Oils????????

[Qualitee]

When I first joined LHCF I learned that oils dont moisturize your hair, it only seals it.......Ok But now I hear ppl using oils as a moisturizer. Im confused

 

[chebaby]

if my hair already still feels soft and moisturized then i will just use and oil and that keeps it feeling soft.
i dont care what anyone says, castor oil and hairveda cocasta oil are moisturizing oils. i can condition my hair and on wet hair only apply one of the two and my hair will stay soft. i love coconut oil but i wouldnt say it moisturizes.

 

[LaToya28]

I think oils basically enhance the condition that your hair is already in. If your hair is moisturized already, then oils will make it seem more moisturized and shiny and if it's dry then the oil will make it seem dry but oily/greasy...just my opinion.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

IA: Some Oils are Penetrating and some tend to act as a sealant to seal in moisturizers such as JBCO.

There are such a variety of oils to try. Recently, I've been using Wheat Germ Oil (even though I had it in my Stash).

Through Research, I discovered that Wheat Germ Oil contain Ceramides and other Essential Fatty Acids, Lipids etc.....

Cameila Oil, Argan, Kukui Nut, Hempseed and others are all good Oils to look at for 2010.

 

[ceebee3]

Some can be moisturizing but they're not moisturizers. I mean if the molecules are small enough they can penetrate the hair shaft like coconut oil or olive oil.

I'm not sure about other oils but I wouldn't use them for moisture unless I was doing a hot oil treatment. I don't like them on my dry hair unless it's used for sealing.

 

[Qualitee]

bump............

 

[Neith]

Oils do not contain water, so they can't moisturize.

They are good for sealing water in, lubricating the hair shaft and providing shine.

Many oils are made of molecules small enough to penetrate into the hair. This is not moisture, but it does condition the hair (improves the look/feel/health of the hair).

Coconut, olive and avocado are the most common penetrating oils I hear about.

 

[Qualitee]

Oils do not contain water, so they can't moisturize.

They are good for sealing water in, lubricating the hair shaft and providing shine.

Many oils are made of molecules small enough to penetrate into the hair. This is not moisture, but it does condition the hair (improves the look/feel/health of the hair).

Coconut, olive and avocado are the most common penetrating oils I hear about.

But ppl use pure shea butter snd other butters to moisturize,it doesnt have water in it. Yet it moisturize their hair.

 

[Neith]

But ppl use pure shea butter snd other butters to moisturize,it doesnt have water in it. Yet it moisturize their hair.

Moisture = Water

How can you have moisture without water? Something is moist when it is wet or has water in it.

I agree that many oils have penetrative and conditioning properties though.

but technically, it's not moisture.

 

[Soliel185]

if my hair already still feels soft and moisturized then i will just use and oil and that keeps it feeling soft.
i dont care what anyone says, castor oil and hairveda cocasta oil are moisturizing oils. i can condition my hair and on wet hair only apply one of the two and my hair will stay soft. i love coconut oil but i wouldnt say it moisturizes.

What you just described is sealing, not moisturizing. Think about it - you apply the oils to wet hair and it stays soft...the oils are sealing the moisture i.e the water and conditioning ingredients so they don't evaporate away, and that's why your hair stays soft.

If your hair has to be wet/damp for the oil to make your hair soft, then the oil by itself isn't adding anything to the mix.

Qualitee I think the rule is this - for the most part oils do NOT moisturize. However, they can be a very important part of your moisturizing routine b/c they help you retain moisture, and many of them a nutritive properties (i.e fatty oils, omega-3 oils etc etc) that can help you acheive stronger, healthier, shinier hair.

The big three that cause confusion are Coconut, Olive, and Avocado. This is b/c unlike most oils these three have a unique molecular structure that enables them to get into the hair strand itself (as opposed to coating the exterior) and nurture the hair from the inside out.

IMO the science is interesting, but not essential. As long as the way you're using the oils is working for your hair, I wouldn't worry too much about what others say about how and why you're using them. Do what works best for you.

 

[Meritamen]

Qualitee I think the rule is this - for the most part oils do NOT moisturize. However, they can be a very important part of your moisturizing routine b/c they help you retain moisture, and many of them a nutritive properties (i.e fatty oils, omega-3 oils etc etc) that can help you acheive stronger, healthier, shinier hair.

The big three that cause confusion are Coconut, Olive, and Avocado. This is b/c unlike most oils these three have a unique molecular structure that enables them to get into the hair strand itself (as opposed to coating the exterior) and nurture the hair from the inside out.

Thanks for the explaination. I use coconut oil on my hair after applying a moisturizer and on my skin after useing lotion. I think the coconut oil itself is moistuizing (could probably use it without the lotion.)

 

[diva24]

From a biological standpoint moisture does not always mean water. Sebum is an oil that we produce that naturally keeps the skin moisturized. With that said I do believe that hair in prime condition does not need extra moisture but some type of natural oil to condition it. If your hair is lacking in some way (heat damage, chemical damage, etc) I do believe that some type of water based product should be applied.

 

[Urban]

When this 'oil as a moisturizer' discussion comes up, I always ask something like this: If your hair was completely dry, I mean crunchy, breaking dry and you had the choice to either:

1) Spraying it with water and respraying before it dries out OR

2) apply as much oil as you want.

Either one for say... 2 months and nothing else. No shampooing, conditioning etc. Which would keep your hair moisturized?

From a biological standpoint moisture does not always mean water. Sebum is an oil that we produce that naturally keeps the skin moisturized. With that said I do believe that hair in prime condition does not need extra moisture but some type of natural oil to condition it. If your hair is lacking in some way (heat damage, chemical damage, etc) I do believe that some type of water based product should be applied.

Sebum keeps the the hair moisturized because it helps to prevent water from evaporating from the hair shaft and skin. No water - no moisture.

 

[*Muffin*]

I use oils to improve my hair's condition and feel. Since it's cold I haven't been wanting to use my spray conditioning mix, so I've been using the Castor Oil every other day on my scalp and applying the excess onto my lengths, and it's kept my hair feeling soft and "moisturized" (don't want to get into the technical stuff--it just FEELS moisturized, not to say that it is moisturizing ). Sweet almond oil has been working well for me recently as well.

 

[Soliel185]

From a biological standpoint moisture does not always mean water. Sebum is an oil that we produce that naturally keeps the skin moisturized. With that said I do believe that hair in prime condition does not need extra moisture but some type of natural oil to condition it. If your hair is lacking in some way (heat damage, chemical damage, etc) I do believe that some type of water based product should be applied.

Sebum lubricates the hair strand the same way Oil lubricates the gears in a car engine. It retards wear and tear from mechanical damage by surrounding the strands with a protective coating (kind of like cartilage between bones) and sealing moisture into the hair strand. The natural oil most like Sebum is Jojoba Oil, which is actually a liquid wax. It is a relatively lightweight oil that coats the hair strand much like Sebum, however it does not and cannot "moisturize" in the truest sense.

 

[*Muffin*]

It all makes sense to me now...

I like the way nappychronicles puts it on youtube. Moisture equals water; moisturizing is the act of retaining moisture, aka water. They are related terms, but not the same. Oils help you to retain moisture by preventing moisture loss, so therefore aid in the moisturizing process. Water in itself is moisture, but you need other things (like butters and oils) to help you retain it. I guess it's easy to mistake the two for one another. So, both water and oils play an important role in the MOISTURIZING process, but water is moisture. Oils can also aide in the moisturizing process because some oils act as humectants, which draw moisture into the hair, thus further moisturizing the hair. Emollients are the "conditioning" aspect of oils. This softens your hair and makes it feels smooth.

Youtube Video: Moisture vs. Moisturizing

 

[diva24]

Sebum keeps the the hair moisturized because it helps to prevent water from evaporating from the hair shaft and skin. No water - no moisture.

I beg to differ Just as leather cracks without oil so does our hair and skin. People fail to remember that hair is dead. There is no water in it to begin with. We seal in moisture in our hair regimens to keep the hair soft. Again due to damage from normal wear and tear or self inflicted. I stick with my original statement. All hair does not need to be sealed, only damaged hair. And I think we are getting around the purpose of this thread. It isnt to debate personal definitions of moisture.

 

[SVT]

When this 'oil as a moisturizer' discussion comes up, I always ask something like this: If your hair was completely dry, I mean crunchy, breaking dry and you had the choice to either:

1) Spraying it with water and respraying before it dries out OR

2) apply as much oil as you want.

Either one for say... 2 months and nothing else. No shampooing, conditioning etc. Which would keep your hair moisturized?

Excellent!

 

[Galadriel]

When I first joined LHCF I learned that oils dont moisturize your hair, it only seals it.......Ok But now I hear ppl using oils as a moisturizer. Im confused

I know that olive oil and coconut oil for example are scientifically shown to penetrate the hair shaft and deliver moisture. Not all oils do this though, so I think the ones that don't necessarily penetrate are the ones people refer to when talking about sealing in moisture.

 

[shtow]

I use oils to improve my hair's condition and feel. Since it's cold I haven't been wanting to use my spray conditioning mix, so I've been using the Castor Oil every other day on my scalp and applying the excess onto my lengths, and it's kept my hair feeling soft and "moisturized" (don't want to get into the technical stuff--it just FEELS moisturized, not to say that it is moisturizing ). Sweet almond oil has been working well for me recently as well.

My hair and skin looove sweet almond oil too. My hair feels so "conditioned" with it

I have read that sweet almond oil penetrates as well, not as much as EVCO (up to 70 percent), but it still penetrates.

 

[Urban]

I beg to differ Just as leather cracks without oil so does our hair and skin. People fail to remember that hair is dead. There is no water in it to begin with. We seal in moisture in our hair regimens to keep the hair soft. Again due to damage from normal wear and tear or self inflicted. I stick with my original statement. All hair does not need to be sealed, only damaged hair. And I think we are getting around the purpose of this thread. It isnt to debate personal definitions of moisture.

@ the bolded. Are you sure about that? Do you mean that there is no water in hair unless we actually put it there?

 

[Eritreladiee]

All I know is this morning I co-washed and applied an oil mixture (coconut, olive and sweet almond oil) and my hair is now soft, lovely and oh-so moisturized.

And I think that there must be something moisturizing in these oils because I'll apply to dry naked hair sometimes and my hair will still come out softer and more conditioned.

So yes, I use oil as a moisturizer. And if for some reason I decide to apply a leave-in, I do so instead of oil because I don't need to "seal" moisture in.

But obviously if my hair is parched, has been picked out and hasn't touched water for a few days, i'm gonna have to wet it (although if my hair was that dry, i'd probably do a hot oil treatment first )

 

[Eritreladiee]

Thanks for the explaination. I use coconut oil on my hair after applying a moisturizer and on my skin after useing lotion. I think the coconut oil itself is moistuizing (could probably use it without the lotion.)

That's a really good point. This is the 1st I've heard of someone using lotion, then applying coconut oil to "seal." I think most people apply coconut oil to dry skin directly so it can penetrate and moisturize.

So how come people think coconut oil can moisturize skin, but not hair? If it just sealed in moisture then why are most people using coconut oil directly on the skin and not using it to seal in lotion?

 

[MissMusic]

They prevent the loss of moisture. Coconut oil is know to slow down protein loss and evoo, avocado and others are known to slow moisture loss. So, while they do not necessarily moisturize, if your hair is already moisturized they can slow down moisture loss so you do not have to add another water based moisturizer to your hair. So, I guess you could call them moisturizers, but in the end what does it matter how you prevent moisture loss as long as your hair is soft and retains moisture.

 

[topnotch1010]

Just stating an observation that I've made on my own pre-LHCF: The women I know with long hair (apl and longer) keep their hair oiled. They don't "moisturize" they only apply heavy oils.

I began questioning the need for "moisturizers" after someone posted damage on the hair shaft caused by the strand constant swelling and shrinking from moisture. I see how that can happen. I'm going to experiment with EVCO only, no moisturizer, for one week to see what the condition of my hair is.

Great example about the leather jacket.

 

[diva24]

@ the bolded. Are you sure about that? Do you mean that there is no water in hair unless we actually put it there?

Yes ma'am. That is exactly what I said. Hair is dead. Water is not an "ingredient" of hair. And yes, I am pretty sure about that.

Just stating an observation that I've made on my own pre-LHCF: The women I know with long hair (apl and longer) keep their hair oiled. They don't "moisturize" they only apply heavy oils.

I began questioning the need for "moisturizers" after someone posted damage on the hair shaft caused by the stand constant swelling and srinking from moisture. I see how that can happen. I'm going to experiment with EVCO only, no moisturizer, for one week to see what the condition of my hair is.

Great example about the leather jacket.

Thanks. Bubble hair also occurs from water in the strand.

 

[hair4romheaven]

Just stating an observation that I've made on my own pre-LHCF: The women I know with long hair (apl and longer) keep their hair oiled. They don't "moisturize" they only apply heavy oils.

I began questioning the need for "moisturizers" after someone posted damage on the hair shaft caused by the stand constant swelling and srinking from moisture. I see how that can happen. I'm going to experiment with EVCO only, no moisturizer, for one week to see what the condition of my hair is.

Great example about the leather jacket.

interesting

 

[charmtreese]

I have found that water based moisturizers (cream or sprays) do NOTHING for my hair. Actually with continued use they make my hair dry, hard and greasy. For me Castor oil acts as a moisturizer and sealer all in one. Since it's a humectant it draws in moisture and keeps it there, something that I feel most commercial "moisturizers" do not do. This is the only oil that I have used throughout the years with success. So for me and my hair, oil is indeed a moisturizer!!!!

 

[LushLox]

Just stating an observation that I've made on my own pre-LHCF: The women I know with long hair (apl and longer) keep their hair oiled. They don't "moisturize" they only apply heavy oils.

I began questioning the need for "moisturizers" after someone posted damage on the hair shaft caused by the strand constant swelling and shrinking from moisture. I see how that can happen. I'm going to experiment with EVCO only, no moisturizer, for one week to see what the condition of my hair is.

Great example about the leather jacket.

Topnotch did you try this out? If so how did you get on? Enquiring minds want to know!

 

[silenttullip]

don't all oils really contain water? maybe its a dumb question but I thought all things grew from nourishment and water is a big part of that so doesn't the water sink into the plant?