Possible way to protect hair from conventional peroxide damage

**ktani** · August 9th, 2009, 05:07 AM

Originally Posted by ademtce

yea for me Gleam is more about prevent the dry tangled feeling you get from certain dyes, not necessarily about preventing damage. but ill certainly give Coconut Oil a shot next time i do a process.
i looked a few stores today and could not find argan oil anywhere

You can get argan oil from here if you cannot find it elsewhere. Aziz will ship to the States.

**ktani** · August 9th, 2009, 05:17 AM

I just read this on that website
".... Every other Argan oil product available includes silicone...."

Absolutely, positively not so. Yes, there are argan oil blends, cosmetic products that contain it and silicone. However, one can buy both the pure cosmetic and the pure food argan oil from stores and online. That is just purely misleading.

**Freija** · August 9th, 2009, 07:45 AM

Okay, as requested!

Earlier this week, I lightened my hennaed hair maybe two shades with a 1 1/2-hour application of 20 vol peroxide. I mixed this with about half as much water again before applying (so a 2/3:1/3 ratio?). I went from a sort of mid-auburn (the photo on my profile gives a reasonable idea) to a more red-copper colour (which I then softened further into a dark golden-copper with Cassia, before colouring with Katam to a darkish golden brown).

On previous occasions, I've applied the coconut oil at the same time as the peroxide - either the oil first and the peroxide straight over it, or with the two mixed - but this time I tried pre-oiling. I saturated my hair and let it sink in for two hours beforehand, then applied the peroxide/water mix, covered my head with clingfilm, and sat down with a book. On rinsing out, I can't say I noticed any difference in the condition of my hair no matter how I've used the coconut oil - except, perhaps, that it was a little drier a few days after applying it as a peroxide/oil mixture than when I've applied the coconut oil directly to my hair (even then, it was slightly dry rather than actually damaged, and it went away within a week of going back to my normal CWC routine). It also didn't lighten as much - probably because I think I used less peroxide and more oil when mixing the two.

Certainly, applying coconut oil and then peroxide works just as well for me as applying the oil, leaving it, and then putting on the peroxide.

Hope this helps?

**ktani** · August 9th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Freija

Okay, as requested!

Earlier this week, I lightened my hennaed hair maybe two shades with a 1 1/2-hour application of 20 vol peroxide. I mixed this with about half as much water again before applying (so a 2/3:1/3 ratio?). I went from a sort of mid-auburn (the photo on my profile gives a reasonable idea) to a more red-copper colour (which I then softened further into a dark golden-copper with Cassia, before colouring with Katam to a darkish golden brown).

On previous occasions, I've applied the coconut oil at the same time as the peroxide - either the oil first and the peroxide straight over it, or with the two mixed - but this time I tried pre-oiling. I saturated my hair and let it sink in for two hours beforehand, then applied the peroxide/water mix, covered my head with clingfilm, and sat down with a book. On rinsing out, I can't say I noticed any difference in the condition of my hair no matter how I've used the coconut oil - except, perhaps, that it was a little drier a few days after applying it as a peroxide/oil mixture than when I've applied the coconut oil directly to my hair (even then, it was slightly dry rather than actually damaged, and it went away within a week of going back to my normal CWC routine). It also didn't lighten as much - probably because I think I used less peroxide and more oil when mixing the two.

Certainly, applying coconut oil and then peroxide works just as well for me as applying the oil, leaving it, and then putting on the peroxide.

Hope this helps?

Sorry to hear about the katam. That sounds like a really bad reaction. I hope that you recover quickly. I have had some nasty reactions to cosmetics on my scalp too, in the past. With the severity of this one, I agree that you should try taking an antihistamine as well as trying the chamomile rinse or try catnip tea on your scalp but you need to patch test first. You could be allergic to catnip too. Do not delay in seeking medical attention for this, if an antihistamine does not help!

Thank you so much for your new report, even during your pain! I was curious as to more details of how, if you had, you mixed them.

I can understand why mixing them previously would give you the slight dryness you had at the time, even though you had no damage. It is better for the coconut oil to saturate the hair for some time first, before a conventional lightening chemical is applied over it and the amount of oil helps too. Using more coconut oil has been reported to help with both conventional dye uptake and lightening. Your previous Report, #20.

2 shades in 1.5 hours is pretty good!

**Freija** · August 9th, 2009, 01:17 PM

I didn't have any antihistamine at home at the time, and had no way of getting hold of any by the time it was pointed out to me that I should take one, but the reaction seems to be fading on its own now. I'm just a little worried in case this leaves me sensitive to anything else, and am going to start patch-testing before I put anything on my scalp in future! I have chamomile tea in my kitchen, so I'll try a rinse later - no catnip, unfortunately.

That said, it is a good colour.

You're more than welcome! You give so much to the community through your research, the least we can do is write up a few lines whenever we use peroxide. I don't think I'll be mixing them again, though. It was better than using none at all, but the coconut oil does, as you say, work best when applied directly to the hair and allowed to soak in. I don't think quantity is an issue for me, either - I always use so much that my hair looks damp, rather than just greasy, when I'm peroxiding. Maybe this is why it lightened so successfully? That, and the fact that it's summer here, so there's extra heat.

**ktani** · August 9th, 2009, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Freija

I didn't have any antihistamine at home at the time, and had no way of getting hold of any by the time it was pointed out to me that I should take one, but the reaction seems to be fading on its own now. I'm just a little worried in case this leaves me sensitive to anything else, and am going to start patch-testing before I put anything on my scalp in future! I have chamomile tea in my kitchen, so I'll try a rinse later - no catnip, unfortunately.

That said, it is a good colour.

You're more than welcome! You give so much to the community through your research, the least we can do is write up a few lines whenever we use peroxide. I don't think I'll be mixing them again, though. It was better than using none at all, but the coconut oil does, as you say, work best when applied directly to the hair and allowed to soak in. I don't think quantity is an issue for me, either - I always use so much that my hair looks damp, rather than just greasy, when I'm peroxiding. Maybe this is why it lightened so successfully? That, and the fact that it's summer here, so there's extra heat.

Great news that you are feeling better!

You may not be sensitive to other things because of this. It depends I think, on what in the katam caused your reaction.

Even though you enjoy drinking chamomile tea, patch test it on your skin first, IMO. I have been able to drink it and I have used it on my scalp in the past, before catnip but at times it made my scalp itchy.

Thank you for the support and appreciation of what I do here. I do it for 2 reasons. To help out and because I enjoy reading the research, interpreting it and seeing where it can lead.

I agree, the more both oils are used, coconut and argan, and the longer they are left on the hair as a pre-treatment, the better the results, as per reports, for both conventional dye uptake and lightening.

**Heidi_234** · August 9th, 2009, 02:25 PM

ktani, I realized I had an observation in regards to water absorption in hair. You quote a source claiming it takes 15 minutes for hair to absorb liquid. My recent experience not going along with this.
Usually for moisture treatment I would make my hair damp by combing it with wet comb (which I re-wet after each stroke), then apply the moisture treatment and leave in for an hour before washing.
Last time I decided to do the same but skip the combing my hair wet part. My hair came out MUCH more moisturized. It surely didn't pass 5 minutes between getting my hair wet and applying the conditioner, but the difference was huge. So I'd say it doesn't take hair 15 minutes to get soaked with a liquid.
Just a little observation.

**ktani** · August 9th, 2009, 02:45 PM

Yes, I did quote such a source, here. I am not sure I understand how you think that relates to your observation. The reference is to water. Your moisturizing conditioner is not pure water.

Some conditioners are designed to be used on dry, damp or wet hair. It depends on what is in them and how they are formulated to work.

**Heidi_234** · August 9th, 2009, 02:51 PM

I was talking about absorption of water. The conditioner didn't took well on hair that was wetted a moment ago, but it did took very well on dry hair.

**ktani** · August 9th, 2009, 02:55 PM

Then it is probably designed to work well on dry hair too. Not all conditioners are designed to absorb into the hair. Many just coat it and bind water from the air or water in or on the hair (if it is wet or damp).