DIY hair oil?
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free skin care · Mon May 15, 2006 3:34 pm

I'm about to have a baby and I try to go awhile afterwards with unscented, natural products. I'm having a problem with my hair getting dry from the natural product I am currently using so I want to add a homemade hair oil to my routine. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have lots of different types of oils now (thanks to you all and your awesome suggestions on how to do the OCM!). Which types would be best to combine? I tried straight avocado oil recently and I didn't like that at all. It was too hard to wash out and it wasn't moisturizing enough. Would olive oil work better? I have jojoba oil but I have long hair and I have hesitated to use it because I would use the bottle up too quickly! I have tried the suggestion to add 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil to every 8 ounces in my bottle of shampoo but I don't notice any difference.

You all have such great recipes. I figured I'd throw my question out there and see what you have to say. Thanks!

free skin care · Mon May 15, 2006 4:52 pm

There's a huge misconception about Oils and hair. I too, up until about a month ago thought oils moisturized my hair! Another member emailed me some great info that I read and changed my views on how I take care of my hair. It makes sense now why putting Olive Oil on my hair all the time was actually drying it out. I'm going to link you to a great article/discussion on this topic but first here is a quote from it so you have more of an idea what I'm talking about:

REMEMBER! Oils DO NOT Moisturize.
Perhaps a words like “nourish” would be better than moisturize. If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me to recommend a good oil that moisturizes, I would be rich! Oil alone will not and cannot moisturize within the hair shaft. An oil can only coat the outside of the strand, and give it shine- the illusion of moisture. Again, the molecules that make oil are much too large to penetrate through all of the cuticle layers. The cuticle layers can be as few as 6 layers or many as 15 or more layers thick. Oil molecules are “hydro-phobic” which means they repel and do not readily mix with water. Remember, if you apply an oil product to your hair before you have added a moisturizing product, you have created a seal on your hair strand that water and moisture cannot penetrate.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84746

Oils are great as a protein treatment if you hair is in need of protein at the time... I really think if you read that you'll understand more of the whole concept.

free skin care · Mon May 15, 2006 4:57 pm

Btw, I want to add that a bottle from Bath and Body Works called Nature's Massage Oil in Freesia was the best oil treatment I ever put on my hair. A little when its wet and my curls just came alive! I don't know if Bath and Body works still carries this though since I got it years ago. It has Vitamin E, Chamomile & Wild Cherry Bark Extracts, Sunflower Seed Oil, Avocado Oil and Wheat Germ Oils in it. It said it was a massage oil, but its great for when you want to oil your hair.

free skin care · Tue May 16, 2006 3:15 pm

Wow! Thanks SO much for responding to my question!! I have tried and tried to find a hair oil recipe and I think that the whole protein/moisture issue was most likely why I couldn't find one. I read the link that you gave me and I learned a lot. I am so grateful!

Today, I went out and bought a good protein reconstructor (Aphogee I think is the brand). I will sleep with that on my hair tonight and then do an olive oil the following night. Does that sound reasonable? My hair is not very damaged so it's not too bad but I find it so much easier to just sleep with the stuff on. (I'm SOOOO pregnant right now, I can barely even take a shower so I'm into very easy things!) I just want to give my hair a little protection before I have highlights put in on Friday....(if I last that long. The baby might have other ideas!)

I always let my hair dry naturally and I don't use curling irons of any sort. Geez, I don't even brush my hair except in the morn when it's wet to get the tangles out. I believe it was you, PhoebesMeow, that mentioned the epson salts in a spray bottle to add a little more curl. I'm excited to try that because I have a good wave (nothing spectacular, just decent) to my hair and it would be fun to see if I could add more with a natural product. Thanks again!

free skin care · Tue May 16, 2006 5:18 pm

Hmmm.. I do know that epson salts are a curl activator but I don't know if that was me that mentioned that here... maybe, because I have tried it before (it does work pretty well and epsom salts make a nice face scrub too on occasion). Anyway, the thing with the oils in the hair... you have to make sure to put a moisturizer on under the oil I believe. That's something I was doing wrong before. If you read that info then you understand how oil holds moisture in or out.. as a barrier.. so your best bet is to find a good moisturizing leave in conditioner and put that on UNDER the oil. I believe this makes a huge difference or you're just locking moisture out. Two days of protein treatments may be fine but you might find you just need one day, skip a few, and then do the olive oil. Remember the signs that you're getting too much protein can lead to damage instead of actually improving your hair like you're trying to do. Pay close attention to you hair and you'll soon notice the signs of when you need moisture or when you need protein. Like the article said, there's really no set schedule for the treatments just listen to your hair. If you really want some protection for you hair try mixing up two egg yolks with the olive oil, heating it in the microwave for 8 seconds or so and putting it in your hair. Put on a shower cap with a warm towel out of the dryer over it. This would be a super protein treatment. Save the egg whites for your face and mix in a little lemon juice for a tightening face mask. You just gave yourself a hair treatment and facial using natural safe stuff that won't harm the baby! Very Happy

free skin care · Thu May 18, 2006 10:42 pm

I use aloe vera gel mixed in with some shea butter and olive oil on my son for when he goes to school in place of the store-bought gels. Pretty good and keeping his hair soft and tame.

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