Which do you prefer and why? Argan, aloe vera, coconut, jojoba

[shikara]

I am going to try one of these for moisturizing/conditioning properties and the little bit of research I've done points to aloe vera gel for me, but I know there are big fans of coconut and jojoba. I have also heard argan oil gives wonderful results. What have your experiences been?

[brunette]

Aloe gel dries crunchy. I developed a routine of adding a little of whatever my favourite oil was at the time to prevent crunchies (in turn the aloe gel stops the oil looking too oily :p)
I've not tried argan but I have heard good things about it.
I think my favourite base oil for scalp and hair is coconut. Really it depends on how your hair likes it, and it's a good idea to experiment! I cannot use EVOO or almond oil in my hair for instance, it stays greasy for a couple of washes if I use either of those!

[ravenreed]

For heavy oilings I use coconut oil, sometimes mixed with castor oil. For light oilings I use camellia oil. For holding a braid I mix aloe vera gel with camellia oil and apply to a slightly damp braid. That holds the fuzzies in place!

[In2wishin]

I cannot use coconut oil on my scalp so I use babassu oil which is very similar. I use argan oil on my face and on my ends as a leave in. Jojoba is too oily for me and aloe gel dries crunchy for me too but I have used aloe juice in place of some of the water in shampoo. I think the crunchy is from the thickeners they use to make the aloe into a gel. Aloe straight from the plant thins into a juice pretty quickly so the gel that you buy isn't identical to the gel you get by squeezing the leaf.

[LisaMonster]

I haven't tried any of the others, but I really love my jojoba oil.

It's light enough that I can put it through my hair multiple times between washes without it getting greasy. It makes it really soft. I use it as a facial moisturizer as well.

[patienceneeded]

I really like Argan oil, I even use it on my excema breakouts and it helps there too. I also like Jojoba oil, it's pretty light and doesn't look greasy. I don't care much for coconut oil, it's too heavy for me. Plus, it's in solid form in my house for 9 month of the year. Too cold. EVOO is too much also. Plus, I can't seem to get over the fact that I use it to cook with...it's a mental block for me. I sometimes mix Avacado and Castor oil as a scalp treatment, but that one takes some planning, as it is heavy and takes a while to wash out.

[HairFaerie]

I like certain oil for certain things.

A few hours before washing, I sometimes use a mixture of castor, avocado, jojoba & essential oils on my scalp for growth.
I used neem oil on my scalp when it starts to get dry and itchy. It works!
For spritzing static, I like a spray bottle with water and a little jojoba.
For smoothing & softness I like a tiny bit of coconut oil.
For shine I like a tiny amount of rice bran oil (it is WONDERFUL and works very well on your face & body too)!

I don't do heavy oilings because I just don't like it at all with any oil. My hair gets heavy and greasy and it doesn't wash out easily, so I avoid heavy oiling. I use my oils sparingly, just a little on my palms and spread it around and then apply to ends of my hair.

Jojoba is one of my all time favorites because it is light and soaks in quickly. (Used sparingly.)

Different things work for different people (hair) so it's always good to just experiment and see what your hair responds to the best. Also remember that *quantity* is a key factor. Your hair might not respond well to a particular oil when it is applied heavily, but it might love it if applied very sparingly.

Just some ideas! :)

[irishlady]

I have only tried coconut and evoo so far.
I am very impressed by what the coconut is doing for my hair, so it's a certain favourite :)

[jaine]

I have definitely had more luck with oil in general compared to water-soluble things like aloe ... the water-soluble stuff just evaporates from my hair but oil has a lasting smooth effect.
My personal favorite is apricot kernel oil because it doesn't make my hair form tiny stringy clumps like other oils I've tried.

[Vorvolaka]

I have only tried coconut and EVOO thus far. Coconut wins hands down, it comes out of my hair easily after a heavy oiling unlike EVOO. Lightly oiling my ends with coconut oil works great too.

I'm looking for a lighter oil for my length, so I'll be keeping an eye on this!

[UltraBella]

Aloe gel dries crunchy. I developed a routine of adding a little of whatever my favourite oil was at the time to prevent crunchies (in turn the aloe gel stops the oil looking too oily :p)
I've not tried argan but I have heard good things about it.
I think my favourite base oil for scalp and hair is coconut. Really it depends on how your hair likes it, and it's a good idea to experiment! I cannot use EVOO or almond oil in my hair for instance, it stays greasy for a couple of washes if I use either of those!

For me, aloe vera gel does not dry crunchy at all. It's not crunchy on my daughter's hair either. Our hair is soft and silky with aloe. Just thought I would add this since different people have different results.
I use aloe in the summer and jojoba oil in the winter and I like them both very much.

[DTsgirl]

1:1 aloe vera and coconut oil. AVG alone is crunchy and I over oil with straight coconut oil. A 50 / 50 mix applies beautifully and gives shine and softness. I pre mix it and keep it in the fridge to keep it blended. Also makes nice lotion.

[tinti]

I have just tried coconut oil, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it :) It brings out my texture, makes my hair shiny, is a great deep treatment and a great leave-in at the same time, and it doesn't smell (ok, I don't have any sense of smell but I've asked people if my hair smells like coconuts and they've said no, it doesn't smell at all), and it makes my hair super easy to brush.

[Thinthondiel]

For me, aloe vera gel does not dry crunchy at all. It's not crunchy on my daughter's hair either. Our hair is soft and silky with aloe. Just thought I would add this since different people have different results.
I use aloe in the summer and jojoba oil in the winter and I like them both very much.

My hair is also soft and silky with aloe gel. :)

[oktobergoud]

I still have a pixie so I have to be very careful with oil, but I love jojoba oil! I also love coconut oil but it's really cold here so it's really, really hard and when I use it I sometimes end up with tiny white coconut oil balls hehe :P So I like Jojoba oil better since it's always fluid and therefor much easier to work with :) Although I do have to be careful with Jojoba: it's quiet runny so sometimes I put on too much :P

[KellyGormley]

I started using argan oil in my hair after I destroyed it with bleach, it seemed to only mask the problem, and i found it left my hair feeling very slick and way to oily. Its ok if your hair is frizzy or really dry and you apply a small amount to the ends or whatever before you go somewhere but be careful because its very thick on your hair

[phistash]

I love argan oil. I use it on both my face and hair, and a bottle of it lasts for quite a long time. It's well worth the cost, I think.

Coconut oil is actually too heavy for me, so I rarely use it, except for occasional deep oilings. I also use a mix of castor oil and grapeseed oil once a month or so.

[princessp]

Coconut and jojoba, aloe is a no go for me not really sure why and I haven't tried argon yet.

[Kaya]

For heavy oilings I use coconut oil, sometimes mixed with castor oil. For light oilings I use camellia oil. For holding a braid I mix aloe vera gel with camellia oil and apply to a slightly damp braid. That holds the fuzzies in place!


So I'm really curious. I primarily use various forms of coconut oil and I'm intrigued about trying camellia oil. I do have a rather silly question though: what does camellia oil smell like? :suspect:

[kanzer]

I've only recently started trying oils, but I like coconut oil best I think.

I've tried jojoba, EVOO and aloe vera as well, and jojoba is pretty nice, EVOO seems to make it a bit greasy and aloe vera doesn't make much difference, except as many people are saying it makes my hair a bit crunchy.

Coconut oil defines my curls, minimizes frizz instantly, makes my hair super soft and it smells great! I just hope everyone around me likes the smell of coconut too :P

[slz]

..............

[McFearless]

I use coconut oil as a pre-wash treatment and olive oil as a leave-in on damp hair. I find coconut oil can make hair a little crunchy and piecey. Olive oil leaves my hair moisturized and makes my damaged ends as soft as possible.

[hazelnut]

I like coconut oil, but I find that it's a bit too heavy for me. I bought some jojoba oil online and I like that a lot more. It makes my hair really really soft and it really helps with dandruff and itching.

[jesis]

I love Argan oil! It has done wonders for my hair :)

Didn't like coconut so much.

[LovelyL]

I do have a rather silly question though: what does camellia oil smell like? :suspect:

nutty (couldn't say what kind of nut though) and it smells less than my coconut oil, but more intense than my jojoba oil

[Fufu]

I like camellia oil, although this is the first oil i tried on hair.

It smells very faint to be, cannot really distinguish any types of smell.

[Eolan]

For me all but coconyt oil works. My hair can take ridiculous amounts of cler aloe gel, it drinks it right up. I love to put jojoba oil on damp, washed hair and when I'm good I remember to do overnight oilings before wash day. I like both jojoba and argan for this. I have only just tried argan, but already it's a favorite. I think it will work for light oilings as well. Coconut however just sits on my hair and makes it greasy no matter how little I put in. So I don't use it anymore.

I think you have to try out different things to see what you like. It all depends on texture and thickness. :)

[Pierre]

I use jojoba all the time. I have coconut oil, but I put it in food. Aloe I don't like on hair, and argan I haven't tried, though I have used shea butter, which is a bit too heavy for me.

[growing2shine]

I prefer coconut oil... I like aloe vera too, but I find that coconut oil works better for me. It makes my hair much more manageable and moisturised than anything else I've tried do far.

[brunette]

For me, aloe vera gel does not dry crunchy at all. It's not crunchy on my daughter's hair either. Our hair is soft and silky with aloe. Just thought I would add this since different people have different results.
I use aloe in the summer and jojoba oil in the winter and I like them both very much.
That's great! :flower: I still think everyone needs to try these things for themselves. It also probably depends on the brand. I have only used pure 99.9% additive free gel and gel from my own plant, I love aloe gel and I use it on my face often with oil or on top of oil before applying makeup, I also add aloe gel to my herb gloop prior to washing with it. I no longer need a leave-in thanks to catnip rinses.

When I first replied to this thread I just answered the OP which of those few choices I preferred. I will add some more of my own since everyone else is :D
I use castor oil to encourage my hairline to fill in. I use oils on my skin and nails but speaking specifically about hair I seem to go for Coconut mostly, and Bhringraj Oil which has a coconut base and not the kind that has mineral oil since it dries my skin out really badly and is just scary anyway :rolleyes:

I used to use shea butter in a homemade balm with oils added, I used this on my ends.

[lajsa]

When I remember (which is much too seldom) I put some aloe on my ends; I don't like them crispy. After that, I usually add a bit of oil too, either coconut or sunflower. Sunflower seems to give me better results, but I think it might be because I still haven't gotten the hang of not taking too much of the coconut oil. My room is hot, so the usual rule (about a fingernail of the SOLID oil) doesn't really work what with the oil melting and getting all gooey... :p

But yeah. I like aloe vera and coconut. Haven't tried argan or jojoba.

[Sooze]

I just wanted to share something I've been experimenting with lately, which is leaving my hair shiny and not greasy at all, and that's a 50/50 mix of meadowfoam oil and jojoba oil. Both are very light, it washes out easily and my hair is very soft afterwards with reasonably well defined curls (still can't get rid of all the "fluffiness" :D but I'm getting there....!)

By the by, thanks to those who expained about clarifying hair - I'd gone a bit mad with EVOO and ended up with dry crunchy hair again, much to my bewilderment. Clarifying and chelating has got me back on track (thank goodness!)

[PrincessBob]

I prefer jojoba, because it doesn't make me break out like some oils do.

[rocket_surgeon]

Oh, I love coconut oil, though I wish it would control my flyaways a bit better. I'm still looking for something that would do that satisfactorily (perhaps aloe? I haven't found it without a bunch of additives yet).

On the other hand, coconut oil is the best thing that has ever happened to my skin. I have dryish skin that still gets small pimples from irritation, and the coconut oil both relieves the dryness and doesn't cause new pimples. It's just the best.

[ddiana1979]

I've experimented with A LOT of oils. My favorite thus far is Camellia. It's very light, and the only oil I can apply when my hair is dry. It's also been GREAT for my acne-prone sensitive skin! I also love NightBlooming's Triple Moon Anointing Oil, but I apply that to wet hair.

Huge fan of aloe too, but I apply it to damp hair, let it air dry, an then gently comb it out when my hair is dry. It's GREAT for reducing flyaways. I also have a 1:1 mixture of aloe to water in a spray bottle, which I use as a hairspray for my bangs.

[dollface]

i have tried coconut and EVOO. i really like the coconut but dislike it due to the gross smell the coconut fades to. i use it for deep treatments mostly or when i need a lot of control with my hair. EVOO i use in a mister bottle with other ingredients. i don't like it for a deep treatment but love it in my spray.

[sweet&sourkiwi]

Dollface...if your coconut oil fades to a gross smell it may be rancid! Have you tried a new jar?

[isshevital]

I love to put jojoba oil on damp, washed hair and when I'm good I remember to do overnight oilings before wash day. I like both jojoba and argan for this. I have only just tried argan, but already it's a favorite. I think it will work for light oilings as well.

Hm. Anyone else use argan for heavy pre-wash oilings? I've been tempted to throw some argan and camellia in with my coconut pre-wash oilings, but the high cost of both oils makes me a bit scared to waste them. I'm sure they aren't completely useless in this regard, but I wonder how much difference this would make in a pre-wash treatment compared to plain coconut oil. Thoughts?

[SilvraShadows]

Okay... I prefer evoo. I use a blend of one ounce with one drop each rosemary and rose geranium essential oils. My ultra-fine hair loves this. I always thought evoo was too heavy for my hair, but one day I was cooking with some imported extra virgin olive oil and it smelled yummy so after dinner I patted a bit on my length with wonderful results! I just use a sheen on the hand amount.

Also, I like to use the pure organic whole leaf aloe vera that comes in a bottle and can be used in juice... to drink. But I use it on my scalp and let it soak in before I wash my hair. I'll have to try leaving it in! I think I have at some point, but I had crunchies too.

I know Jojoba leaves my hair very crunchy! After rotating oils and having consistent results with it, I know it's the jojoba. So no jojoba for me. And I love jojoba oil.

Another favorite is coconut oil, Spectrum's. My hair is always soft afterward. I mostly use this as a prewash treatment.

[jeanniet]

I mix aloe vera gel, jojoba/camellia/argan oil, and water in a 3:1:1 ratio and use it as a spray detangler/frizz tamer/moisturizer and it works beautifully. I tried different recipes and ratios, and this works best for me.

[Intotouch]

My best detangler is rapeseed oil. It also leaves my hair very shiny but is lighter than EVOO and washes out without a bother.

Coconut oil sort of sticks my hair together and even feels stiff. By the time it gets shiny it seems like i've used too much. Perhaps this has something to do with the climate? It's something that i have to melt to use. But i've added both of these oils to my hair the night before a wash and my hair is super soft after this. I want to keep using coconut oil because it's supposed to prevent protein loss from hair.

[Natalia]

I am going to try one of these for moisturizing/conditioning properties and the little bit of research I've done points to aloe vera gel for me, but I know there are big fans of coconut and jojoba. I have also heard argan oil gives wonderful results. What have your experiences been?

Hello Shikara :). I do like aloe great added to treatments, still working to get it right for leave in. My hair no longer likes coconut sine going WO and jojoba makes my hair waxy tangled if i dont shampoo it out everyday so thats not an option anymore. Never tried argan but i hear positive things.

[ksanka02]

I love organic coconut oil. If right amount used it does not make my hair oily, just really shiny. Argan oil is good too, I only used it for a month now, can't really say if it does anything to my hair. Also I use burdock oil for hair growth (popular in Russia), I don't think it speeds up my hair growth.

[fairystar32]

I use coconut oil but only on my ends or length before washing.
I also love shea butter on the ends.

[hs_atreides]

I've tried one overnight coconut oil treatment, followed by a morning wash and I LOVED the results: soft and fragrant!

[In2wishin]

Hm. Anyone else use argan for heavy pre-wash oilings? I've been tempted to throw some argan and camellia in with my coconut pre-wash oilings, but the high cost of both oils makes me a bit scared to waste them. I'm sure they aren't completely useless in this regard, but I wonder how much difference this would make in a pre-wash treatment compared to plain coconut oil. Thoughts?

I am not sure if they would be as effective as a pre-wash ... or maybe it is me being frugal. I like using argan as a leave in for my ends but I tend to use it more as a skin oil rather than a hair oil. I have some camellia but haven't used it yet.

[isshevital]

I like using argan as a leave in for my ends but I tend to use it more as a skin oil rather than a hair oil.

I remember reading somewhere (I think it was a blog post that was linked in the argan oil thread maybe?) that argan was a waste when used on hair, because all of the things that make it so good for skin are kind of useless on hair, which is ultimately just dead keratin. I haven't used it on my hair long enough to know if it's helpful, but this insight has definitely made me wary!


I mix aloe vera gel, jojoba/camellia/argan oil, and water in a 3:1:1 ratio and use it as a spray detangler/frizz tamer/moisturizer and it works beautifully. I tried different recipes and ratios, and this works best for me.

I tried this out of curiosity and had fabulous results as well. I don't have any jojoba oil but I did everything else the same. I only mixed up a small batch but I'm definitely going to make some more when I run out and add this to my routine!

[madeline_]

I've tried every oil there is and found some useful, but only in really really small amounts that never seemed to help my hair much in taming and defrizzing. All that changed when I started using aloe vera gel! I now use up a bottle each month. I use a very large amount as a leave-in on wet hair, with just the tiniest bit of coconut oil or camellia, and then I let it airdry clumped up together. I brush only when it's completely dry, and then it looks heavy, limp and greasy. BUT: I dust over it just a small bit of dry shampoo from a spraycan and voila, it comes to life as unfrizzy, plump, smooth, silky and just-the-right-kind-of-fluffy hair, ideal for setting my curls.

Aloe vera has been my hairsaver!

[ladyfey]

I love argan oil, I can apply it a couple of times and it doesn't leave me greasy or weighed down, just smooth.

[mrs_coffee]

My hair seems to like camellia oil the best, but I use coconut oil and EVOO too.

[Foxie2]

I like argan, but after a couple times of using just a smidge, my hair gets pretty greasy...camelia oil is nice too