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Thread: The Smell of Oils

  1. #1
    Member agoddess2die4's Avatar
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    Default The Smell of Oils

    Hello All!

    I've been growing out my hair, but my routine is mostly benign neglect. Now that I'm almost at waist that doesn't seem to be working out as well anymore because I'm seeing an increase in splits as it gets longer. I will be making a few changes, but one I wanted to try was oil. I am slightly concerned about over-oiling at first, but I'm sure I can get the hang of it with practice.

    My concern is the smell. I am very smell sensitive and I wanted to know if any of the oils have strong scents or if there is a way to change the scent. I tend to get headaches from anything floral or tropical smelling (including coconut- I hate the smell of coconut). Most of the smells I like are edible smells- vanilla, chocolate, fruits.

    In case it's needed, my hair is fine and slightly wavy.I don't know if that would make a difference on the recommended oil.

  2. #2
    Long tea-time for hair neko_kawaii's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    You can certainly add Essential Oils to any oil to mask a disagreeable smell. I have sweet orange (or was it lemon) in my vitamin E oil because by itself it smells like little black ants to me. Try a natural food store and they should have testers for the EOs so you can sniff each one and find something that agrees with you.

    58.5 in, 2a, F, ii (3 in)
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    Faerie of Hair HairFaerie's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    Most natural oils have very little smell. It may be faint, light vegetable oil. Actually, coconut oil (food grade), has no scent. If you buy 100% natural oils, you shouldn't have a problem. The only exception I have encountered is tamanu oil, which has a sweet smell, almost like maple syrup, which I like!
    If you prefer a scent and extra added benefits, you can try a few drops of essential oil(s).
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    Long tea-time for hair neko_kawaii's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    Quote Originally Posted by HairFaerie View Post
    Most natural oils have very little smell. It may be faint, light vegetable oil. Actually, coconut oil (food grade), has no scent. If you buy 100% natural oils, you shouldn't have a problem. The only exception I have encountered is tamanu oil, which has a sweet smell, almost like maple syrup, which I like!
    If you prefer a scent and extra added benefits, you can try a few drops of essential oil(s).
    Funny, I use a food grade coconut oil and it smells like lightly toasted coconuts. Olive oil is a very heavy smell for me as well, thankfully I don't like the way it makes my hair feel so I have never bothered with trying to overcome the odor. (LOL, I remember my mother once made cookies for a bake sale with olive oil because it was the only thing she had on hand and I could not stand the flavor but my classmates raved about them.) Everyone's nose is different!

    58.5 in, 2a, F, ii (3 in)
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    Member DarkCurls's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    Virgin, unrefined cold-pressed coconut oil certainly smells like coconut. (I think it's refined that doesn't smell? Can't remember.) The scent is divine if you like coconuts. However, I'm with neko_kawaii on the olive oil which didn't do enough for my hair to make the smell worth it. I only like the smell of olive oil if I'm about to eat it.

    Sweet almond oil smells delicious. I mean, we obviously don't have the same tastes (I love coconuts), but I just thought I'd add my two cents. It smells like nuts. Mm. Avocado oil had a surprisingly bearable smell, very subtle.

    I'm surprised by HairFaerie's post. I've always bought food-grade oils in organic stores, and I find they all have a distinct smell.

    As for which oil, it's a case of trial and error. Some people rave about olive oil -- I have a friend that swears by it --, but it didn't do anything for me. Avocado oil left my hair feeling crunchy and dry no matter how or when I applied it. But I'm glad I tried them, at least I know.
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  6. #6
    Faerie of Hair HairFaerie's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    L
    Quote Originally Posted by DarkCurls View Post
    Virgin, unrefined cold-pressed coconut oil certainly smells like coconut. (I think it's refined that doesn't smell? Can't remember.) The scent is divine if you like coconuts. However, I'm with neko_kawaii on the olive oil which didn't do enough for my hair to make the smell worth it. I only like the smell of olive oil if I'm about to eat it.

    Sweet almond oil smells delicious. I mean, we obviously don't have the same tastes (I love coconuts), but I just thought I'd add my two cents. It smells like nuts. Mm. Avocado oil had a surprisingly bearable smell, very subtle.

    I'm surprised by HairFaerie's post. I've always bought food-grade oils in organic stores, and I find they all have a distinct smell.

    As for which oil, it's a case of trial and error. Some people rave about olive oil -- I have a friend that swears by it --, but it didn't do anything for me. Avocado oil left my hair feeling crunchy and dry no matter how or when I applied it. But I'm glad I tried them, at least I know.
    My sniffer must be off! The oils I have (coconut, olive, argan, jojoba, grapeseed...just to name a few), have a very faint, "oil" smell to me. Except the tamanu which I mentioned. I guess everyone's nose is different.

    I make all kinds of concoctions which I think have a pleasant, slight aroma and my husband will say "What the heck is that SMELL?" His nose must be extra sensitive.

    I also cannot detect ANY coconut aroma from my coconut oil. To me, it just smells like cooking oil. I was a little disappointed when I first bought it because I rather like the smell of coconut. Maybe the unrefined smells like coconut and I had the refined.
    Last edited by HairFaerie; December 22nd, 2012 at 08:42 AM.
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  7. #7
    Obsessive Oilaholic ChloeDharma's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    Quote Originally Posted by HairFaerie View Post
    L

    My sniffer must be off! The oils I have (coconut, olive, argan, jojoba, grapeseed...just to name a few), have a very faint, "oil" smell to me. Except the tamanu which I mentioned. I guess everyone's nose is different.

    I make all kinds of concoctions which I think have a pleasant, slight aroma and my husband will say "What the heck is that SMELL?" His nose must be extra sensitive.

    I also cannot detect ANY coconut aroma from my coconut oil. To me, it just smells like cooking oil. I was a little disappointed when I first bought it because I rather like the smell of coconut. Maybe the unrefined smells like coconut and I had the refined.

    Yes it sounds like you have the refined coconut oil. If you want one smelling of coconuts go for virgin coconut oil, the smell isn't overpowering like synthetic coconut but certainly is strong enoigh to notice. Parachute brand coconut oil is a stronger more toasted smell as it's made from copra.

    I find jojoba oil has a faint earthy smell but can't detect it once it's on my hair or face. Macadamia nut oil also doesn't smell of much. Rice bran oil is another fairly odour free oil but i don't find it that good on my hair.
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  8. #8
    Member meteor's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    Safflower oil has no smell. Grapeseed oil has almost no smell.
    However, safflower oil is a drying oil and grapeseed oil is a semi-drying oil.
    Both give my hair a great shine, they are rich in ceramides and are good coating and sealing oils.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    Quote Originally Posted by agoddess2die4 View Post
    Hello All!

    I've been growing out my hair, but my routine is mostly benign neglect.

    My concern is the smell. I am very smell sensitive and I wanted to know if any of the oils have strong scents or if there is a way to change the scent. I tend to get headaches from anything floral or tropical smelling (including coconut- I hate the smell of coconut). Most of the smells I like are edible smells- vanilla, chocolate, fruits.

    In case it's needed, my hair is fine and slightly wavy.I don't know if that would make a difference on the recommended oil.
    Benign neglect doesn't actually tell us much... it means you do as little as possible to your hair, but what is possible varies rather a lot. For me it means occasional scalp washes (maybe as often as every 7 days?), lots of fragrance free conditioner, lots of updos, occasional finger combing. Other posters would do different stuff. I do more than someone with a sebum only routine, but I'm definitely more towards the neglecty end of the benign neglect thread .

    For me oiling is not a huge improvement over conditioner. They both can work, but it's tough to get the oil dose low enough to suit my 1c/F hair while getting it distributed enough, and it's easy to manage conditioner. So I stick with conditioner. Obviously mileage varies a lot on this one . Since I'm naturally lazy and benign neglect oriented, I go with the easy option. I know for some posters, conditioner is the hard option and oil is easy too... so going with what's right for your own head of hair does matter.

    The two conditioners I use most often are Alaffia's Everyday Shea (the options are fragrance free, lavender and vanilla mint) and Alba Botanica's leave in conditioner, which meets the FDA fragrance free rules. I'm pretty scent reactive, and I get itching or headache symptoms from a lot of fragrances. I haven't had problems with oils if they're safe for me to eat, tho I may not find the scent pleasant, it won't make me sick. Both olive oil and coconut oil that are food grade work in my hair. I haven't tried a lot of other oils since oils are such a pain to use, and there are limits to how much cooking oil I can justify . I've tried other fragrance free conditioners, but the two I rebuy work very well for my hair. So far, I haven't found other fragrance free conditioners to be worth rebuying.

    The FDA rules for a product to be fragrance free means no ingredients can be added for the sole purpose of scent. So an unrefined, cold pressed food grade oil would count as fragrance free, even tho it contains a lot of natural scent compounds. Depending on your body's sensitivities, that may work out as safe for you, or it may not. I'm ok with testing things by eating them because my reactions are relatively minor. No hives, no incapacitating pain. If you are prone to stronger reactions, it may be more prudent to patch test first. If you're really sensitive, it may be wiser to patch test and stick with food grade oils only. Food grade oils have to be kept cleaner and purer in the processing, so they're a safer bet for those of us who are very reactive.

  10. #10
    Tries to Help Everyone jacqueline101's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Smell of Oils

    I like the smell of coconut oil and oiling has made my hair softer and less dry. I don't have frizzy hair ends anymore.

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