Just had a thought...

[sarahthegemini]

I know humectants can be bad under certain conditions as they may suck moisture out of the hair or suck too much in thus creating frizzy swelling of the hair shaft. BUT, what would happen if one were to use a product with a humectant in it but seal with oil afterwards? Surely that would prevent moisture leaving the hair/being drawn out and prevent too much moisture being drawn into the hair?

[Firefox7275]

Oils are not 100% barriers unless perhaps you put so much on you look like an oil slick. They can help regulate the water content of hair, but some may be less effective as they are absorbed into the hair.
http://journal.scconline.org//pdf/cc2007/cc058n02/p00135-p00145.pdf
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/mineral-oil-versus-coconut-oil-which-is-better

[sarahthegemini]

Oils are not 100% barriers unless perhaps you put so much on you look like an oil slick. They can help regulate the water content of hair, but some may be less effective as they are absorbed into the hair.
http://journal.scconline.org//pdf/cc2007/cc058n02/p00135-p00145.pdf
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/mineral-oil-versus-coconut-oil-which-is-better

Ohh, and there I was thinking I'd found a way around it!

[The-Young-Maid]

Maybe you could just put it on the very ends? :shrug:

[Firefox7275]

Ohh, and there I was thinking I'd found a way around it!

You are not a million miles off the mark. IMO the key is to find a balance of conditioning ingredients from different families (major emollients, occlusives, potent humectants, protein) that works for your hair properties and dew points/ humidity. The choice is never between humectants or not humectants, you can use moderate amounts of the potent ones (eg. glycerin, propylene glycol, honey, aloe) or rely on the fact that other ingredients are weak humectants as a 'secondary' property (eg. hydrolysed protein, panthenol, fatty alcohols, cationic surfactants).

[sarahthegemini]

You are not a million miles off the mark. IMO the key is to find a balance of conditioning ingredients from different families (major emollients, occlusives, potent humectants, protein) that works for your hair properties and dew points/ humidity. The choice is never between humectants or not humectants, you can use moderate amounts of the potent ones (eg. glycerin, propylene glycol, honey, aloe) or rely on the fact that other ingredients are weak humectants as a 'secondary' property (eg. hydrolysed protein, panthenol, fatty alcohols, cationic surfactants).

I have so much to learn! I can't believe that I never ever used to even look at ingredients in my hair products.

[Firefox7275]

I have so much to learn! I can't believe that I never ever used to even look at ingredients in my hair products.

Neither did I, and I have little excuse - my work background is healthcare and I read food ingredients obsessively. I had no idea there was peroxide in my burgundy box dye until a few years ago ha ha doh!!