How to use oil in hair care - The Ultimate Comprehensive Guide

Hellos! This is once more a specially requested article dedicated to a friend on a comprehensive guide on how to properly use oil on your hair. Here I’ll tell you all you need to know. It’s deep but I’ll tell you most of it. It took me days to write it so readers out there, better appreciate it's length ha ha. All or nothing. A long post. Let the interesting talk begin ^_^ 

Oils contain a good amount of nutrients, vitamins but most importantly essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids (also can be seen noted as EFAs) are called essential because our body does not produce them yet they are very essential.Oils are chocked with fatty acids, some of which our body can produce on its own. Now to make you understand better let’s make this distinction. There are two categories of fatty acids. Essential and non essential. Our bodies can synthesize non essential fatty acids while it can’t synthesize, essential fatty acids and that’s what make the difference. We won’t dive deep into those but the most important part is most oils contain EFAs those are omega 3 and omega 6. Our hair is also composed apart from the protein and other things we know by an amount of ceramides which is an oil substance that rich in EFAs. That’s why you see products that say contains ‘ceramides’. The work of ceramides is to seal the scales of the hair cuticle, help in the avoidance of moisture loss and also aid in the maintenance of the hair moisture. Therefore it’s beneficial to use oil for both your hair and scalp. In this category I also add butters (example. Coconut butter, cocoa butter and more) since when you melt a butter it becomes an oil.

Now here is my concept on the cases of how you should be wise when using oil.





I've seen people frying their hair when in fact the use itfor supposedly protection.

Error #1 – The one that makes you cringe: D

~* USING OIL AS A HEAT PROTECTANT *~

Yep exactly. We have heardit all isn’t it? Oil as a heat protectant , a dose of Crisco or anothershortening/butter on the hair beforeflat ironing/pressing the hair giving excellent results. Everyone lovesexcellent result but there is a trap in this technique that *hurts*, Ouch.

We know we use oil and heat to fry things so why wouldn’toil and a heat tool fry your hair?! Whatever oil it is that is alarming. Andway more the Crisco hair story. I don’t think anyone wants to fry their hair.Yes heat utensils fry the hair already when misused but when you add and oil.You get the job faster.

In all those things there is one solution, I believe.Something that makes a difference. In my humble opinion it’s the boiling point let me better say smoke point of the oil. If the oil you use has a smoke point of 350F (~= 177 C) let’s call that the famous coconut oil that many like to use for this. In this case a shortening as Crisco is better since most vegetable shortenings have smoking point of 360F (~=182 C). And you flatiron your hair with a temperature of 380F (~=193 C) you are calling for trouble. Let me restate it, you are in trouble already. Because the oil would reach its smoke point and fry your hair in no time. Not to talk about the burnt after smell ( that is caused for various reasons it does not necessarily mean that your hair is burnt when you have a burnt smell on your hair after usage of heat tools). Yep. We definitely don’t want that. The effects might not be evident from one use but overtime when your hair starts getting brittle or the like, you would wonder why. So now we have learned our lesson. So I’ll list Glorious Angel /my, lessons

LESSON NO.1 – Check out smoking point of the oil if you  are to use as heat protectant. The smoking point should be above the temperature of your heat tool. It's always safe to use a 'heat ' protectant. Heat protectants don't offer 100% protection but since they are designed for that task better be safe as far as they go instead.

YOUR HELPING TOOLS:

-A basic oil smoke point chart:

Smoking point chart reference

You might like to have that in handy for your cooking too.To help maintain the nutrients in those oils while you are cooking. Also for when warming an oil for a ‘hot oil’treatment in order to not deplete its goodness. We play it smart. #BeautyBookworms <- 

Error #2 – Oily hair; Oil on the Hair

This error is simple. It applies with oily beauty products too. People with oily hair should either avoid oil altogether or use a very light oil only on their ends if they are dry. This also applies to very fine hair.

LESSON NO.2

People with oily hair should read this ->

What should people with oily hair know

Error #3 – Feeding dandruff? Hmm. Okay.

This is for those suffering with dandruff caused by a yeast-like fungus called Malassezia. That fungus causes some cases of dandruff when it’s percentage over grows the normal amount. It feeds on fatty acids found in oily substances such as sebum (oily substance produced by your scalp). So if you want to make a malassezia caused dandruff worse use oil … You better not.

LESSON NO.3

No oil should be applied on the scalp of someone with malassezia caused dandruff . Also if having an allergy on a specific oil, avoid it.

Those three lessons are about enough to know. Let’s move on.

How do I believe an oil should be used?

My answer is 2 ways.

1. Internally

2. Externally

Oils contain lots of vitamins, EFAs and many additional benefits along with helping with fat soluble vitamins. Oils are incorporated in your daily diet, as dressing on salads, cooking and more. Take note that some nuts, vegetables, fishes and the alike contains natural source of fatty acids.

2. EXTERNALLY

-As hot oil treatment which I might write more oflater. I consider a hot oil treatment apre-poo. So follow it’s instructions for it here: How to pre poo

but leave it on for an hour and warm (not scold make sure it does not burn to the touch if you can’t make sure of that then don’t do it) the oil before application.

-As a oil treatment. What I call oil treatment is the oiling process that I talk in the article of Indian hair regime there the oil isn’t warmed. Left for an hour or better for a day/night

-Oil Rinsing. Oil rinsing in short is applying the oil after you have rinsed out your conditioner on damp hair then detangle with a wide tooth comb gently and rinse. That should be done only for people with very dry curly hair. Various techniques are to oil rinsing this is one of the ways. Make sure to not slip if you shampoo/condition and oil rinse while showering. No one wants a roller coaster adventure on shower so keep it safe and do it out of your shower/bath tub.

Glorious Angels final tips/trick:

No natural oil is useless. Some can’t be absorbed by thehair or skin due to it’s formation. Follow this pattern for those.

A. Penetrating Oils: Use as a leave in, hair treatment /pre poo

B. Non penetrating oils : Use on ends very lightly to help reduce friction, styling product for shine and temporal ‘seal in’ to damp hair before it dries.

NOTES:

* If you are allergic to an oil it's simple....DON"T USE IT :) No test and try for such situations.

*Oils are slippery on floors, showers ... and like to stain so use them wisely.

*Some oils like ‘essential oils’ can be diluted with normal carrier oils such as olive,coconut et cetera and add extra benefits since they are potent like anti-fungal properties, stimulation... Some are to be avoided by pregnant women, people with high blood pressure and more so before attempting using essential oils make sure you ask a specialist and they are safe for you.

*When applying the oil. Work it into your hair. Don’t just apply it and leave it on. Work it on your hair by gently squeezing, twisting it in for 1-2 minutes. The minutes actually don’t matter as much since each hair differs but I’m just giving it some time for those who might need a time frame.

*If you don’t know where to start from you can start for penetrative oils with: cold pressed coconut oil is one scientifically proven to absorb. So start with that but it's considered comedogenic (pore clogging) so use it mostly on your hair if it makes your scalp/skin break out or use olive oil instead. Oils like almond, olive, jojoba take longer to penetrate so such oils are in-between penetrating and non according to how long they are left on but there is no special evidence on it yet. For non or maybe penetrating oils you can start with sunflower oil, wheat germ oil which is also rich in ceramides. One of the oils i like is said to not absorb but if i feel my hair responds well to it i use it anyway but for temporal 'seal in' as i noted usually. Most oils in general are not tested yet for penetration so if argan oil or any oil works for you then go ahead.

*  How much to  use? When using as a leave in use little to not be oily to the touch except you  don't mind. But when used as a rinse out then you are to drench your strands in the oil. (Not to the extent of dripping though.) Wear a top you don't mind messing up since the process can be messy.

*How to wash. To wash it out one thing you should surely use is very warm water. Not hot but warm. That helps with the oil removal. This rule is not to be followed by those with oily hair though, for the reasons that are said in the article for oily hair. Also shampooing two times or more might help. Those who want to attempt co - washing after a rinse out oil treatment should only be those with very dry, porous and thick hair or else you would end up with super oily hair. To avoid that opt to shampoo.

These are most things you have to know about oils. I’m happy you enjoyed reading my article.

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What is your favorite oil produced by nature ?

Have a great day!

-Glorious Angel