How to find out what oils your hair likes?

[Sw33th34rt4my]

Hi. I am looking for some guidance. I just got some new oils: avocado, sweet almond, jojoba, and macadamia. How do you go about trying new oils? Do you do oil before you wash or do you try as a leave in first? Do I need to clarify first like when we try new conditioners?
I want to experiment with oils because I am having a hard time finding a good moisturizing conditioner that I can tolerate the scent of, that doesn't make me itch and that I'm not allergic to. It seems I can only use VO5 right now but my hair is very dry. Any advice is much appreciated! :)

[Zesty]

The truest and perhaps least helpful answer is: just experiment with everything over time. You could do some research on what oils penetrate or don't penetrate the hair shaft to use for starters, though. This article is pretty good: http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/oils-which-ones-soak-in-vs-coat-hair.html

I like avocado/almond for pre-wash heavy oilings, and I religiously use jojoba as a leave-in on damp hair, which makes sense based on their ability to penetrate. I wouldn't say clarifying is necessary, just incorporate it into your routine and see what works.

[Shorty89]

Zesty is exactly right. Some people prefer oiling dry hair; others like it on wet hair. I personally like using coconut on wet hair out of the shower (a very small amount). I'd say start with coconut since it's the cheapest (you can use it in cooking if you hair hates it). Try a bit on dry first, then after next wash maybe try it on wet? Good luck!

[lithostoic]

Use it and pray there isn't a disaster, basically lol.

[Acid]

for me i tried the overnight heavy oiling first to see if it would add moisture but i quickly found a tonne of coconut oil to be drying for my hair so i switched to smoothing a small spoonful through my damp hair and air drying it which it seems to like. Then i tried out argan oil as its raved about and my hair is addicted to it, i do the same with it to damp hair and let it air dry. I tried it on the ends of my hair once as they felt dry in the summer heat and again my hair loved it and felt instantly silker and happier so those are my oiling go tos now. I havent tried any other oils yet but id like to, its just finding pure oils that arent expensive in small quantities

Basically i just trial and errored it to find out what my hair likes!

[pili]

I'm trying to learn about different oils myself. I've been researching as was suggested above, and basing my experiments on that. My hair hates coconut oil, but loves jojoba, avocado, macadamia, and olive oil.

[LadyCelestina]

Use it and pray there isn't a disaster, basically lol.

:lol:

Sometimes it's recommended that people who are just getting their routine together (or are experimenting with something new) write down what they have used and how it ended up... so maybe it would help.

[hayheadsbird]

Use it and pray there isn't a disaster, basically lol.


:lol:

Sometimes it's recommended that people who are just getting their routine together (or are experimenting with something new) write down what they have used and how it ended up... so maybe it would help.

I think it's very much a ymmv!

I've only tried coconut and argon. Coconuts a disaster, argon not much difference from oil or no oil, unless I use to much.
Keeping notes while experimenting is always good a good idea though.

[Sw33th34rt4my]

I've done very little experimenting and was just wondering if there was a best way to do it as I know there really isn't a wrong way. Thank you for the article and the advice. It helped a lot!
I have found out that I'm ok with coconut if I put a very small amount on dry hair but can not do heavy oiling with it. My hair didn't like that at all. I try not to use coconut as my son is allergic to it. That's the main reason I bought the new ones. I have also tried olive oil. My hair did ok when I did it was a pre wash but I get greasy if I use it after I wash.

[lapushka]

You're going to have to try them and see.

There's 3 ways to apply oils:
- pre-poo (about a teaspoon to a tablespoon, or more depending on your preference)
- oil rinse / rinse-out oil method (ROOM) (just a few drops)
- after washing, often in the LOC/LCO method (just a few drops)

[Kat-Rinnè Naido]

You will only know from experimentation and using a little. Follow lapushka' suggestions. Good luck and enjoy your oils.

[Arctic]

Experimenting with lots of exotic oils can become expensive quite easily, so I have always favoured (after my noob days, ha ha) the kind of oils I can also cook with. At least I can use them up in the kitchen if my hair/skin hates them! (and in fact, I would suggest you start experimenting not by going out and buying tons of stuff, but trying what's in your kitchen already! I have used coconut, olive and rapeseed/canola oils myself over the years and some of my best experiences are with these oils.)

If you really want to try lots of different, exotic, not very common oils, I suggest buying them from a shop that sells ingredients for home made soap/cosmetics, they often have different oils in small quantities and on relatively cheap (because the packaing is very simple). Also to save money take advantage of other people's experiences, and start with those oils which are typically successful, tried and true hair oils.

Other than that, you can only try yourself and see if your hair (and skin!) likes them. As a side note about your skin, if you have acne prone skin or SD be very careful with oils. Some people's problem skin thrives with oits, some get instant breakouts. Some oils are known to be more comedogenic than others, so I would navigate towards the less pore clogging ones.

[Hay_jules]

You're going to have to try them and see.

There's 3 ways to apply oils:
- pre-poo (about a teaspoon to a tablespoon, or more depending on your preference)
- oil rinse / rinse-out oil method (ROOM) (just a few drops)
- after washing, often in the LOC/LCO method (just a few drops)

And if your hair doesn't like a particular oil pre-poo doesn't mean it wouldn't love the same oil after washing or as a rinse out. I would recommend trying any given oil each of the ways before deciding your hair doesn't care for it.

My way of testing new things is to use only one new thing, the new oil for instance, and making sure every other product I use is tried and true for me so that I can see most clearly the difference it makes. I also take pictures in addition to writing down my results. I find it helps a lot.

[emloco14]

I tend to just try a range of oils from month to month. My hair is dead straight and thick, so it reacts better to lighter oils. Unless I'm doing a deep condition, in which case I'll use thick oil!!!

[Nymphe]

I order an oz or two of a new oil I want to try from Ebay.

[Sw33th34rt4my]

Thanks for the tips! I never thought about writing down results. I think I'll try avacado oil today :)

[Sw33th34rt4my]

So I tried avacado oil as a pre wash oil. I liked that it wasn't as heavy as olive oil but my hair didn't feel much different and my ends were still tangly. How long do you try an oil before you decide if it's good for your hair?

[Zesty]

So I tried avacado oil as a pre wash oil. I liked that it wasn't as heavy as olive oil but my hair didn't feel much different and my ends were still tangly. How long do you try an oil before you decide if it's good for your hair?

How long did you leave it in? 30 minutes? Overnight?

How much did you use? Did your hair look slightly shiny, damp, saturated?

How did you wash it out? Did you use a clarifying shampoo or wash as normal?

Etc. All of these are factors you can tweak and play with to see whether it could work for you, in addition to the alternatives lapushka mentioned (trying it in the ROO method or as a leave-in). You presumably spent the money on the avocado oil, so don't give up if the first thing you try doesn't work.

For me personally, I use avocado or almond oil from morning until afternoon (10ish hours). I put in enough that my hair looks damp but it's not sopping. I don't do anything special to get it out, I just wash as usual and trust that my usual products will remove enough that my hair won't still be oily when it dries.

[mellsss91]

Ones a week. Mostly coconut oil. I just sleep with it and then wash it out the next day. It makes my hair soft and shiny!

[Sw33th34rt4my]

How long did you leave it in? 30 minutes? Overnight?

How much did you use? Did your hair look slightly shiny, damp, saturated?

How did you wash it out? Did you use a clarifying shampoo or wash as normal?

I left it in for 6 hours. - I could never sleep with it in my hair. I do it through the day.
I was between shiny and damp for the amount I used.
I washed as usual which for me is CWC.