The Smell of Oils

[agoddess2die4]

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.

[neko_kawaii]

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.

[HairFaerie]

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).

[neko_kawaii]

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!

[DarkCurls]

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. :p

[HairFaerie]

L
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. :p

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.

[ChloeDharma]

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.

[meteor]

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.

[torrilin]

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 :D. 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.

[jacqueline101]

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.

[truepeacenik]

I am a super taster, and a little of that applies to scents.

Here are the oils I have used and the scents I have noticed.
Castor. This smells smoky to me.
Almond. I detect a scent. It isn't unpleasant. More neutral. Adding an essential oil helps.
Olive. Thick, heavy scent. Best for wrapped treatments or overnight.
Grapeseed. I connect this to frying now, but it was fine.
Jojoba. Dusty scent. Somewhat heavy, but I grew used to it.
Coconut. I detect a slight hint of coconut. It isn't like "I like coconuts/crack them open/and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" coconuts, or candy, or sno-cones.i think an EO would cover this easily.
Shea. This was one I could smell but actually liked on the less refined side. I have used Shea as a wood conditioner as well. On ends, or more than three inches down from ears, I rarely got a whiff.

Honestly, scent fatigue sets in. If I can make it past 10 minutes or so, I'm good.
I'll get wafts, but they are not unpleasant. Again, not pleasant. Earthy.

[Arden]

I'm a massage therapist and make all natural aromatherapy products. I am literally arms deep in oil on a regular basis. My all time favorite oil ever is apricot kernel oil. One for it's outstanding benefits and two because it is one of the more plesent oils in my opinion. As to adding essential oils, be careful you get a correct ratio no matter what you use. Some GRAS oils include -

Orange - smells heavenly blended with lavender.
Lavender - be certain it's lavender and not lavendin. Lavendin is a hybrid plant often used in commercial products. It can cause sensitivities in some people and is often what is the true cause of "lavender" allergies among certain people. That and synthetics.
Peppermint - a hybrid between speamint and watermint is considered excellent for hair growth. It also has been shown in certain studies to balance sexual hormones in women with PCOS.
Spearmint - lighter than peppermint. Generally cconsidered less irritating in super sensitive individuals. Shares simular medicinal values to peppermint
Rose - very feminine smell. May be too sweet for some. Be certain you are getting the essential oil as synthetics are far more common due to its exceptionally high market value. In terms of mythology the smell is believed to calm domestic strife and is considered by some an aphrodisiac. Also considered excellent for sexual conditions.
Basil - "Causes sympathy between two people". Considered one of the top 10 hair oils.

These are just a few off the top of my head. Some other hair related oils would be rosemary and tea tree. Although they are not necessarily the most plesent notes alone they are good hair tonics. Especially rosemary. And could be used in blends to ones personal taste. For hair benefits alone rosemary would probably fall into the top 3 on my list.

Lemon oil is not listed because I find lemon juice to be superior to the essential oil for use. But is could be used in a blend. It should be noted that any citrus oil is going to enhance sun exposure and should be used with caution on skin (potential sunburn) or hair (may have lightening effect)

[Arden]

Fixed oils I should note are not simply a matter of smell. Generally they're all fairly light smelling with few exceptions. Consistency and use play a more substantial role in my opinion.

Grapeseed has the least benefit in my opinion. It's popular cause its cheap and basic. Personally I find the feel oily and worse case gritty.
Olive is heavy and I would never use it for anything other than a treatment to wash out.
Shea oil or butter. The butter is heavy the oil is lighter. I don't like using it personally. I think it's overhyped. Can potentially cause complications for people with nut allergies.
Jojoba is one of my favorites. Light, easily absorbed and close in structure to our natural sebum. It should be noted that jojoba is not an oil but a liquid wax.
Apricot kernel oil is my favorite all around. Rich in antioxidants, light with an over all nice texture. Not unplesent smelling. It does have one of the shorter shelf lives at approx 3 to 6 months. Properly stored however I have had it hold up well for over a year.

Proper storage meaning dark colored glass bottle, tightly closed, stable moderate temperature (what would be comfortable in your home) and in a dark location. Inside a box or closet. These are really the standards for storing oils in general. Fixed or essential.

[melusine963]

My food grade coconut oil has a very faint smell, that only lingers for a few hours until it's soaked in. It's never bothered me.

[white.chocolate]

How about nut scents?

The posters above have said pretty much everything I could tell you. Some oils don't have a very strong smell, and you can't really (or at all) smell them when they're on your hair. I'll just list here a few more non-drying oils that smell nutty, and a bit earthy. No flowery, fruity, tropical scents.

Shea, macadamia, sweet almond, hazelnut, jojoba, babassu, avocado, marula.

Sadly, these are all the smells I have recorded. I personally like jojoba oil not really because of its smell (which is very light), but because of how moisturizing it is for my hair.
I haven't tried EOs yet.

[HairFaerie]

I just bought macadamia, kukui and baobab oils but I haven't opened them yet, so I don't know how they smell.

Avocado oil does have a slight avocado smell to it. I forgot about that one.

[turtlelover]

If you get the cheaper refined coconut oil, it doesn't have the virgin coconut oil smell. In my opinion, it works just as well at a lower cost and without the smell.

[HairFaerie]

If you are sensitive to scents, my bottom line advise would be to stick with 100% natural oils with no extra additives.

I bought the argan oil from Sally Beauty but it has a bazillion other ingredients. It smells awesome and the scent lingers in your hair. However, real argan oil only has a slight scent that doesn't linger.

[torrilin]

Shea oil or butter. The butter is heavy the oil is lighter. I don't like using it personally. I think it's overhyped. Can potentially cause complications for people with nut allergies.

I use it, but my mom can't. Shea nuts contain latex, and mom has a latex allergy. The more refined the shea butter or oil, the less latex it contains, but mom is very reactive so it's not safe at all for her. Figured I'd toss this one out since allergies are such a pain, and that's not one most of us would expect.

[Arden]

I use it, but my mom can't. Shea nuts contain latex, and mom has a latex allergy. The more refined the shea butter or oil, the less latex it contains, but mom is very reactive so it's not safe at all for her. Figured I'd toss this one out since allergies are such a pain, and that's not one most of us would expect.


I knew there was a reason it bothered me. That's good to know. I have always disliked products with Shea or using it when I make stuff. It bothers my skin. I don't have nut allergies but I had read in some cases people with nut issues couldn't tolerate it. I Do however have a sensitivity to latex. Which may explain why I've found it a touch irritating.

Thank youbfor sharing this. Very good to know!

[Arden]

Oh and avocado. I forgot that one myself earlier. It would defiantly be in my top 3. I think the scent it faint but fairly pleasant. It also has a lovely texture in butter form

[agoddess2die4]

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.

I wash and condition my hair 2-3 times a week, depending on activity levels, etc. and I brush it in the morning after waking to get rid of tangles. I also S&D occasionally, and trim 3-4 times a year. That's about it, I mostly just ignore my hair. Trying to be good about braiding my hair when i sleep and having it up more during the day, but I'm not good at keeping up with it because I like having my hair down.


Fixed oils I should note are not simply a matter of smell. Generally they're all fairly light smelling with few exceptions. Consistency and use play a more substantial role in my opinion.

Grapeseed has the least benefit in my opinion. It's popular cause its cheap and basic. Personally I find the feel oily and worse case gritty.
Olive is heavy and I would never use it for anything other than a treatment to wash out.
Shea oil or butter. The butter is heavy the oil is lighter. I don't like using it personally. I think it's overhyped. Can potentially cause complications for people with nut allergies.
Jojoba is one of my favorites. Light, easily absorbed and close in structure to our natural sebum. It should be noted that jojoba is not an oil but a liquid wax.
Apricot kernel oil is my favorite all around. Rich in antioxidants, light with an over all nice texture. Not unplesent smelling. It does have one of the shorter shelf lives at approx 3 to 6 months. Properly stored however I have had it hold up well for over a year.

Proper storage meaning dark colored glass bottle, tightly closed, stable moderate temperature (what would be comfortable in your home) and in a dark location. Inside a box or closet. These are really the standards for storing oils in general. Fixed or essential.

Good to know that the the scents aren't overpowering. The lighter the scent, the wider variety I can experiment with. I will check these out and be sure to store them properly.


How about nut scents?

Nut smells are fine, any earthy smells are good too. I can do planty smells, but not flowery.


I will be making myself a list and start experimenting after Christmas. Should be fun times!

[kitekats]

Olive oil, maybe coconut or almond (less noticeable) or sunflower:)

[DinaAG]

what about adding drops of orange essential oil to your oil? you can also do it at your home its easy http://www.condoblues.com/2011/04/how-to-make-orange-essential-oil-from.html

[door72067]

I have always loved to scent of Johnson's baby oil and it does wondrous things for my hair

[SleepyTangles]

I've been working on oils smell myself, when I started with organic/natural haircare!
YMMV, but I find that castor oil and flaxseed oil smell the stronger: it was very unpleasant, at first, but when you get used it's almost a good aroma :), probably because they did a lot of good to my hair and I link them with shiny, happy hair...
Jojoba, (cosmetic grade) sweet almond oil , and (food-grade) grapeseed smell of nothing, just neutral and 'oily'.
EVOO smells absolutely yummy for me, but it's a bit too "foody" when it comes to cosmetics.
Argan - cold pressed and organic - smell the worse to me! Like, uh, pickles and vinegar.

Castor, Evoo and flaxseed are quite heavy, almost treatments-only: essential oils are a bit wasted on them. Their smell is very difficult to cover, however.
Argan smell goes away easily, but since it's a everyday, quickly-absorbed oil - if I rub my hand before putting it in my hair, my skin litterally suck it dry!- I prefer to put some scent in it...

As for e.o. lavender is very good: it's such a romantic, nostalgic scent. Peppermint is very relaxing and fresh. Citruses are strong and can easily cover oil lingering smell, if you like them - I don't. I'm planning to put my hand on some sandalwood or benzoin, if I find it at a decent price, too!
I will just advice you to stay away from pricy floral e.o. imitations or re-creations, because they aren't very long-lasting and strong. Their smell is very faint, as far as my very little experience goes.

[Arden]

I've been working on oils smell myself, when I started with organic/natural haircare!
YMMV, but I find that castor oil and flaxseed oil smell the stronger: it was very unpleasant, at first, but when you get used it's almost a good aroma :), probably because they did a lot of good to my hair and I link them with shiny, happy hair...
Jojoba, (cosmetic grade) sweet almond oil , and (food-grade) grapeseed smell of nothing, just neutral and 'oily'.
EVOO smells absolutely yummy for me, but it's a bit too "foody" when it comes to cosmetics.
Argan - cold pressed and organic - smell the worse to me! Like, uh, pickles and vinegar.

Castor, Evoo and flaxseed are quite heavy, almost treatments-only: essential oils are a bit wasted on them. Their smell is very difficult to cover, however.
Argan smell goes away easily, but since it's a everyday, quickly-absorbed oil - if I rub my hand before putting it in my hair, my skin litterally suck it dry!- I prefer to put some scent in it...

As for e.o. lavender is very good: it's such a romantic, nostalgic scent. Peppermint is very relaxing and fresh. Citruses are strong and can easily cover oil lingering smell, if you like them - I don't. I'm planning to put my hand on some sandalwood or benzoin, if I find it at a decent price, too!
I will just advice you to stay away from pricy floral e.o. imitations or re-creations, because they aren't very long-lasting and strong. Their smell is very faint, as far as my very little experience goes.

Oh yea I forgot sandalwood. Also a very nice oil. I have a EO blend that I wear as perfume that is a mixture of sandalwood, rose and lavender. I find it to be a soothing classic scent. Very feminine and subtle but with a smoky woody undertone. My husband likes it too.

[clanless]

I assume you are okay with nutty oil smells? Tamanu and Argan can smell strong, but in a nutty way, not the obnoxious floral or fruity way. They smell like food. This argan oil has no smell though: http://www.vitacost.com/csi-100-pure-moroccan-argan-oil-natural-rejuvenating-oil

[Coolcombination]

I have only bought argan oil, it's pure and smells like earthy crap. Minging but you get used to it.