not only superior farming practices and ingredients, but giving back to the Lebanese community from where co-founder Nina Kairouz hails.

Although scalp oils can be hit or miss in my personal opinion, Najeau’s were specifically designed for those with fine, dry and/or damaged hair. When I found out these drops, unlike most other scalp oils, were specifically designed with those similar-type strands – but works equally well on all hair types – I was decidedly interested.

According to Kairouz, Follicle Drops hydrate and nourish the scalp, increase blood flow to the hair bulb and follicle, and stimulate hair growth. They also help prevent breakage and restore the scalp’s natural pH balance for glossy, hydrated strands. With a natural, botanical scent, using the Follicle Drops doesn’t just add a step in your hair care routine — it’s also a downright ritual in itself. The co-founders believe it’s an experience to embrace self-love and dedication to your wellness routine.

“The ancient practice of hair oiling turned out to be the missing piece [in my hair routine] I had been searching for,” said Kairouz. “It allowed me to provide my scalp with the same level of care and attention that I give to my facial skin.”

What they’ve created is a circular ecosystem in hair wellness, in which they specifically use zero-waste, regenerative farming techniques, ingredients used by Lebanese women for centuries, and commit to giving back to the Lebanese community for a full 360-degree approach to hair wellness.


When Nina became a Beverly Hills-based hair colorist and stylist over 15 years ago, she found salons often missing one key product near and dear to her heart: A pre-shampoo scalp oil. Her goal? To treat the skin on the scalp while also stimulating blood flow to encourage hair growth while also serving as the first step in your hair care routine.

Najeau’s circular ecosystem of hair wellness starts in Lebanon, where Kairouz uses regenerative farming practices to ensure effective ingredients that are sustainably harvested, with their liquid gold, their Olive Oil, always remaining front and center.

Everything starts with olive oil, which is featured in nearly every product in the collection. Cold-pressed and single-origin from Lebanon, the nutrient-rich oil is sourced from the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Qadisha Valley.

Additionally, the Najeau team provides subsidized and free services each month to the vulnerable population in Beirut to achieve a true circular approach. The monthly donations are specifically siphoned to Serving Hearts and the nuns and children of The Dispensaire Intracommunautaire in Nabaa.

If you’ve been on social media lately, you might have learned about double cleansing, a two-step skincare routine that leaves you ultra fresh-faced. The idea is to start with an oil-based cleanser, and then follow with a foaming wash or something similar. Turns out our scalp needs the same kind of approach.

It’s easy to be skeptical — after all, your scalp produces sebum which requires regular cleaning, particularly at the roots. But just like your first face cleanse, oil removes oil. A cleansing balm or liquid oil cleanser is what’s known as lipophilic, meaning it is attracted to other oils — just like the sebum your skin naturally produces. In turn, a pre-shampoo scalp oil works similarly, helping to lift grime, excess sebum, and the effects of pollution before you step in the shower.

“Our scalp is skin too, and we should make sure to give it as much care as we do our skin,” says Kairouz. “Therefore, it’s important to clean the scalp correctly, so your hair can actually grow on ‘healthy soil’ without stripping the natural biome.”

I never knew scalp oil served as a first cleanse, which significantly changes the game on showering from now on. And given Najeau’s creation of the circular ecosystem of hair wellness, consider me their new biggest fan.