Why Not Use Soybean Oil?

[OhMyCurlz]

I have a question, mostly out of curiosity. I noticed a lot of people use Jojoba, Coconut oil, Avocado Oil, and Castor on their hair, leaving out the most convenient oil...soy. Why not? Has anyone else tried it? I know soy is in some of Giovanni's products (not sure if it's soy protein or soy oil), and I've used it personally and LOVED it. It's fairly light on my hair and puts a nice shine that lasts a long time similar to dimethicone (at least on my hair). It's a good sealant and mixed with coconut oil has pretty much saved my hair for hot oiling, and I use it in my emulsions too. So...is anyone else using soy or has had good experiences with it?

[spidermom]

Coconut and avocado oil are widely used because the hair can actually absorb them. I don't know much about soy oil, but if you like the results, keep on keeping on.

[Centelleo]

Given its availability, I'm surprised that it isn't used more often but I suppose using vegetable oil doesn't have quite the same ring as some of the others you mentioned.

I try not to buy too many single use products other than an essential oil or high quality carrier here and there so many of my hair/body oils double as cooking oil: extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil, sunflower, untoasted sesame, argan (food-grade), and grapeseed (although I'm phasing this out due to high pesticide levels found in most commercial grape harvests & seed oil production).

Virgin coconut oil is great for cooking as well as a natural anti-fungal supplement. As far as hair application use, it's one of the best hair oils since it is actually able to penetrate the hair shaft and helps prevent protein loss. Plus, the natural scent of unrefined coconut oil is pretty hard to beat!

I don't cook with castor or jojoba (and I'm not even sure you can) but their natural properties make them desirable for skin and hair use, as well as alternative home remedies: castor oil for laxative purposes and suffocating the all too common hair follicle (demodex) mites that inhibit hair growth; jojoba oil's similarity to our skin's natural sebum makes it a good choice for a lightweight oil cleanser and moisturizer, especially for the scalp (although some people prefer to use it on the length).

Avocado oil (unrefined) has a much higher vitamin E content than soy oil and it's considered less comedogenic.

Also, there are so many conflicting studies as to whether or not soy oil contains phytoestrogens, which can be absorbed through the skin. That's an important factor to consider for people undergoing hormone replacement therapy or with synthetic hormone sensitivity.

[Anje]

I haven't tried it, but now I might have to. I think I have some in my pantry.

Of the oils I've tried so far, my favorite is sesame (recommended to me by Mira-chan). My hair sucks it up a bit more than it does coconut and olive oil, and it adds a nice amount of slip and shine. Plus it's another grocery store oil, which I consider a selling point.

[AmericanWoman]

When I first started using oils, back 5 years ago, I started with shortening (, which was hydrogenated Cottonseed and soybean oil. It worked ok for me. I've also used a soybean and olive oil blend I got at Dollar Tree.

[shawty]

I think there was a study concluding that soybean oil, when applied topically, slows hair's growth and makes it grow in finer. That is probably why it is infrequently used on head hair, but the study was referring to body hair, so I think that as long as you are only applying it to the ends and not the roots, it will have no negative effects. =)

[lastnite]

good question.. I know it's one of the first oils in the Africa's Best oil people like in the other thread. What about canola oil? I see that in some products too! I wonder if they are cheap filler oils like how mineral oil is used?

[dropinthebucket]

This article is mostly about soybean oil on skin - i ran into it while looking up how to treat eczema - but there might be some useful info. for hair:
http://www.improvingyourworld.com/he...in_002000.html

And this article at LiveStrong.com claims that soybean oil stimulates hair growth.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/11...l-hair-growth/

However, this article at FutureDerm, says that soybean oil used on the skin reduces the number of hair follicles!
http://www.futurederm.com/2007/12/15...n-soy-extract/

[littlenvy]

This article is mostly about soybean oil on skin - i ran into it while looking up how to treat eczema - but there might be some useful info. for hair:
http://www.improvingyourworld.com/he...in_002000.html

And this article at LiveStrong.com claims that soybean oil stimulates hair growth.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/11...l-hair-growth/

However, this article at FutureDerm, says that soybean oil used on the skin reduces the number of hair follicles!
http://www.futurederm.com/2007/12/15...n-soy-extract/

WOW! Talk about two opposites
I do remember hearing thay soy and vitamin E will thin out the hair follicles prevent them from growing. And then I found this article too, that claims that soy prevents baldness :

http://www.scq.ubc.ca/soybean-and-ba...ere-is-a-link/

hhmmm .. the plot thickens

[lastnite]

hmm... guess I'll avoid it, better safe than sorry since I don't have alot of hair to risk getting thinner.