Am I overdoing with oils

[Anyuta]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!!

Ever since I cut off my hair last month to grow out my natural, I completely changed my hair routine. Been reading a lot of articles on hair and also LHC (very helpful, a lot of you guys are experts here!:)) and then I bought bunch of oils which I now even lost track of which oil is good for what and when it should be used and.. :demon: Basically, my bathroom is now full of these huge oil jars and tubes, new brushes, organic conditioners, cleansing shampoos and what not and my boyfriend is getting cranky seeing all this :pins: .

So... What I've been doing is using oil every other day, like one day I will mix in coconut+almond+jojoba, then wash it off next morning with cleansing shampoo (because it's a pain to wash it off with organic shampoo or conditioner!), then again day later I will use argan oil, wash it off next day same way, again after that I put Brhami which is some Ayurvedic collection of oils, and then again wash it off next day... So I feel like I am actually doing too much and ended up washing my hair every other day and I've been wearing beanies to work to avoid :agape: reactions from people.

I would really appreciate if you think my routine is way too much, because some people say sleep in oil every day, some say use it in moderation... but then again any time I put oil, means a wash is underway... :mad:

[Cania]

I'm not sure if you can have too much oil as such, but your hair is at its most vulnerable when it's wet, so washing it so much is probably going to start causing you unnecessary problems down the line and your cleansing shampoo is probably removing a lot of benefit from the oiling anyway.

I use the same oil on my hair and on my legs, makes them lovely and smooth - maybe you could use up some of your excess products that way?

[~honeyflower~]

I think you might be using too much oil. Since you said that you cut your hair which is a good way to start, I would have to say from experience that around apl I only used 1 drop. Then, as I got to waist I soon graduated to 2-3 drops and so on. How often you should oil is up to you. Only do it when you think is best.

[katietyree]

I have been wondering the same thing.... i would hate to reduce growth but i would hate to have all these products and. Not use them if they are going to help.....

[Anyuta]

~honeyflower~, so you're saying you're not putting the oil on your scalp, only on your hair? I've been putting all over the scalp primarily.. am I doing it totally wrong? :bigeyes:

[molljo]

You only want to put oil on the length, with a greater emphasis on the ends and areas where there's damage, unless you are specifically going to give yourself a scalp massage (which is the only reason you should be using oil on your scalp)

[HylianGirl]

Your scalp already produces oil, the ends of your hair don't get as much oil as your roots, there's no need to put oil on roots and scalp. The sebum our body produces keeps our hair smooth and shiny, in good condition overall, but after a certain length the sebum no longer can reach it, and your ends become dry. The oil on the length and ends will serve as a replacement of that sebum that can't reach it.

[Anyuta]

molljo and HylianGirl , thanks so much for your responses! I am so glad I asked. I was under impression that oil absorbs into the scalp and helps roots grow stronger or nourishes it in some way. That's why I never understood how people get away with 2-3 drops of oil because I was using at least a tablespoon! :thud:

[spidermom]

I think you're overdoing it and will see diminishing benefit, if any. At my length, I use maybe 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of coconut oil melted by rubbing between hands, then massaged well into hair, never scalp. My scalp produces more than enough oil all by itself, which is when I oil the length. Then I wash scalp with diluted shampoo, then massage a modest amount of conditioner through length, allow to stay in hair while finishing shower, then rinsing while shower combing at the end. Lovely results - smooth, glossy hair.

[Chromis]

I think you are overdoing everything :laugh:

I do actually oil my scalp, though certainly not a tablespoon's worth! I'd say about five drops, which is a lot to most folks here. I also oil my length. I oil my scalp the day after I wash (I found I get the greaseball look if I do it while my hair is damp...others love damp oiling!) and my length too and will oil my length again the next day if it still seems dry. This keeps me from going too heavy with it and keeps my hair silky and well behaved all week long until my next wash.

I'd cut down on the number of products for certain though. How can you tell what is doing any good if you hop around so much? I don't mean this in a snarky way at all, I promise. Think of it like a science experiment. You can't change all the variables at once. If you need to wash your hair as soon as you oil, it likely means your hair and that oil do not get along. I know for me, jojoba equals grease slick, no matter how sparing I am. Others really love it though. My hair loves coconut oil, but I know there are a few here that have no luck with it at all.

[Anyuta]

I think you are overdoing everything :laugh:

I do actually oil my scalp, though certainly not a tablespoon's worth! I'd say about five drops, which is a lot to most folks here. I also oil my length. I oil my scalp the day after I wash (I found I get the greaseball look if I do it while my hair is damp...others love damp oiling!) and my length too and will oil my length again the next day if it still seems dry. This keeps me from going too heavy with it and keeps my hair silky and well behaved all week long until my next wash.

I'd cut down on the number of products for certain though. How can you tell what is doing any good if you hop around so much? I don't mean this in a snarky way at all, I promise. Think of it like a science experiment. You can't change all the variables at once. If you need to wash your hair as soon as you oil, it likely means your hair and that oil do not get along. I know for me, jojoba equals grease slick, no matter how sparing I am. Others really love it though. My hair loves coconut oil, but I know there are a few here that have no luck with it at all.

I think you are absolutely right, I need to slow down. :( I'm gonna stick with coconut oil for few months and see how it goes (since I have 2 full 16 oz. jars :bull:) and I promise no more oil-scalp soaking. I noticed that my hair, even though shiny, feels drier after coconut oil, but I want to keep using it for longer to see if that persists. Also, there is no way to avoid shampooing oily hair? I tried CO and ended up with sticky chunks of hair down below no matter how long I was rinsing it. Are there any "cleansing" conditioners out there?

[bunnylake]

How often do you normally shampoo? Everyone's hair is different and some people's hair behaves better with frequent washing. I'm one of those people. I wash nearly every day, and I used to do it with sulfate shampoo. Never any damage or dryness ever came from it. Maybe your hair can also withstand frequent washing.
Also, when my hair was down to my butt I only needed a pea sized amount of coconut oil. It seemed to have this strange ability to creep up toward my roots no matter what!

[~honeyflower~]

Sorry I couldn't get back to you sooner, but I see it is already cleared up. As far as I know, regular conditioner that you wash out has cleaning agents in them but they are far gentler than any shampoo. I'm a little confused what you mean by oily hair, was it because of oiling with coconut oil, or, your hair is oily like over sebum production?

[lapushka]

I'd not load up on oil as often pre-wash, rather I'd use a few drops after a wash on damp hair, to seal in the moisture. I think oil is far more valuable that way.

[sarahthegemini]

In my opinion, I would say yeah, you're over doing it. How often were you washing your hair before you started oiling? Your post reads as though you were washing less but due to the oiling, you're having to wash more. Which seems detrimental to me, of course that's something you'll have to decide for yourself. I also don't see the point in using almond, jojoba etc as pre-wash treatments as they're sealing/coating oils - basically their effect is largely aesthetic, once you shampoo, the 'benefits' are gone. You want to stick to penetrating oils for treatments, such as coconut, olive and avocado.

[Anyuta]

Ok, I might have figured where I got the idea of putting oil on my scalp. On my Brhami oil bottle the directions for use are as follows:

DIRECTIONS: Pour about 1-2 tsp of oil in one hand. Dip your fingertips in the oil and massage the oil well into your scalp. Brush your hair with a comb to spread the oil evenly on the hair. Leave on 2 hours or overnight, then wash out with a low ph balance shampoo. Use 2-3 times per week.

So I was applying the same procedure for other oils as well, and 2-3 times per week amounts to about every other day washing.

My hair has to be washed every other day, regardless of whether I applied oil or not as my scalp produces too much on its own, but with oil usage I have to wash more thoroughly and sometimes daily if the previous wash didn't wash out all the oil (that was the case with herbal shampoos). When I use cleansing shampoo, then results are much better.

[Kiwiwi]

I use oil 2 ways.
1) As a leave in after every hair wash. This means a few drops on my hands and my hands through my hair. Focussing on the ends and rarely put anything above the ears/close to the scalp. This helps my hair feel softer, easier to brush, the ends feel good, etc.
2) I use oils as a hair mask/treatment. I soak my hair and scalp in it, leave it for a few hours and then wash it out. I only do this like once every 2 months. I want to do it more often but it doesn't happen. Haha! But I wouldn't do this more than once a week.

It's pretty normal for people to over-do something when they first get into it. But you'll soon find there's no need and it can actually do more harm than good.
So, take it easy. See how your hair reacts to certain products/treatments. Get to know YOUR hair and what it needs. Because every head of hair is different and has different needs :)

[bunzfan]

I oil my hair twice a week a day before a wash but never ever on the roots by only putting it on the ends you can leave it like that for days without it being noticeable I co wash it out next day much gentler.

[RegretsHerCut]

I experimented a lot when I first discovered oiling (back when my hair was long) and I found that oiling once a week with EVOO was enough for me.. Now that I'm desperately trying to grow my hair back, I do scalp massages with castor oil mixed with olive oil whenever I feel like it.. I do however use sweet almond oil as leave in conditioner and it works wonders !!

[ravenheather]

Indian oils like brahmi are supposed to be applied to scalp. I use coconut on length and neelibringhadi on my scalp to help with shedding. I do overnight soaks every 2 days because that's when I need to wash regardless. I wash my oil out with rhassoul clay most days and sulphate free shampoo once a week. This keeps my hair happy and my scalp happy. You have to do what works for you.

[meteor]

I think you are both oiling and washing a lot. It's a bit like Catch-22:
- the more you wash, the more you need to oil (to protect your hair and scalp from harsh surfactants and hydral fatigue),
- and the more you oil, the more you need to wash (to remove build-up and clarify).
I prefer to oil less and wash less, because I believe in low manipulation / "benign neglect", as hair is dead and needs to be treated gently in order to last.

I use different oils for length and scalp. I really like Brahmi oil too, and it is good specifically for scalp and hair follicles. The only people who can't use oils on scalps are the ones who have some scalp condition (e.g. seborrhoeic dermatitis). If you don't have any scalp problems and enjoy a nice massage and your scalp and hair respond well, keep doing it! Massage stimulates hair growth. And many people report increased hair thickness, reduced hair breakage, better conditioning from applying oils to scalp (especially Ayurvedic herb-infused oils and essential oils).

I like applying oil both before a wash (to reduce porosity, increase elasticity, prevent hair from hydral fatigue) and after - just a couple drops to "seal" and help detangling. Hair pre-treated with oil has been shown to be less susceptible to breakage after washing, according to research published in Journal of Cosmetic Science.

[ravenreed]

You will have to see what works for you. I CO wash my hair every other day and rarely oil. I found that oil attracts a lot of lint and makes more tangles, and I wasn't seeing much benefit from it. I was also getting a lot of build up from oils. When I do oil, I apply it about a half hour before washing; I don't leave it in. A couple of times a year I do a scalp oiling if my scalp is dry. Other than that, I avoid it because scalp oilings make me shed like a wildebeest.

[meteor]

I forgot to mention, since you have a lot of oils, you can definitely try mixing them for better results.
You can achieve a mix close to the "artificial sebum", assuming that our own oils are the best natural conditioner:
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2010/02/best-oil-to-use-is.html
"In experiments, scientists can use artificial sebum (sebum is the naturally occuring oil found on the hair) International Journal of Pharmaceutics , pg 37-43, 2009.. Artificial sebum mimics natural sebum and involves combining several different types of oil and oil related compounds.
The main components include
1. Squalene (around 15%) - If you google it please check out the safety information from WHO, it is naturally occuring and safe.
2. Wax esters (around 20-25%) - Sadly this comes from spermaceti in research but there are plant derived wax esters such as jojoba oil
3. Triglycerides (around 40-60%) - You can find these in olive oil, coconut oil , cotton seed oil. Typically ALL these oils will be added, not just one
4. Fatty acids (around 0-15%) - Coconut oil is a good source
5. Cholesterol and related esters( around 3%) - Cholesterol can be bought "

[duchess67]

I am just like you. I oil my scalp and length every other day. I wash it out with herbal powders or shampoo depending on how I feel.


Indian oils like brahmi are supposed to be applied to scalp. I use coconut on length and neelibringhadi on my scalp to help with shedding. I do overnight soaks every 2 days because that's when I need to wash regardless. I wash my oil out with rhassoul clay most days and sulphate free shampoo once a week. This keeps my hair happy and my scalp happy. You have to do what works for you.

[HylianGirl]

Hey, it's normal to be overwhelmed bt LHC and overdo a lot of stuff, it'll take a while for you to figure out what's the best routine for you ^-^

[Anyuta]

Thanks everyone for warm replies!! I will continue using oils but will slow down to 2 times a week. My hair is actively growing right now and it's only been 3 weeks since I cut it! If only I could post a pic... I am really happy I am growing my natural and feel very enthusiastic! Maybe later I will come back to this thread to post my results from my oil-rush lol!

[Chiquita Banana]

I'm still trying to find the right routine for my hair, too. Right now, I'm washing every 4-5 days and I do a leave in with coconut oil (on the length only) the night before a wash. I will also put a little oil on my ends if I'm wearing a braid. Anyhow, that routine seems to be working for me... but I've tried different things over the past year as I've experimented. Everyone's hair is different and what works for one person won't work for another. I can't post a photo yet on here either - soon though! lol