Ladies, do you oil your hair to encourage growth and health?

[lilahtov]

Hi,
I'm new here and I've just begun my journey to grow my hair out naturally and healthfully.

I'm planning to begin oiling my hair with a mixture of coconut, olive, cactus and almond oil. I was inspired to do this after watching many videos on Youtube, mainly those of the makeup artist Maya Mia (famous on Instagram and Youtube, you can look her up.)

What do you ladies think? Do any of you oil your hair? How/why? What results have you seen and what application methods do you use? How long do you leave it on (an hour, overnight..?) and how do you get it out of your hair?

Thank you so much! :)

[Tini'sNewHair]

HI. I have just started using olive oil once a week. I use a few tablespoons of this warmed up slightly in the microwave and i pretty much soak my hair in it but i massage my scalp very well to. I leave this in while i make dinner, bath kids etc. (so for a few hours) and then i wash with shampoo a few times. My hair responded very well to this because normally i must shampoo my hair every second day or it and even so, by day two my hair turns into a horrible condition of dandruff and greasy BUT i'm on day 2 now (since I started the olive oil soak) and so far, the dandruff is verrrrrry minimal, my hair is OK and i think i can stretch it as far as another day :) I'm also going to give coconut oil a try soon :)

[lilahtov]

HI. I have just started using olive oil once a week. I use a few tablespoons of this warmed up slightly in the microwave and i pretty much soak my hair in it but i massage my scalp very well to. I leave this in while i make dinner, bath kids etc. (so for a few hours) and then i wash with shampoo a few times. My hair responded very well to this because normally i must shampoo my hair every second day or it and even so, by day two my hair turns into a horrible condition of dandruff and greasy BUT i'm on day 2 now (since I started the olive oil soak) and so far, the dandruff is verrrrrry minimal, my hair is OK and i think i can stretch it as far as another day :) I'm also going to give coconut oil a try soon :)

Thank you for sharing your experience! I'm so excited to begin oiling when mine arrive in the mail (ordered thru Amazon!)

[bythesea]

Right now I use a serum (L'anza Neem serum) while my hair is still pretty wet (but not dripping) after I wash it because serums/oils are supposedly good at protecting your hair as it dries. I used to use coconut oil once a week as a deep conditioner, I ran out and just never bought it again because of forgetfulness, though I really should start using it again. I have some friends who are Indian and I asked them how they use coconut oil in their hair and they told me that about once a week they rub it through their hair and scalp and let it soak all day and overnight. Then just wash it off with shampoo and conditioner. Between washes/deep conditions they just use it through the ends of the hair to help with any split ends, so that's what I was doing and I think it did help.

[woodswanderer]

I use a few drops of coconut oil on the length of my hair while it is wet after my shower. I leave it in and it gets absorbed and really helps me prevent tangles.

[Sharysa]

I use sweet-almond oil mixed with sweetgrass essential oil. I comb it through damp hair after a shower--does wonders to keep my hair from getting too dry or frizzy.

Coconut oil was way too heavy for my hair (it has lots of protein, and my hair got crunchy), so I didn't try olive oil since it's known to be heavy as well.

[Crumpet]

Its good to try a range. Everyone has different preferences. For me:

Coconut - mainstay
Avocado - scalp massages, add-ins (probably won't repurchase)
Olive - add-ins, occasional soaks
Argan - a few drops when my hair is still damp to seal in moisture

[biogirl87]

The only oil I use is mineral oil/baby oil after I wash my hair, before the first detangling (I've started detangling once as soon as I can after I get out of the shower and then a second time after my hair dries for final detangling). In the summer it has helped keep the frizziness to a minimum. Now, it helps to minimize tangling, which leads to easier detangling when I do have to detangle my hair, which would lead to better hair health as there wouldn't be as much mechanical damage from combing (at least in theory; I have only used mineral oil for the past few months after washing my hair once a week, so it probably hasn't been enough time to really tell if my hair is healthier).

[AmyBeth]

I use castor oil on my roots and coconut and olive on the lengths the night before I wash once a week. I use avocado as a leave in after hendigo, it gives my hair a beautiful slip and really helps with any post henna dryness and tangles. I also use argan as a leave in after shampoos.

[Majormiles]

I use coconut oil. The best method for me is to wash my hair, when it is still wet use a small amount ( about half the size of my little finger nail) and start on my halo (where I get flyaways) and smooth down to the tips, then I brush with a tangle teaser to evenly distribute the oil. For me this way works best as my hair doesn't come out greasy, but it defo itself makes a huge difference. Good luck with your hair journey!

[ExpectoPatronum]

What I do with oil depends on what I feel like/what I have time for. I pretty much always oil my hair before I shampoo it, which is every other day. My hair just looks and feels so much healthier when I do that.

The oils I use most often are coconut and olive, but I have a couple store bought hair oils that are a mixture of a lot of different ones. Sometimes I'll mix those with coconut or olive, or sometimes I'll use them by themselves. I try not to get stuck using the same oil all the time. My hair likes it better that way.

Basically, I just put the chosen oil all over my hair. I usually start at the ends and concentrate it there. I'll apply it all over and give myself a little scalp massage with some of the oil too. Then I'll put it in a bun. The amount of time I let it sit depends on a number of things, like if I have plans, how late it is etc. I try to get at least an hour, though 3-5 hours is probably the most common. I usually spend that time doing the homework I put off the night before. :P Sometimes I'll throw on a shower cap and a beanie to trap some of the warmth from my head for a deeper treatment. Every once in a while, I'll apply a light coating of coconut oil and leave it in overnight. I don't particularly like sleeping with oiled hair, so I don't do that one often.

I've been keeping this routine for a solid month now and my hair has seen a drastic improvement. Before, my hair wasn't bad. A little dry and a little dull. Now it's full of shine and life. It feels SO soft to the touch, which is saying something since I have coarse hair. It literally shines now where before, it didn't have the same luster. My hair both looks and feels so much healthier. I now have hair that I am very happy with. My roommates have even been commenting on how good my hair has been looking. :)

I know it seems like a lot to do it every other day, but oiling my hair takes maybe two minutes tops. Sometimes it's a nice little break from studying to give myself a little scalp massage lol. If it relieves stress and benefits my hair, why not do it every other day? And if I'm going to sit and read and do homework for a solid couple of hours, why not do it with some lovely oils working their magic on my hair? :D Now that's what I call multi-tasking.

ETA: My normal (sulfate free) shampoo gets the oil out just fine. No ickly oily residue in my hair! After I get out of the shower, I put a few drops of baby oil in my hair to smooth down my frizzies. Seriously...a few drops is all I need. 3-4 at most.

[Leery]

I regularly oil my hair with a mix of coconut, jojoba and argan oil. I wash once a week and when my hair is almost dry, I distribute a relatively large amount of oil on my length. Then if I notice dryness at the ends during the week, I apply some more. I rarely oil my scalp.

[Stray_mind]

I use two tablespoons of castor oil and two tablespoons of coconut oil. I mix it in the bowl, wich is in the sing with hot water. Coconut oil melts and both oils mix well together. I use this for heavy oiling before washing, once or twice a week.

[Madora]

Personally, I never use any kind of oil, except for a few drops of mineral oil after shampooing (it helps with detangling).

Oiling works for many here...but I suggest that you use it very sparingly when you do..and try and limit your use. If you use too much, then you have to shampoo it out and sometimes it takes more than one shampoo to get rid of it.

Also, if you oil your hair, every living particle in the universe will be attracted to it.

I found daily brushing with a boar bristle brush keeps my hair healthy and shiny.

[NuclearApple]

I use olive oil almost every week,I leave it up fr 1-2 hours and then wash it,i suggest to leave it overnight only to people with very thin hair,cause oil gives body to hair and it could get too thick and fat at the touch.

forgot to say:

apply it on wet hair,so the natural oil doesn't melt in the oil making the hair dry.

[teela1978]

I don't really do it for growth, but I think an occasional deep oiling (lots of oil, for an hour or so, sometimes overnight) before washing is good for the length. I usually use coconut oil.

[Nae]

I do think that the vast majority of the people on this site do use some kind of oil although some use more than others. I personally use coconut, jojoba and olive oil. I also use Nightblooming's panacea which is good stuff. (It has oils and shea butter and other lovely things in it.)

[shutterpillar]

I have just begun using sweet almond oil and I really like it so far. I was using coconut oil, but I found it to be too heavy for my hair and it would often times leave the ends crunchy feeling and tangled. I also tried mineral oil, but that did not seem to suit my hair either.

After I wash my hair, I rub a very small drop of almond oil on my palms, then run it through my damp hair. I'll normally plop it after that. After I've taken my hair down and it air dries, the sweet almond oil has been leaving my hair soft and not as tangle prone. :)

[melusine963]

Oiling your hair will definitely help with adding slip and making it easier to detangle, so you should see less mechanical damage and hopefully have to trim less off the ends. However, it won't do anything to increase your growth rate.

I use coconut oil as my leave-in conditioner and detangler.

[BowTie]

I oil before every wash ( I wash twice a week) I use coconut oil. On my first wash I leave it for a couple of hours but during my second wash I leave ut for overnight =) It's made my hair softer. Haven't used it for a long time so r3ally fan't say anymore.

[Emanuelle]

Jamaican Black castor oil scalp massages helps with my hair growth, and I use grapeseed oil for sealing. :) That really helps preventing split ends. :)

[BlazingHeart]

Just a small point, but we have guys here, too! Yeah, it's mostly women, but don't leave our gents out. They're nice fellows.

[nobeltonya]

Oiling my hair has really improved the texture and thickness of my hair. I just use pure coconut oil (lately boiled with curry leaves but by itself is good also) and apply every other night. I made a video on how I apply oil to my hair. It's on my youtube channel: aynotjar. I use a lot of oil, but my hair soaks it up. I buy a 1L jug which lasts about 2 months. And I wash every morning, and it all comes out for about a week before I have to worry about build-up. Once it starts going limp even after washing (build-up), I just go 2 days in a row w/o oiling. Just washing like normal, and it's good for about a week. :) :disco:

[lilahtov]

Thank you everyone for sharing your wisdom! I feel so lucky to be part of such a welcoming and knowledgeable community :o

[heidi w.]

I am an expert in oiling hair. I have a youtube video which can be found via google under searching for "Heidi W. oiling hair video". It shows how to oil hair, how little oil is needed on the length only, not the scalp hair which works best by allowing sebum to do it's normal care....what kind of oil to use and how to boar bristle brush the hair and an easy updo to do.
heidi w.

[lilahtov]

What I do with oil depends on what I feel like/what I have time for. I pretty much always oil my hair before I shampoo it, which is every other day. My hair just looks and feels so much healthier when I do that.

The oils I use most often are coconut and olive, but I have a couple store bought hair oils that are a mixture of a lot of different ones. Sometimes I'll mix those with coconut or olive, or sometimes I'll use them by themselves. I try not to get stuck using the same oil all the time. My hair likes it better that way.

Basically, I just put the chosen oil all over my hair. I usually start at the ends and concentrate it there. I'll apply it all over and give myself a little scalp massage with some of the oil too. Then I'll put it in a bun. The amount of time I let it sit depends on a number of things, like if I have plans, how late it is etc. I try to get at least an hour, though 3-5 hours is probably the most common. I usually spend that time doing the homework I put off the night before. :P Sometimes I'll throw on a shower cap and a beanie to trap some of the warmth from my head for a deeper treatment. Every once in a while, I'll apply a light coating of coconut oil and leave it in overnight. I don't particularly like sleeping with oiled hair, so I don't do that one often.

I've been keeping this routine for a solid month now and my hair has seen a drastic improvement. Before, my hair wasn't bad. A little dry and a little dull. Now it's full of shine and life. It feels SO soft to the touch, which is saying something since I have coarse hair. It literally shines now where before, it didn't have the same luster. My hair both looks and feels so much healthier. I now have hair that I am very happy with. My roommates have even been commenting on how good my hair has been looking. :)

I know it seems like a lot to do it every other day, but oiling my hair takes maybe two minutes tops. Sometimes it's a nice little break from studying to give myself a little scalp massage lol. If it relieves stress and benefits my hair, why not do it every other day? And if I'm going to sit and read and do homework for a solid couple of hours, why not do it with some lovely oils working their magic on my hair? :D Now that's what I call multi-tasking.

ETA: My normal (sulfate free) shampoo gets the oil out just fine. No ickly oily residue in my hair! After I get out of the shower, I put a few drops of baby oil in my hair to smooth down my frizzies. Seriously...a few drops is all I need. 3-4 at most.


All of this was so helpful!! Thank you so much, ExpectoPatronum! I hope that I have similar results :wink:

[lilahtov]

Just a small point, but we have guys here, too! Yeah, it's mostly women, but don't leave our gents out. They're nice fellows.

You're right, BlazingHeart! I simply haven't had the pleasure of making any of those fellows' acquaintance just yet. Thanks for reminding me though.

[lilahtov]

Heidi W. thank you for mentioning that video! I'm going to go have a look right now.

[BrightEyes]

I don't use pure oil on my hair, unless I'm getting ready to have my hair highlighted and colored and then I apply coconut oil to my hair 2-4 hours before my appointment. But using oil after shampooing always leaves my hair stringy and greasy looking (it doesn't matter how little I use).

What I do use and adore is Nightblooming's Panacea. I put a tiny bit on my damp ends. Then after my hair has dried I will often use a little coney serum on the length.

[Sharysa]

I am an expert in oiling hair. I have a youtube video which can be found via google under searching for "Heidi W. oiling hair video". It shows how to oil hair, how little oil is needed on the length only, not the scalp hair which works best by allowing sebum to do it's normal care....what kind of oil to use and how to boar bristle brush the hair and an easy updo to do.
heidi w.

That only works for people whose hair isn't dry or really thick. My hair is dry and my scalp is oily, but since I have so much hair, natural sebum isn't nearly enough even if it's just for my scalp. I need about two or three palmfuls of oil twice a week (after I wash my hair)--not too much, but WAY more than the usual "five to ten drops" advice given.

[magfish]

I really like mixing a little jojoba oil with water in a spray bottle. It's great for day two hair just to calm it down a little. Don't spray too much and mix first, obviously ymmv but still worth a try if putting oil directly onto your hair is too much (which some days it is for me!).

[DweamGoiL]

I oil my hair when it needs it. I use a small amount of Monoi Oil on the length to seal it after washing and sometimes in between if it feels dry.

[Valkyriejae]

I've been oiling my hair the last couple times I washed it, just with EVCO after I wash as a leave-in, focusing especially on the ends. I really like it and I find it's making my hair MUCH softer and less tangle-prone although I think I could maybe get away with using slightly less since my hair doesn't really absorb it well.

[MsSunshine]

I've been piling my hair for a couple months, and it's vastly improved the health of my hair. It used to be extremely dry, damaged and frizzy, but I've made some serious progress! My hair is MUCH softer and it even is a bit shiny now!! PROGRESS! YEAH!

I oil before washing (twice per week). Once a week I leave sweet almond oil I. My hair overnight, and once a week I do a hot oil treatment with grapeseed oil. I also add a couple drops of lavender oil to my conditioning rinse whenever I wash my hair, and I spritz water with a few drops of rosemary oil in my hair daily. Every night before bed, I apply some sweet almond oil to my ends, and they soak it up completely since they easily dry out.

[bythesea]

Not to derail the thread, but since we're on the topic of oils, I was just wondering if anyone knows of any oil that's more lightweight on hair than coconut or olive oil (those are the only two I've tried so far). In the past I loved using coconut oil for deep conditioning, but for every day use it was pretty heavy, so now I use a really lightweight serum. My only problem with the serum is it has 'cones in it, and I'd slowly like to stop using 'cones (starting with my styling products).

[gogirlanime]

I oil my hair twice a week, soak it in olive oil and seal it with coconut oil over night.


Right now I use a serum (L'anza Neem serum) while my hair is still pretty wet (but not dripping) after I wash it because serums/oils are supposedly good at protecting your hair as it dries. I used to use coconut oil once a week as a deep conditioner, I ran out and just never bought it again because of forgetfulness, though I really should start using it again. I have some friends who are Indian and I asked them how they use coconut oil in their hair and they told me that about once a week they rub it through their hair and scalp and let it soak all day and overnight. Then just wash it off with shampoo and conditioner. Between washes/deep conditions they just use it through the ends of the hair to help with any split ends, so that's what I was doing and I think it did help.

FYI, coconut oil doesn't penetrate the shaft it coats the outside to seal in moisture but not add to the moisture of the hair. Use olive oil to moisturize and coconut oil to seal it in


I use sweet-almond oil mixed with sweetgrass essential oil. I comb it through damp hair after a shower--does wonders to keep my hair from getting too dry or frizzy.

Coconut oil was way too heavy for my hair (it has lots of protein, and my hair got crunchy), so I didn't try olive oil since it's known to be heavy as well.

FYI, coconut oil has no protein in it.

[spirals]

Maybe once a month I heavily oil with coconut overnight and wash out the next morning, or the next day. Almost every night I oil my braid tassels with coconut. For taming frizz or adding shine I use almond/jojoba, but that's not often. My homemade detangler/moisturizer and herbal rinse have a bit of almond and jojoba. I guess I don't really oil intentionally, except the ends. They are damaged and need it, but the rest of my hair stays fairly healthy.

[Tota]

I used to oil my hair once every two weeks with EVOO or coconut oil but since I've found the "perfect" conditioner to CO with I don't feel the need to oil my hair at all. But it does contain argan oil (at least so it says on the label).

[BowTie]

Last night I put some coconut oil in my lenghts, slept with a shower cap on and washed my hair 9 hours later. My hair is not completely dry yet but it feels so thick =) I love coconut oil.. it's a great moisturizer for your body,too :)

[Panth]

I oil my hair twice a week, soak it in olive oil and seal it with coconut oil over night.

FYI, coconut oil doesn't penetrate the shaft it coats the outside to seal in moisture but not add to the moisture of the hair. Use olive oil to moisturize and coconut oil to seal it in

FYI, coconut oil has no protein in it.

You are correct that coconut oil has no protein in it (the clue is in the name - it's 100% oil, i.e. fat). The "crunchy" feeling some get with coconut oil is not symptomatic of a protein overdose, although it can feel similar to one. It's unclear entirely what it causes the crunchy feeling, but in at least some cases it could be from doing an overly heavy oiling which then re-solidifies (as coconut oil is one of the few that people use on hair that is solid at most peoples' room temperature).

However, coconut oil most definitely does penetrate the hair shaft. There are even multiple scientific studies which physically detected coconut oil inside the hair shaft post-application. This required an application length of "overnight" - maybe 14-24 hours? Coconut oil is one of the few oils that can penetrate the hair shaft. Once there, it will increase suppleness and also impede loss of protein.

Also, note, no oil will moisturise, not even olive oil. Many oils condition, but no oils moisturise (by definition they do not contain moisture, i.e. water). Oils can be used to seal in moisture by application to damp hair. However, I'm fairly sure a thin coating of olive oil would do this just as well as coconut oil (or many other oils) would.