Oiling Tutorials
(This was written by Heidi W., I edited a bit to make it suitable for this section)

Why should you oil your hair?
Fundamentally, there are only 3 products, I believe, that anyone needs: shampoo, conditioner and oil. There are only a few basic tools needed: a wide toothed comb, a regular toothed comb and a boar bristle brush.

People's choices do vary as to what works for their hair, and only time and some experimentation will reveal exactly the right combination of products, tools will work for your hair type.

What matters most when requesting advise, for future reference, is type of hair (straight, curly, wavy, frizzy, and texture: thick, medium, fine extra fine) and hair care: products, how detangle, how wash, how one dries their hair.

Oiling is a fabulous way to keep the moisture content high all the way to the tips, and works best in combination with other details. It is the combination of the details that creates beautiful hair:
Excellent detangling.
Proper washing. Do not pile hair on your head.
Good quality products in shampoo and conditioner choices.
High quality detangling tools such as horn combs with no burrs and seams.
Oiling and dusting
Wearing hair contained for the most part (updos, braids),
Sleeping on a smooth surface pillowcase such as a satin pillowcase---even braiding or bunning hair at night.There are a variety of oil choices...the two main ones tend to be Jojoba Oil, and Coconut Oil. Most here do use Jojoba Oil, but I prefer Coconut Oil for my knee length, straight and quite fine hair. I like a heavier oil to provide a protective coating to my very fine hair (indeed, hold one single strand up and it's nearly invisible in the light). HobaCare is a very high quality oil that is cold expeller pressed exactly once. When shopping for Jojoba Oil, look for an oil that is golden in color yet quite clear and rather see-through. There's many that are muddier in their color and a tad murky looking to appear through with a duller golden hue.

The Coconut Oil I choose is by Spectrum Naturals (http://www.spectrumorganics.com/?id=87), pressed specifically for hair and skin use. It comes as a solid in a 5 oz. jar, and because it's solid, is easy to figure out the right amount for your hair type and length. You can choose other oils such as Sweet Almond Oil. I know of one person who uses vegetable oil (she didn't say which brand) achieving beautiful results; however, I have been advised that many such oils are pressed differently (two or more times) to withstand high heat (for frying and such) and thus, the acid content is higher. In days of yore (and likely still) other cultures have used olive oil; however, it tends to be rather heavy and is pressed differently for sustaining high temperatures (and not breaking down). Oils such as flax seed oil are not intended for hair use although they are not pressed to sustain high heat.

How to oil your hair?
To oil the hair is quite easy. Take a small amount of oil, perhaps 2 drops, or if scraping a solid such as coconut oil, barely a fingernail full and rub between the palms to warm and melt a bit. There should be a very sheer layer of oil on the palms as a result--barely discernable except for the shine or reflection in the light. Then apply the oil to pre-washed, already fully dry and detangled hair. Apply only from the earlobes on down. Do not apply to scalp hair to leave on for days as this will upset your pH balance of the acid mantle (the scalp skin). Set the palms on either side of the hair length on one side and simply downstroke through the hair. Then repeat on the other side. Those with thick hair or wavy/curly hair need to separate the hair more to get more at the deeper inward layers to get some oil there.

This oil is then left in as the leave-in conditioner and not removed until the next hair washing (which we recommend to attempt to do around twice a week at best). Remember, scalp hair needs to be washed; typically the length does not. The idea is to allow oils to build up that is produced naturally from the sebacious glands (on the scalp) and then distribute these oils, and probably applying some more oil to the length, to more evenly distribute the oil. To distribute the oil, this is where a Boar Bristle Brush (BBB) enters the picture.

A BBB is not intended as a detangling tool and it should not be used on wet hair. A BBB can cause damage if there's a tangle or wet hair...and it also shouldn't be used if the hair is not in overall good health, such as suffering from excess frizz, excess flyaway, a fair amount of damage still, damage from perm/coloring... However, a BBB can be used once the hair is stabilized in its basic strength and integrity to move the oils around. Unlike a detangling tool which is used bottom to top, the BBB is used, generally, top to bottom. If one encounters a tangle, switch back to a comb to work it out. I switch back and forth frequently. A BBB does not penetrate the thickness of one's hair so it must be used topside and underside, separately, and this is where the 100 strokes likely derives from. A lot of strokes to work in that oil. A BBB does cause fullness of the hair but this is easily calmed by following with a downstroke of the palm.

If you're preparing for a hair wash, it is then OK to put some oil on the scalp hair (although you probably won't need it b/c the reason to wash the hair is there's an excess of buildup of oil on the scalp). You can also oil length heavily on purpose prior to a hair wash.

When oiling to leave in, a small amount goes a long way! So be conservative. You can always add more, even a day or so later, you can add more as needed. But it's easy to do too much: if the hair sections a bit or looks a tad greasy-ish, then you put in too much. Hair readily absorbs the oil. It does not rub off on clothing or linens. However, you may find you need to change your pillowcase a little more often nevertheless because of some very fine acne along the hairline (typical for some of us who go an extra day without a hair wash). With a little experimentation, you will find the right number of days to skip to build up oil and create a beautiful healthy shine and increase elasticity of the hair in due time.

In my opinion, there are no down sides to oiling: only benefits. Curly hair people will like it for the weight it imparts showing off the pattern of the curls; increases moisture content; provides a protective layer against damage such as splits and so forth; the weight helps the hair to move as one body (very appealing to the eye); frizz concerns are reduced; brittleness & dryness cease; and the hues of one hair color come forward resulting in a beautiful sheen that catches the light in interesting ways; and finally, the hair becomes supremely soft.

Oiling should be done consistently after each hair wash as a leave in conditioner. It is the consistency that matters most--not doing it once every so often.

Then there are those who smooth a generous amount of oil over hair length as a pre-wash treatment to be left in overnight. This is an exellent way to nourish hair and prevent protein loss. Particularly coconut oil has being proven (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12715094&dopt=Abstract) to "reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product." Applied oil is easily washed out in your next hair wash.

There are those who like to put it in a spritzer bottle diluting it in water & applying after a fresh wash yet while the hair is still wet. This is fine if that works for you; however, do know, that the oil does not "capture" water to stay on the hair. Oil, especially Jojoba, is meant to mimic the natural oils produced by the sebacious glands. This oil is called "sebum" and has a waxy texture (you may note that when your hair oil builds up on the scalp that you can then remove what feels like a soft rolled bead...that is sebum.) This waxy medium is the protection for hair and the reason hair shines. Frequent washing removes this and also causes excess build up in a day or so. You can train yourself and your scalp to change its rate of production over the course of a month or so.

So, give it a whirl. Remember that you will have to do it around 2 times before you get the hang of it and find the right amount for you. A little really does go a long way. You can fan your hair out on a soft cotton sheet and oil that way if you like - I find this method gets to more of the individual strands then.

Where do I buy oils?
Oils can be found in locals stores such as
Aromatherapy stores
Organic or whole food stores in beauty section.
Some vitamin stores.
Some high end grocery store.Online merchants such as:
Mountain Rose Herbs (http://mountainroseherbs.com/): Highly recommended, my experience: Smooth transaction, fast shipping, clear instructions.
Garden of Wisdom: (http://www.gardenofwisdom.com/home.html) Reasonably priced, with a very good selection of oils, butters and herbs. Recommended.
Nature's Wild Child (http://www.natureswildchild.com/): I love their divine virgin coconut oil and creamy shea butter. Will order again.
From Nature with Love (http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/): Another comprehensive site offering herbs, oils and butters.
Majestic Mountain Sage (http://www.thesage.com/): No frills design, simple yet elegant navigation. Comprehensive catalog.
Hoba Care (https://www.jojobacompany.com/SHOPPING%20FILES/shoppingframeset.asp): High quality jojoba oil pressed exactly once. Rich golden in color.
Essential Wholesale (http://www.essentialwholesale.com/): Has some pretty interesting and rare oils in stock, sales in bulk, cheaper per unit price I assume. They also have very economical make-up that lasts forever.
Oils by Nature (http://www.oilsbynature.com/products.asp): Nice site design, comprehensive listing.
Camden Grey (http://www.camdengrey.com/): A dizzying array of essential oils, vegetable oils, butters and more.
The Gourmet Rose (http://stores.ebay.com/THE-GOURMET-ROSE_OILS-BUTTERS-VEG-GLYCERIN_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfsubZ4547639QQftidZ2QQt Zkm): Ebay store selling oils and butters.
Gaia Basics (http://stores.ebay.com/GaiaBasics_Base-Carrier-Luxury-Oils_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ1872538QQftidZ2QQtZkm) : Same as above.
Scent works (http://store.scent-works.com/buoiwa.html): A variety of products to choose from.
Pure essentials (http://www.pureessentialoils.com/bulk_essential_oils.asp?cat=30): Located in Canada, very exhaustive listing of oils and butters. A word of caution: My 8oz unrefined coconut oil, used generously on my thick tailbone-length hair, lasts *at least* half a year. So be prudent when buying oils: When uncertian, buy in small quantities only. A 2oz jar of oil is sufficient to last at least one month. Yes, I know temptation is hard to resist when you want to try every kind of oil! But do remember, some oils (except coconut oil and jojoba oil) go rancid rather quickly, so choose wisely. Refrain from buying more than 8oz of oil at a time unless you are certain you are going to use it.

Other common oil choices besides coconut and jojoba:
Avocado oil
Broccoli seed oil
Evening Primrose oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Sweet almond oil
Good oil, bad oil (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=56288) thread contains helpful info on people's experiences with various oils.The oils we're speaking of are not salad dressing or cooking oils: they are carrier oils--the kind that "essential" oils are diluted in. (Essential oils are scented oils such as rosemary, grapefruit, geranium rose and rose and these scented oils must be diluted in jojoba or some other similar carrier oil because if applied to the skin in full strength, a reaction can occur...including a blood stream issue for those who are more sensitive. Also those who are pregnant or sun sensitive should really read up on essential oil use to be able to protect themselves properly. Not all oils are hair friendly, either. But the ones I named above are OK for hair. Simplers offers a booklet/pamphlet if you purchase one of their oils to get a quick overview of the whole scoop with essential oils. You can also type into a search engine, "essential oils" online and find a plethora of information on the internet.)

You can mix one or two drops with your jojoba or coconut oil to scent your hair with. Do change the amount of jojoba (or whatever your choice) to accommodate this addition so as not to over-oil your hair in one sitting. (In a way, there's no such thing as too much oil over the course of, say, a week, but in one sitting it can be too much.) Also, I notice that when I apply more to my palms for the next application (I do about 6 applications to get all of my hair length, 3 each side) that there's a bit of buildup on my palms, so sometimes I have to pat my palms on a paper towel to remove excess so as not to apply too much oil to that section of hair.

Well, hope this helps you out, and Happy Oiling! And again, we hope to see more of you. Do let us know how your oiling goes!

Heidi W.

Thankyou Heidi. Very helpful information for beginners like me.

Thank you! This is one of my favorite articles.

Thanks Heidi. The information is very helpful.

Wow.....Thank you very much for your valuable information....:flowers:

I just started oiling my hair a few weeks ago (coconut prewashing and jojoba post washing). So far, I absolutely love the results, especially during the cold Minnesota winter. This guide and the tips are very helpful. Thanks.

Nice article, Heidi.

One thing that I like is that when I over-oil, I can throw my hair into a braid or a bun for the day. Often by the next day, the oil has absorbed more, so that my hair no longer looks particularly greasy.

The best article on oiling, ever!

Ah! This article is brilliant... invaluable!
Thank you so much.

Ah, this answers some questions I had about oil (!) in my hair. This makes much more sense now. Thank you for writing this up!

Thank you !!! I got a better understanding of how to use essential oils ......I am new in this site and i am so exited because you are really amazing and give very good advices.

WOW!
I oiled my hair for the first time ever tonight.
I am truly amazed with the outcome. My hair looks shiny and feels so smooth.
I was worried that it would look really greasy and yucky but it doesn't.

Most important statement:
When oiling to leave in, a small amount goes a long way! So be conservative.

Although coconut oil does not easily go rancid, it can do if it isn't treated properly or stored correctly. Mine did!
Store in a cool place with the lid tighly sealed, I've started transferring some into small (thoroughly washed and dried) tins or jars to use as I need.
Seriously, rancid coconut oil is not nice.:silly:

Thank you Heidi ^_^ this is very informative for newbies' like me ^_^

I have just started using Coconut Oil and bought the 14 oz tub of Nature's Way E***old Coconut Oil Organic Pure Extra Virgin, Do I need to keep it in the fridge to keep it from going rancid???
Thanks for the tutorial Heidi.

I dont believe it needs to be kept in the fridge, just somewhere it can't melt and solidify repeatedly. I kept leaving the lid off mine which probably didn't help it at all.

@heidi Thanks for this great article on oiling!

In the past I didnīt have success with oiling. It was always too heavy for my fine hair.

For two-three weeks Iīm using a leave-in like Foxīs Sheabutter conditioning cream. It consists of cocoa, shea and mango butter (used a massage bar from Lush), some conditioner and jojoba oil and that works for me.

I guess, it works so well for me, because itīs quite solid and easier to take really just a bit. I find it a bit difficult to get out of an oil bottle really just a tiny drop. Maybe oil as a leave-in would also work without the condi?

In the future I also want to try macadamia oil and I might try a pure oiling.

Thanks for the information...I'm a newbie, so this is very helpful as I try different things. I will certainly be using this knowledge for my haircare.

Another great article... I"m off to find coconut oil today!

I can't wait to find some coconut oil to try this.

Very informative! :rockerdud

Seems I use too much oil everytime I have tried in the past. Which I guess shouldn't surprise me. :rolleyes:

Thank you, this was super-helpful to a newbie!

Woo-Hoo! This was wonderfully done. Great job. Thank you.

wicked tutorial! :rockerdud:

Wow, that was great information! I swear my ends just got twice as healthy with a single drop of extra virgin olive oil. I may have to go out and look for coconut oil tomorrow.

Great! Thanks Heidi; I was wondering about hair oiling and this is all I need to know! I have some avocado oil, which I bought as a base for EOs for massage purposes. I also have some Evening Primrose Oil capsules--if I broke one open, would that oil be suitable to use? I've heard of people pricking capsules to use Vitamin E on hair.

How do other wavies oil their hair ?

If I wait for my hair to dry and than stroking the oil onto it, I do disturb my waves ! I also have do seperate my hair a bit to distrubute the oil more or less evenly.

Any suggestions ?

Great article Heidi !

Great!:) I'm printing this article right now! Just love it:) *runs of to buy oil*

Thanks for writing it! Itīs really helps! =D

Yay! Another new trick to try! I think i'm going to try with olive oil first... then move on to coconut if it goes well.
I'll let u know how it turns out on my mane!

Thank you for sharing.. i use oliveoil really goody!!:agree:

Thanks for the tutorial, I've just bought some coconut oil but was wondering what way would be best to use it so I will definitely be coming back to this thread again and again.

Book-Worm

I have been oiling my hair daily and this article has given me more ideas on different types of oil I can try. Thanks for the listing of PLACES to buy as well. All is very valuable information.

Brilliant article.
Teri

Great article, thanks. fyi coconut oil is equally as good for your skin too! and if you are feeling depleted its good to cook with. and it makes baked goods lucious and fluffy.

Very informative! Thank you.

im finally beginning to understand the world of oils!

thanks so much:disco:

now all i have to do is convince my mom that i need a bottle of coconut oil, for my hair! LOL. wish me luck!

oh, and do you keep it in the fridge?

good news!

i tried light virgin olive oil, about an hour ago, on my washed hair. it feels great right now! definitely lessened the frizziness.

i really want to get some jojoba or coconut oil now!

i got this recipe from one of my magazines[Cosmogirl!].
i havnt tried it yet, but i'll tell you if i like it!

Cucumber Hair Treatment
- makes hair shiny and soft

You'll need:
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 of a peeled cucumber [chopped]

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Apply to wet hair [before shampooing]. Wait 10 minutes, rinse out, then shampoo and condition.

because we don't have any cucumber's i can't try it yet :-(

For fine and wavy hair try a tiny bit of shea butter (Fox's recipe) or jojoba oil. I an thrilled that natural products work so well. It was just a matter of finding the right oils for my hair type. Hair is getting better and better.

Thank you Heidi - I just copied this to study!

I started oiling my hair in highschool, but have gotten out of the habit over the last 5 or 6 years.

I must say I was seriously considering chopping my hair off again when I found this site. All of you have renewed my love of longer hair.

I' will be going out later today to Wholefoods and will look for a carrier oil to add to my hair care regime. Thanks for this how too. (I was NOT doing this correctly in my school days :rolleyes:)

You can also buy coconut oil at Indian grocery stores. And thanks for the tutorial! It's very helpful.:flowers:

Thank you so much Heidi for this information - I bought some jojoba oil and the Spectrum coconut oil this weekend and have yet to use it. I am starting off slowly with the conditioning only wash. I'm a newbie - of course!

Thanks again!

oohhhh!!! Have just seen this and it is very informative, Thank You!

Thank you for the very detailed information. I now feel more brave and confident about trying this with my hair.

This was so helpful!! I'm new and I had been using a bit of olive oil before but after I read this I got so jojoba oil, and what a difference!! My previously dry ends are now silky soft, and I have less frizzies than ever before - thank you!

Thanks so much for the great info! Can't wait to try oiling!

Thank you so much, this is very helpful for the oiling virgin :-)
Now to search where to buy coconutoil in this country.
Do you perhaps know if Lush sells something similar to (hair)oil which can be used?

Interesting and easy to understand all, many details. Thank you!

Is oiling your hair when it's wet bad? Because that's how I've always done it.

Now I understand. Thank you very much!

thanks for the info. quick question. in a solid waxy form coconut oil product i found called, SUPER GROW (about $5 in Walgreens) one ingredient was petroleum.
will this compromise the benefits of oiling? is petro something i really want in my hair?

Is oiling your hair when it's wet bad? Because that's how I've always done it.
I don't think so - in fact, oil works best when it has some moisture to seal into the hair, so oiling wet hair is good. That's what I do, usually.

Thanks for the tutorial Heidi. Also the Trader Joe's in my area sold small 4 fl. oz./118 mL bottles of Jojoba Oil. Does Jojoba Oil go rancid, if so when does it start going bad?

This is just the article I needed to help me decide what/how to help my hair even more! Love all the online links of where to buy these oils!

This is superbly informative. Thankyou!

I just oiled with some Jojoba...VERY NICE!! Thanks for the "how to."

I hennaed my hair for the first time last week and its still feeling pretty rough when I wash it. Your article on oiling is very informative. I'm going to try leaving coconut oil on overnight tonight. I'll keep you all posted on the results :o)

Results as promised: I shampooed the coconut oil out this morning and it was hard to tell what result if any that it had had whilst my hair was wet because it didnt feel "conditioned" like a normal conditioner makes it feel. Anyway, I have left it to dry naturally and the results are excellent....
I have curly hair which is prone to frizzing. Usually it only looks long when it's wet and as it dries it gets shorter and shorter, but now it has kept a lot of its length and feels so soft! It has a lot more shine to it too! Im looking forward to my man getting home to see if he notices the difference - that'll really put it to the test because he doesnt notice much! lol
Next time I plan on using the coconut oil on my dry hair. One thing's for sure - i'm totally converted to oiling now. Wish i'd known about it years ago.
Thanks Heidi for such a great article.

After reading this wonderful article I'm going to give oiling a try!

Amazingly helpful information! I was just wondering too where I can get these types of oils from. Thank you for the tips!

Fantastic tutorial! I have wondered how, when, etc., to oil my hair. Great information! Thanks for sharing with a newbie.

Stacie:joy:

Im new here too. I started oiling my hair after reading Heidi's article and am still experimenting with different oils.
I buy creamed coconut at the local food store for making curries etc. and when I open a pack the oil, which has set and is hard, has always separated from the cream. I used to bin it but now I store it aside in a jar and use that on my hair to good effect. Double value for my money or what?!
I've also found that virgin olive oil is just as good (another kitchen cupboard staple lol). Still to try jojoba etc which you can buy at health stores, but seeing as Im getting such good results from the kitchen supplies I'm in no hurry.
Hope this helps :o)

Oh this is awesome thanks! But I still have some questions about the oil? What's the lightest oil that you would recommend? I don't want to add weight to my hair so I was just wondering. Also, how many times a week would you suggest oiling your hair? I have this Jojoba Hot Oil Treatment. That's not the same thing is it?

I'm no expert by any means, but it all depends on what type and condition your hair is - my hair is (or rather was :lol: ) very dry, so I've been oiling it lightly every day and twice a week I have been giving it a heavy oiling (overnight).
I plan to keep with this routine until my hair tells me to do otherwise - if it starts looking greasy or weighed down i'll cut back.
The same applies to types of oil to use - it's all a case of experimentation I think. What's great for one person might not suit another.
Personally, I think the jojoba hot oil treatment you have will have pretty much the same effect (I always warm the oil before applying), but it's probably an expensive way of doing it!

This may be horrible (I hope it isn't) but in a pinch I've used peanut oil on my very dry, VERY coarse hair with fantasic results!

For the hot oil treatment, it says to wash it off. Do I really need to or is it okay if I leave it in if I don't put alot?

A little bit of oilling makes so much of a diffrence.
After using jojoba-oil for some period of time i shall give coconut a try.

Thanks for this informative article!

Very imformative information for newbies and everyone. Thank you for sharing!

I just bought my first tub of oil (literally- tub). It's huge. But it will last me a long time. I got it at GNC- they only had one size.

It says it's unprocessed, unheated, raw coconut oil, so hopefully the quality is good.

I'll let everyone know how it goes tomorrow.

This is a great read!! Thanks

That is a very informative and easily understandable article! I plan to try out the Extra Virgin Olive Oil tonight (I already use it to remove my eye makeup so I have plenty to spare). Wish me luck guys!

Thank you so much for this article. I'll have to do some shopping for oils. Right now I have EVOO which I'll give a try and a blend of soybean oil, coconut oil, and vitamin E oil. I use this on my skin, but i'm a little hesitant to trying this on my hair because I haven't seen anything about the use of soybean oil on the hair. Is it ok to try?

I have been trying just straight EVOO and the improvement has been noticeable in just a couple of days!

Well I'm not too impressed with the oiling after the shower, my hair seems a bit crunchy and dry when I do that (even with just a little oil).

But I love love LOVE how my hair feels after an overnight oiling (did it last night for the first time). It made my hair soooo freaking soft it was unbelievable. Even before I conditioned.

Question: Does your hair adjust to oil? I mean, will my hair get softer and not as dry and crunchy if I keep at it oiling after every shower? Or should I just stick to doing the overnight oiling and then just use my leave-in that I love after washing (makes my hair all silky smooth!)

thanx for da lovely turtorial

Used the coconut oil last night before my CO wash and after...It made a HUGE difference in my hair...I'm so used to my hair being dried out and frizzy...It smoothed, softened and made my hair smell really good...I bought a bottle of jojoba oil today...I'll try it tonight when I braid my hair for sleeping...

I just bought a bottle of jojoba oil too. I added a few drops to the conditioner i was going to put in my hair after my wash. Then I used the leave in spray for defrizzing (which also has jojoba oil in it) that kimberlily has a thread on. It does take away frizz and my hair is very light and yet still soft.

I also use the coconut oil. I was using it as a leave in, but now that i made up a batch of the defrizz spray, I think I will use the coconut oil as a deep conditioning treatment.

I think that I'm finally brave enough to try oiling my hair. I have some extra virgin olive oil in my kitchen... Will this kind work, or do I have to have a special kind? I'm going to have to start saving some money to get some coconut or jojoba oil!

I have a couple questions.

After you smooth the oil through your hair with your hands, you are supposed to then use the boar-bristled brush?

Also, how often do you need to wash the BBB and what do you use to wash it? Shampoo?

Since I have been oiling correctly with jojoba oil, my hair looks and feels so much better!
It's much softer, smoother and the canopy looks and feels very soft and shiny.

Thanks so much!

Very nice article! Thank you for posting this info.

I have a small question; I regularly oil my hair (twice a day) with either jojoba or coconut oil on dry hair. I also use shea butter to alternate between these products.

Does the build-up produced by these oils (or shea) 'damage' the hair in any way? I'm afraid I'm suffocating the hair, or 'clogging' it in a way. This is because I rarely shampoo my length, I mostly condition it or wash with water or a bit of shampoo that runs down my length.

Great article btw, Heidi's done a great job. :)

TA!

Ashley. :flower:

well, your hair doesn't need to breathe as its dead material, but the oil coating could seal out moisture as well as it can seal moisture in.
but if your hair feels and looks good, just go on like usual.
if it feels dry (especially after you've washed, since while coated with oil it feels and looks glossier than it actually is), then lower the oiling frequency and thy to do the first oiling after a wash when your hair is still a bit moist, to seal that moisture in.
letting the suds from your scalp shampoo run through the length when rinsing should be sufficient to get most of those oils/butters you use out if you rinse in not to cool water and if you don't overdo the oilings in a manner that you look like an otter in an oil slick (o/o). also if your condish contains cetyl/cetearyl alcohol it has cleaning qualities too (thats why co works). There is no need to shampoo all your length if your hair isn't really dirty, o/o or in need of clarification.

apart from that, I can see no possible damage other than that to much oil can attract lint (like from fuzzy sweaters or scarfs) and that causes tangles that make combing/brushing difficult and subsequently can lead to breakage.

And yeah, the article is really great, isn't it? :agree:

ETA: Caution: do NOT use a BBB when you oil damp or wet hair! that could possibly damage your hair as it is weak when wet.
when I oil damp hair, I sometimes use a bbb in the morning as I wash in the evenings and hair as had time to dry overnight.
not everyone can use a bbb sucessfully and without damage, it depends on your hair. As a rule of thumb (so does not apply in every case) fine hair will not tolerate the physical manipulation included very well and the curlier the hair the easier it usually breaks and poofs when using a bbb. Everybody has to find out for your self, if your hair likes bbb'ing.

Thank you, Minnie May! :flower: I appreciate you for taking the time to reply and I will pay more attention to the amount of oil I apply.

Btw, your hair is extremely beautiful! So, so gorgeous.

I'm so glad I found this! I'm going to begin oiling my hair daily to keep my strands protected and protect my ends.

Thanks Heidi,

After Reading Thsi Article When I Was Still A Lurker I Learned To Oil My Hair And It Made A Huge Diffrence :-)

:) thanks Ashley, no prob!

oil is the best thing i have found for my hair coconut evoo and amla are the best things for my hair..it leaves my hair so nice and soft silky after shower and espesially when i do my over night soaks too!:D

I have a question. I've been wanting to get some coconut oil and try it out to see how my hair likes it. I think i want to get some from here:

http://www.gardenofwisdom.com/catalog/item/3987807/3778567.htm

Would this be the right kind? And 16oz is pretty big for just trying it out, so if anyone has bought a smaller amount of coconut oil before from somewhere else, i would love a link!

Thank you so much for the article! Exactly what I was looking for.

Great article. I'm new here and I've been reading about people oiling, but didn't know how to go about it or which oil to use for best results. Now I've all the answers!! I can't wait to give it a go.

Thank you so much for this article! I have printed it out for future reference. I currently oil my hair daily with Dabur Vatika Oil, which is a coconut oil base, and have experienced fabulous results :happydance:

Great article. I'm new here and I've been reading about people oiling, but didn't know how to go about it or which oil to use for best results. Now I've all the answers!! I can't wait to give it a go.

As someone who's about a month ahead of you, membership wise, I'd like to point out that you now have all the information. The answers, however are supplied by your hair's reaction to different oils and oiling methods. 8)

Apart from that, yes! It truly is a great article! Thanks Heidi, for giving us such ample information to work with. :flower:

My grocery store sells Sweet Almond Oil last i checked... but it's in with the salad dressings and such, does that mean it's not the same thing and that i shouldn't use it? There are a lot of different oils there, i know that there are a few that are listed above... and they arent too pricey i thought i would buy some this weekend, but not if they arent the right thing!

Thank you so much for the extremely informative "how to".

Don't know if this will help those on a budget, but I buy coconut oil in jars from my local Asian supermarket. It costs about £1 ($2) for 1 1lb sized jar. I buy it for soap making because it makes CP soaps lather really well. I may try it for oiling, but I'm going to try jojoba first because my skin really likes jojoba - I'm hoping my hair will!

Heidi, thanks for this article. It's really well written and clear. My hair's pretty puny and can get very flyaway in winter with central heating then cold outside. Looks like I joined LHC just in time this year!

Great tutorial. Indian/Asian markets are the best for picking up oils on the cheap - provided that there is some English lettering on the bottle, so you know what you're buying.

I've also read that coconut oil can actually penetrate the hair shaft to heal it. Maybe this is true of other saturated oils as well?

Wow, Heidi! What a wonderful tutorial! Thank you so much for posting it!:flowers:

I'm always a bit weary about oiling because when my hair is "too soft" - yet not overconditioned - my curls tend to have less definition so they become stringy and frizzy really fast and I feel the urge to wash it again, which is never good when I do it more than twice a week.

Thanks again! I rate your post a 10! http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/g0/claps.gif

Thanks a bunch for sharing. This is THE info I've been looking for.

I've been trying to find some information on oiling - I'm kind of a noob to haircare - and this was tons of help! Thank you!

I used to oil my hair, using sweet almond oil, but I was the only person I ever met who did it (country-girl) so after I got it layered I stopped. Somehow, as I had lost most of my "OH WOW"- thickness I also lost the thrill of taking care of my hair properly... I used to have a plat some 6,5 cm (2.55 inches) wide, and after the thinning out and layering it felt like a rat's tail...:(
After joining LHC I re-discovered this method, my hair feels better already, now I'm just waiting for the jojoba-oil I ordered. Let the oiling begin!

Whew. Sophie, I'm actually kinda glad to hear that I'm not the only one who uses Sweet Almond Oil! And with success I might add. My hair seems to love it. It pretty much just drinks it right up.

What worries me though is that in the article, it mentions that this type of oil 'used for cooking' has the higher acid level because it's made for cooking. But then again, EVOO is made for cooking and a lot of people use that. Soooo, I think I'm gonna keep using it unless I can see some damage or something to make me wanna stop! That doesn't mean that I'm not gonna keep my eyes peeled for coconut and jojoba oil if I can find it and can afford it!!

I have a question. I've been wanting to get some coconut oil and try it out to see how my hair likes it. I think i want to get some from here:

http://www.gardenofwisdom.com/catalog/item/3987807/3778567.htm

Would this be the right kind? And 16oz is pretty big for just trying it out, so if anyone has bought a smaller amount of coconut oil before from somewhere else, i would love a link!

Yes, it works just fine, in fact, this is exactly the kind I bought. A 16 oz bottle lasts forever and ever. :-)

Thanks for this article. Very useful - I can't wait to try oiling my hair!

Thank you, that was awesome and SO informative! I was on the fence about oils, but this has pushed me to go out and get some *as soon as Christmas is over, hmph*

Great article! I've used a few drops of olive oil on my hands as an "emergency good lord my hair is dry" rescue, and it works well, but I can tell the oil just *sits* on my hair, not absorbing at all. Can't wait to try coconut oil!

The only thing that's really disappointing is that I can't buy it from Mountain Rose Herbs...those guys are my favorites...but they only sell it in gallons!

The article is awesome! Few questions, though.. Jojoba goes on dry hair? Before you are going to wash it? How long can it sit on your hair? Coconut oil goes on damp hair? Do I have that right? I just got both and I'm eager to use both, but I want to use them correctly. Thanks!

Royalscorpio, my understanding of Heidi's recommendation in the article is that the oil goes on newly washed hair once it dries. So, either jojoba or coconut goes on dry hair. As with most hair treatments, though, your mileage may vary; your hair might like it better when wet or damp.

The article goes on to mention that you can also heavily oil your hair overnight before wash day as a pre-wash treatment, and then wash it out with your normal wash in the morning.


Now the disclaimer: I currently only oil my hair as a pre-wash treatment. I'm relatively new to these boards, and I'm trying to be disciplined with running 1 experiment at a time. I'm currently trying to stretch my wash days to at most twice a week. I started at a daily wash routine.

I've been using oil as a pre-wash for years. My current favorite for this on my hair is coconut oil. I oil heavily with the coconut oil and apply heat for 1-2 hours, then do a scalp wash, and a light conditioner rinse on the length. My hair comes out soft and "light". I wash my hair in the evening, so an overnight application is not practical for me.

Oiling just-washed hair once it dries is definitely on my list of upcoming experiments to try!


[Edited for clarity.]

Some of you long haired beauties out there have added to my comments over the years regarding your experiences with oiling.

I still use Coconut Oil on my length only.

The above poster is correctly interpreting my initial article, which a young lady was so kind to clean up and get posted! I wish I could remember her name to give her proper credit. Then someone or several someone's added a lot more, such as listing oils that are out there.

Anyway, for you curlier girls out there, I hear that applying oil as a leave-in after a fresh hair wash, while hair is yet damp albeit not sopping wet, works terrific.

There are those who do not like oiling in terms of which oil they're using, so experimentation will be necessary. Different hair types have differing outcomes. For this reason, some people, especially again, the curlier types, seem to like Shea Butter. I typically recommend Fox' Shea Butter treatment which is on the recipes section of LHC for such hair types if my suggestion of oiling isn't working. For a deep conditioning treatment, many seem to like Snowymoon's SMT another recommendation that has plenty of positive feedback.

I hear some like to put some oil in a pump bottle with some water and mist it on. My bet is some like to do this even on dry hair in some seasons of the year. It's my understanding that this methodology works rather well for the curlier amongst us and makes it easier to apply to damp hair (not sopping wet) just after a fresh hair wash.

As a general recommendation, something I gleaned from the incredibly tressed Lady Grace (she can be found on FLHC2, a yahoo group), is to, especially in winter, run a humidifier at night. I now run in the winter a humidifier at night in the sleeping room and during the day in the kitchen to keep that humidity running between the recommended 40-60 on the humidity scale (don't know the proper name of this).

I am a straight, very very fine haired gal so oiling when hair is freshly washed and also completely dry works well for me. I do want to ensure that others with differing hair types get the word!

Hope this helps!
heidi w.

Royalscorpio - I just realized you asked how long you can leave the oil on. For the heavy oiling as a pre-wash treatment, you can leave it on overnight, at least.

For the light "glistening palm" oiling after it is washed, you use the oil as a leave-in. In other words, it is meant that you use a small enough amount so that it enhances your hair. Your hair will soak it up over time. You don't need to change your wash schedule or do a special washing for this kind of oil application. At least, that is my understanding of the intent.

Correct. A light glistening on the palm for leaving it in is plenty. I describe it differently although I like this phrase -- a sheer amount on the palm so that you can see the oil on the palm only by tilting the hand about in the available light.

Most who see me demo oiling my hair as a leave-in realize just how little I use of the Coconut Oil.

There are times when I might oil as a leave-in a bit heavier, but not often. Even so, that application that's a bit heavier, certainly by the next day, does not show as 'oily' at all.

The first few times one oils as a leave-in, expect that you will probably do too much.

To reiterate, I do not oil the scalp hair though. I allow the sebum to handle that. In my instance, my sebum is plenty productive. I begin from about the earlobes on down the length.

A little trial and error sometimes, but eventually you'll know the amount to use for your hair type and behavior.

ETA: If your hair separates, even after boar bristle brushing, then you put in too much (unless that's the amount you meant to put in--typically in this event, by the next day the hair will have absorbed the applied oil). The hair, once completed with oiling as a leave-in, should not look oily, streaky, or separated. For a few hours, at the most, initially, you may have to wait a little bit for absorption depending on how much you put in. It's easy enough to add more the next day, if that's deemed necessary. The hair should mostly feel a bit softer, especially if combined with boar bristle brushing (which isn't for everyone and every hair type). Since I'm mentioning the BBB, this is a tool that I use very specifically and almost exclusively when oiling. Otherwise I use a comb for detangling. I don't use a BBB for this purpose.

heidi w.

Thanks for this comprehensive guide into oiling your hair for a newbie like myself. Thanks for taking the time to share this information on LHC.

Thank you for this! I just used some coconut oil on my hair.

Thanks for this how to. It was really helpful for me.

Ooopsies!! I've been putting coconut oil on my hair when damp!

I'll try it dry and see if there's a diff.

(on the other hand, it detangles my damp hair very nicely!)

Some hair types respond BETTER when the oil is applied to damp (not sopping wet) hair.

Do let us know which is better for you ... dry or damp .... and I recommend, ifyou want, to include something about your hair type so those reading this will know.

heidi w.

Coconut oil on my damp hair has been working better for me since I went no cones! I just use enough to make my palms glisten. Not a whole lot. My hair soaks it up pretty well!!

This is definitely getting a bookmark. I have been wondering how to oil my hair and you answered all my questions! Thanks! :]

Ooh, very helpful indeed. Thanks for posting this.

Thank you very much for this article :)!
Though I've been oiling my hair before I never knew I had to oil them before washing. This answers to some of my questions!
I'll be coming back to this article.

Thank you Heidi. I never thought about oiling my hair after each wash. :rolleyes:

I'll do that and see what happens :agree:

Thanks again :flower:

Thanks so much! Very informative and helpful : )

wow this was great!

i think this was one of the best post on this forum it changed my hair's life

Thanks for the tutorial. Has given me many ideas...

Thank you very much for this article :)!
Though I've been oiling my hair before I never knew I had to oil them before washing. This answers to some of my questions!
I'll be coming back to this article.

Bold added in quote by heidi w. so readers will know what I am replying to.

You do not HAVE to oil before washing. This is just one option for incorporating oiling the hair.

You can oil after a fresh hair wash, the length only. You can oil when the hair is damp or dry after a fresh hair wash. On occasion you can oil before a hair wash, if you deem it necessary.

Be sure to not oil the scalp hair as sebum takes care of this.

This may seem picky-une to reply so, but so many misunderstandings arise from language choices, that it's best to be as clear as is possible in writing (since that's the only communication tool we have on LHC and similar boards) thus enabling readers to walk away understanding the variety of ways that oils can be incorporated into a hair care regime, depending on hair type, hair goals and lifestyle.

Not intending to specifically pick on this poster. Just being clear for all other readers, as well as, perhaps, this poster. It remains a possibility that this poster was meaning to say something else somehow.

heidi w.