Can essential oils be.....

[CLASSYEBONYGIRL]

damaging if used on the hair itself instead of on the scalp. I added some essential oils to my deep conditioner along with other carrier oils and I notice that everytime I deep condition my hair, it hair feels a tangled mess, very rough, brittle and my hair starts breaking. Am I the only one that have experienced this??

Thanks

 

[renee_n_3000]

Yes, I do believe that some essential oils can be harmful to the hair. Which EOs are harmful might vary according to what type of hair one has, though.

For instance, there was a leave-in conditioner that I loved for many years. I can't remember the name of it right now because it's been so long since I've used it. It was fabulous, though, and came in a white and purple spray bottle. I used it for airdrying and instead of setting lotion for wet roller sets with wonderful results every time -- very shiny, soft, supple hair.

Then one day when I bought it, the bottle said it had been 'improved' and now contained peppermint oil. That worried me because what I knew of peppermint oil was that it was good for OILY skin and hair. It didn't seem like that would be a good thing to add to Black haircare product. But I told myself that they should know what they were doing and wouldn't add something to the product that would ruin it, because that would be stupid of them, right? So I bought it.

When I used it, my hair was difficult to comb when wet, and felt kind of rough when it dried. That was unusual for me because my hair was usually very easy to comb (wet or dry) and soft, with or without a leave-in.

The next few times I washed my hair, I did not use the 'improved' leave-in and my hair was back to normal. Then I decided to try it again, just to make sure my bad experience with it was not a fluke. Once again, my hair was dry and rough, so that was the last time I used it.

So, I cannot figure out why they thought it was a good idea to add peppermint oil to the formula. They messed up a great product, at least for me.

Which oils did you add to your conditioner that you feel may be causing problems? Do you think it may be that you've added too much of them?

 

[Cichelle]

I have definitely experienced some oils making my hair brittle/rough, but my problem has been with fixed/vegtable oils. EVOO is particularly a problem for me. I don't have the same problem with the EO blend I am using right now (and I use it on my hair, not my scalp). But it wouldn't surprise me if I did, because if one oil does it, another one could as well. I can't say that my hair was damaged by EVOO, but it certainly felt horrible.

 

[Sosoothing]

Wow....I learn something new everday. I dont use essential oils but I have always thought that they are meant for the hair and not the scalp. Im just glad I took the time to read this thread .

 

[Cinnabuns]

Wow....I learn something new everday. I dont use essential oils but I have always thought that they are meant for the hair and not the scalp. Im just glad I took the time to read this thread .

Wow, I did not know this either, I too have learned something new today.

 

[CLASSYEBONYGIRL]

Yes, I do believe that some essential oils can be harmful to the hair. Which EOs are harmful might vary according to what type of hair one has, though.

For instance, there was a leave-in conditioner that I loved for many years. I can't remember the name of it right now because it's been so long since I've used it. It was fabulous, though, and came in a white and purple spray bottle. I used it for airdrying and instead of setting lotion for wet roller sets with wonderful results every time -- very shiny, soft, supple hair.

Then one day when I bought it, the bottle said it had been 'improved' and now contained peppermint oil. That worried me because what I knew of peppermint oil was that it was good for OILY skin and hair. It didn't seem like that would be a good thing to add to Black haircare product. But I told myself that they should know what they were doing and wouldn't add something to the product that would ruin it, because that would be stupid of them, right? So I bought it.

When I used it, my hair was difficult to comb when wet, and felt kind of rough when it dried. That was unusual for me because my hair was usually very easy to comb (wet or dry) and soft, with or without a leave-in.

The next few times I washed my hair, I did not use the 'improved' leave-in and my hair was back to normal. Then I decided to try it again, just to make sure my bad experience with it was not a fluke. Once again, my hair was dry and rough, so that was the last time I used it.

So, I cannot figure out why they thought it was a good idea to add peppermint oil to the formula. They messed up a great product, at least for me.

Which oils did you add to your conditioner that you feel may be causing problems? Do you think it may be that you've added too much of them?

Thank you so much for responding to my question. I am so sorry that you had a horrible experience with essential oils as well. I definately think the essential oils are the culprits instead of the carrier oils because before I added them I didn't have this problem when I was using the same deep conditioner. My hair would come be very soft, shiny and moisturized after I deep conditioned my hair with heat but now my hair is the complete opposite after using it and guess what? I added essential oils to my other deep conditioner too. Oh boy!!Time to get a new deep conditioner. I can't afford to lose anymore hair. All along I have been wondering if I am experiencing heat damage from deep conditioning my hair with heat but I have been deep conditioning my hair with heat every week for 20 minutes with no problems before I added the EO oils. Anyway, now that I know what the problem is I will try another deep conditioner the next time I deep condition my hair with heat and see what happens. The EO oils that I added to my deep conditioner are :

Peppermint oil
Tea tree oil
Rosemary oil
Basil oil
Rose absolute oil

2-3 drops each.

 

[PrettyBrownEyes]

Yes, I do believe that some essential oils can be harmful to the hair. Which EOs are harmful might vary according to what type of hair one has, though.

For instance, there was a leave-in conditioner that I loved for many years. I can't remember the name of it right now because it's been so long since I've used it. It was fabulous, though, and came in a white and purple spray bottle. I used it for airdrying and instead of setting lotion for wet roller sets with wonderful results every time -- very shiny, soft, supple hair.

Then one day when I bought it, the bottle said it had been 'improved' and now contained peppermint oil. That worried me because what I knew of peppermint oil was that it was good for OILY skin and hair. It didn't seem like that would be a good thing to add to Black haircare product. But I told myself that they should know what they were doing and wouldn't add something to the product that would ruin it, because that would be stupid of them, right? So I bought it.

When I used it, my hair was difficult to comb when wet, and felt kind of rough when it dried. That was unusual for me because my hair was usually very easy to comb (wet or dry) and soft, with or without a leave-in.

The next few times I washed my hair, I did not use the 'improved' leave-in and my hair was back to normal. Then I decided to try it again, just to make sure my bad experience with it was not a fluke. Once again, my hair was dry and rough, so that was the last time I used it.

So, I cannot figure out why they thought it was a good idea to add peppermint oil to the formula. They messed up a great product, at least for me.

Which oils did you add to your conditioner that you feel may be causing problems? Do you think it may be that you've added too much of them?

Renee, that was Optimum Care Leave In Conditioner, I used to love it too! It left my hair full with lots of body and soft to the touch. I too stopped using it after they changed the formula. I also liked that Rich Condition Conditioner and Collagen Shampoo they used to make. I don't use any of Optimum Care's products now, since they discontinued the best ones in my opinion.

Olive Oil is not my hair's best friend. There is no way I could use that on my hair often. I did use it recently as an overnight pre-shampoo treatment. I applied it to dry hair and put on my satin scarf. In the morning I washed and conditioned my hair with no problem. However, in the past olive oil would make my hair feel dry.

 

[CLASSYEBONYGIRL]

I have definitely experienced some oils making my hair brittle/rough, but my problem has been with fixed/vegtable oils. EVOO is particularly a problem for me. I don't have the same problem with the EO blend I am using right now (and I use it on my hair, not my scalp). But it wouldn't surprise me if I did, because if one oil does it, another one could as well. I can't say that my hair was damaged by EVOO, but it certainly felt horrible.

I didn't like how EVOO felt on my hair either. I prefer to use jojoba, castor oil, coconut and vitamin E oil on my hair than EVOO. I used the EVOO that can be found in the supermarket on my hair when it was dry and it felt horrible but it felt much better on my wet hair. Well I hope that your EO blend doesn't do any harm to your hair. What does your EO blend consist of?

 

[renee_n_3000]

The EO oils that I added to my deep conditioner are :

Peppermint oil
Tea tree oil
Rosemary oil
Basil oil
Rose absolute oil

2-3 drops each.

Classy, if you ever want to try the EOs in a conditioner again, maybe you could eliminate the peppermint oil and tea tree oil and see if that helps. I *think* tea tree oil also has astringent-like qualities similar to peppermint, which may make hair feel dry. I know that tea tree is supposed to be good on itchy scalps, though.

Here's a link to a site that describes which oils are good for what purposes, just in case you or any other ladies reading haven't come across a similar list. I try to check such info before using something because some EOs can be dangerous for certain people. (For instance, rosemary is bad for pregnant women and people who have high blood pressure.) I have not bought anything from this site, but think their info is good. There is a list at the left of the page to click on for additional lists of oils.

http://www.evb-aromatherapy.com/eolevel1.html

 

[renee_n_3000]

Renee, that was Optimum Care Leave In Conditioner, I used to love it too! It left my hair full with lots of body and soft to the touch. I too stopped using it after they changed the formula. I also liked that Rich Condition Conditioner and Collagen Shampoo they used to make. I don't use any of Optimum Care's products now, since they discontinued the best ones in my opinion.

Olive Oil is not my hair's best friend. There is no way I could use that on my hair often. I did use it recently as an overnight pre-shampoo treatment. I applied it to dry hair and put on my satin scarf. In the morning I washed and conditioned my hair with no problem. However, in the past olive oil would make my hair feel dry.

Thank you for posting that it was Optimum! I'm sorry you had the same rotten experience when they changed the formula. What in the world were they thinking?

I loved their shampoo and conditioner that you mentioned, too! I also think they had some type of reconstructive product that I used sometimes in-between their shampoo and conditioner. That was good stuff.

I can only use olive oil on my hair in the way you described, too -- as part of an occasional pre-shampoo treatment. If I use it after washing my hair, it just feels oily, heavy and drying.

 

[CandiceC]

I use Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil with no problem.

 

[Cichelle]

I didn't like how EVOO felt on my hair either. I prefer to use jojoba, castor oil, coconut and vitamin E oil on my hair than EVOO. I used the EVOO that can be found in the supermarket on my hair when it was dry and it felt horrible but it felt much better on my wet hair. Well I hope that your EO blend doesn't do any harm to your hair. What does your EO blend consist of?

It's rosemary and lavender EO, with emu, jojoba, coconut and meadowfoam.

 

[secretdiamond]

Classy, if you ever want to try the EOs in a conditioner again, maybe you could eliminate the peppermint oil and tea tree oil and see if that helps. I *think* tea tree oil also has astringent-like qualities similar to peppermint, which may make hair feel dry. I know that tea tree is supposed to be good on itchy scalps, though.

Here's a link to a site that describes which oils are good for what purposes, just in case you or any other ladies reading haven't come across a similar list. I try to check such info before using something because some EOs can be dangerous for certain people. (For instance, rosemary is bad for pregnant women and people who have high blood pressure.) I have not bought anything from this site, but think their info is good. There is a list at the left of the page to click on for additional lists of oils.

http://www.evb-aromatherapy.com/eolevel1.html

I saw the oils in the link, but what about jojoba oil? How good/bad is that? I just bought one to do hot oil treatments.

 

[renee_n_3000]

I saw the oils in the link, but what about jojoba oil? How good/bad is that? I just bought one to do hot oil treatments.

From what I understand, jojoba is considered to be one of the best (or the best) carrier oils for use on the scalp and hair. It is said to be very similar to the sebum (oil) that our scalps naturally produce.

 

[secretdiamond]

oh good. thanx.

 

[shunemite]

The EO oils that I added to my deep conditioner are :

Peppermint oil
Tea tree oil
Rosemary oil
Basil oil
Rose absolute oil

2-3 drops each.[/b][/color][/font]

I agree with this, I learned the hard way that tea tree is VERY drying! Get rid of it, or just out it on your acne. I went to that website a long while back that explained to me which oils are for dry hair. I know rosemary, lavender, and ylang ylang are good for dry hair. I use rosemary, lavender, and jojoba/ evoo in my conditioner.

 

[angellazette]

I use Olive Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil with no problem.

Those aren't essential oils. Oils like peppermint, rosemary, lavendar, etc. etc. are essential oils (eo's). The ones you mentioned, and others like Jojoba, Avocado, Sweet Almond etc. etc. are carrier (or base) oils and are necessary to to dilute eo's.

 

[secretdiamond]

so you don't benefit regular oil unless unless you use the eo's? Please tell me how this works.

 

[renee_n_3000]

so you don't benefit regular oil unless unless you use the eo's? Please tell me how this works.

Hi SecretDiamond,

You will get benefits from using a carrier oil such as the jojoba oil you have alone. It should help to keep your hair soft, supple and shiny.

Different essential oils can be added to it for certain purposes such as stimulating growth, helping dandruff or itchy scalps, giving a calming effect, or simply just to add a nice scent. They just add a little something extra.

 

[angellazette]

so you don't benefit regular oil unless unless you use the eo's? Please tell me how this works.

Oh no no, you can use the carrier oils alone and they work well. Eo's are just added to give that extra umph! Eo's can be irritating if using them alone.

 

[CLASSYEBONYGIRL]

Classy, if you ever want to try the EOs in a conditioner again, maybe you could eliminate the peppermint oil and tea tree oil and see if that helps. I *think* tea tree oil also has astringent-like qualities similar to peppermint, which may make hair feel dry. I know that tea tree is supposed to be good on itchy scalps, though.

Here's a link to a site that describes which oils are good for what purposes, just in case you or any other ladies reading haven't come across a similar list. I try to check such info before using something because some EOs can be dangerous for certain people. (For instance, rosemary is bad for pregnant women and people who have high blood pressure.) I have not bought anything from this site, but think their info is good. There is a list at the left of the page to click on for additional lists of oils.

http://www.evb-aromatherapy.com/eolevel1.html

Thanks again for your advice and wonderful information. I have decided NOT to include any essential oils in my deep conditioning regime. I will only include them in a hair oil to stimulate hair growth by using it on my scalp only. By the way, I actually have a book about Essential Oils and it benefits so I knew the purpose of each oil before I added them to my deep conditioner. But I wasn't expecting them to be so harmful to my hair. I had to moisturize my hair really well and then use a wide tooth comb to detangle my hair and I still saw hairs in the comb. I wanted to just burst into tears.

 

[CLASSYEBONYGIRL]

It's rosemary and lavender EO, with emu, jojoba, coconut and meadowfoam.

Thanks for sharing your EO blend ingredients. It sounds like a very nice combination. I hope it works for you.

 

[renee_n_3000]

Thanks again for your advice and wonderful information. I have decided NOT to include any essential oils in my deep conditioning regime. I will only include them in a hair oil to stimulate hair growth by using it on my scalp only. By the way, I actually have a book about Essential Oils and it benefits so I knew the purpose of each oil before I added them to my deep conditioner. But I wasn't expecting them to be so harmful to my hair. I had to moisturize my hair really well and then use a wide tooth comb to detangle my hair and I still saw hairs in the comb. I wanted to just burst into tears.

You're welcome, Classy! I'd love to know the name of the book you have if you don't mind and are able to post it sometime. As much as I love the Internet and the wealth of info available online, I still love reading and holding an actual book much, much more. So I may be interested in checking it out.

 

[CLASSYEBONYGIRL]

You're welcome, Classy! I'd love to know the name of the book you have if you don't mind and are able to post it sometime. As much as I love the Internet and the wealth of info available online, I still love reading and holding an actual book much, much more. So I may be interested in checking it out.

This is exactly how I feel too. I still like to have books as a reference even though there is a wealth of info on the net. But what if I don't have any internet? Then I could reach for my books and still be informed. Anyway, the name of the book is:

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils
The Complete Guide to the Use of Oils in Aromatherapy and Herbalism

I purchased it from Amazon.com.

 

[renee_n_3000]

This is exactly how I feel too. I still like to have books as a reference even though there is a wealth of info on the net. But what if I don't have any internet? Then I could reach for my books and still be informed. Anyway, the name of the book is:

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils
The Complete Guide to the Use of Oils in Aromatherapy and Herbalism

I purchased it from Amazon.com.
[/b]

Thank you, Classy!

 

[balisi]

I add either rosemary or lavender EO to my deep conditioner, but I add it per use, not to the conditioner in the container. I've been doing this regularly for about four months and have not had any problems. I deep condition with a steamer.

 

[qtgirl]

That is how my hair reacted to the new "improved" version of Surge.

 

[angellazette]

Where did you get your steamer balisi?

 

[jewel]

I use essential oils to my hair products especially my conditioners and oils. I am particularly fond of lavender, tea tree and rosemary. I only add one essential oil at a time. I put lavender into a spritz bottle and use as a refreshner. I use tea tree oil as a scalp- dandruff treatment and rosemary as part of my deep conditioning treatment. I say use one essential oil at a time to determine which one is causing the breakage, etc. Good luck!