A very technical inquiry about moisturizing those strands

[Jenn of Pence]

I have recently been thinking in depth about moisture in the individual strand of hair. This is something I take for granted by just slopping on some conditioner when I wash and occasionally anointing my end with oil. In reality, I think my individual strands are very dry, particularly the ends where I sucked all the life out of them by heat styling before I quit a year ago. While my hair usually looks great and shiny, the big secret is that my damaged ends continue to suffer. I know I'll eventually have to cut them off, but I'm trying to keep them going long enough to get a few more inches of length and then maintain while gradually getting rid of them.

Anyway, all that to say I have been studying in depth various threads and articles about moisture. According to this research, opposite to what might be commonly understood, oils apparently are an external barrier to seal moisture in and smooth the cuticle, not necessarily moisturizing in and of themselves. Is this true, or is it, like so many things in life, a grey area...maybe some oils sometimes are moisturizing, sometimes just a protective coating? I know I have been confused about this topic, and I bet I'm not the only one, and I'd like to open a forum in which it can be pondered and discussed.

Furthermore, since I want to moisturize my hair cortex as much as I can, what product ingredients and natural substances actually add moisture to the hair? Is it the substance itself becoming moisture in the cortex, or is it just drawing water into the hair that otherwise wouldn't absorb?

Thanks for wading through my very technical questions; it's the scientist in me coming out to play :eyebrows:. I look forward to hearing all your responses...I hope we have a fun and informative discussion!

[Kristamommyx3]

Love your pondering! I would love to know these answers too. I am trying to do the exact same thing you mentioned above, too. Good question!

[LoveMyLongHair]

Oh, yes.......inquiring minds want to know! ;)

[HairFaerie]

Disclaimer: I am not a scientist, I just play one on TV. :)

From my understanding, your statements are correct. Oil does not moisturize, it seals and prevents moisture from being lost from within.

Hair is made from keratin and water. If it is lacking in either, it becomes brittle and dry and then breaks.

To me, you can apply things like oil, conditioner, protein, etc. and they will make a temporary improvement by sealing the hair strands thus reducing the look of spit ends, dryness, etc.

However, in my opinion, if you want "true", permanent results, you would have to work from the inside out giving the hair proper nutrients that it needs to look healthy. A healthy diet, drinking plenty of water and supplements like biotin, etc. would greatly improve your hair health (not to mention your overall health!). This method may take longer to see results but like I said, it would be more permanent and "true" and not just a temporary cover up that oils & conditioners provide. (Not that there is anything wrong with either....)

To me, it would have to happen from the inside out, not the outside in. If you research the structure/makeup of hair, this makes sense.

[HairFaerie]

Also, you can't expect hair to last forever. It has a lifespan and also, just from day to day living, it will get damaged. Trimming off the damaged ends would be the only way to get rid of them *permanently*....but remember, they will get damaged over time again and again, and again.

Of course you can control the amount of damage to a degree, but even regular daily activities can be potentially damaging. But avoiding things like bleach would obviously prevent major damage.

Hope that makes sense! :)

[pepperminttea]

Some oils do penetrate, like coconut oil, but in my understanding most of them work as a natural sealant as an alternative to 'cones. (The difference being, you don't need SLS to get oil out.) I tend to use them on damp hair mostly, to keep the moisture in. :)

[meowmeow]

Well, there are cetain oils that are actually able to penetrate into the hair and help make it stronger. Cocounut, olive, and avocado oil will penetrate, meadowfoam oil will partially penetrate, and jojoba oil and sunflower oil will not.

Oils aren't moisturizing in a sense that they don't add water to the hair.

Reference: http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/05/14/two-natural-oils-that-make-your-hair-shiny-and-strong/

[HairFaerie]

Yes, but even if some oils penetrate, they will eventually come out and wouldn't become part of your hair's composition. The effect will still be temporary.

(Again, I am not saying that oils and conditioners or bad or don't work, I am just saying that they are a temporary fix. Working from the inside out would be the only way to permanently alter the chemical composition of your hair to make it healthier.)

[FluffSpider]

I believe some oils, according to how they dry or not, can or cannot penetrate the shaft. For me, sweet almond oil and castor oil actualy moisturize, but there are substances like aloe vera gel, or honey, which are natural humectants-which mean they actually give moisture.Combine that with an oil/cone barrier, and you'll get more lasting results. This is the basic principle of an SMT. Buuut these are just my two cents.

[teela1978]

Figure 6, p. 9
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2001/cc052n03/p00169-p00184.pdf

ETA: basically, coconut oil penetrates to the cortex, whereas mineral oil does not. Figure 6 is an excellent false-color image displaying real data on a hair cross-section. I kinda wish someone would do something similar with a wider array of oils.

ETA2: Well... other oil effects have been looked at, but I'd like to see the TOF-MS data overlaid on the cross-section as it was done here. Most research seems to imply that coconut oil penetrates better than others.

[krissykins]

Some oils do penetrate and add moisture to the hair shaft. It's all about choosing the right one. I always like to refer to this thread about pentrating oils (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10971).

[cowgirllong]

I'm glad meowmeow mentioned which oils penetrate hair, because I couldn't remember which ones did.

And I agree with HairFaerie that you have to work from the inside out. If you aren't doing that, you can't have the beautiful long hair you want. However, sometimes you are new to the hair care thing and need to try to make your older, less cared for hair look decent. Or feel nicer than it does. I think oils and conditioners are going to help with that.

As someone else said, damage happens.

[littlenvy]

From what I know.
EVOO and honey are both humectants, which means that while they do not moisutrize themselves they are able to both draw in and help to retain moisture in stubstances.
This is why EVOO works much better if you lightly wet your hair first.
But you are right, oils do not actually moisturize. But they do help to maintain a good moisture level/balance within your hair.
Though, castor oil and amla oil are both drying oils and while they are great for your scalp it its greasy they might not be so good for the hair itself.

[Jenn of Pence]

Well, there are cetain oils that are actually able to penetrate into the hair and help make it stronger. Cocounut, olive, and avocado oil will penetrate, meadowfoam oil will partially penetrate, and jojoba oil and sunflower oil will not.

Oils aren't moisturizing in a sense that they don't add water to the hair.

Reference: http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/05/14/two-natural-oils-that-make-your-hair-shiny-and-strong/

Har, har...Ryan Seacrest. I will never think of jojoba the same way again! :lol:


Figure 6, p. 9
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2001/cc052n03/p00169-p00184.pdf

ETA: basically, coconut oil penetrates to the cortex, whereas mineral oil does not. Figure 6 is an excellent false-color image displaying real data on a hair cross-section. I kinda wish someone would do something similar with a wider array of oils.

ETA2: Well... other oil effects have been looked at, but I'd like to see the TOF-MS data overlaid on the cross-section as it was done here. Most research seems to imply that coconut oil penetrates better than others.

Mass spectrometric investigation...you are definitely speaking my language! :eyebrows:

First of all, yes obviously all hair is going to be damaged in some way during its lifetime, but there are definitely things we can to do 1. prevent unnecessary damage and 2. help repair some of previous damage. And since a damaged cuticle lets more moisture escape the cortex, I feel like it's important to learn how we can make sure we're getting the moisture we need while sealing it in as best we can.

So, it sounds like some oils do penetrate the hair shaft, and we would assume that it's helpful to the strand in some way, either adding moisture or sealing it in. It also sounds like other substances like honey and aloe, which are more like humectants, are useful for actually drawing moisture into the hair...hence, SMTs are excellent for a deep moisturizing treatment. I don't think I've ever heard of EVOO being a humectant, but that's interesting to note, too.


From what I know.
EVOO and honey are both humectants, which means that while they do not moisutrize themselves they are able to both draw in and help to retain moisture in stubstances.
This is why EVOO works much better if you lightly wet your hair first.
But you are right, oils do not actually moisturize. But they do help to maintain a good moisture level/balance within your hair.
Though, castor oil and amla oil are both drying oils and while they are great for your scalp it its greasy they might not be so good for the hair itself.

[littlenvy]

LOL... from what it looks like, if you wanted to have great hair you should start with coconut oil to penetrate, EVOO to draw in the moisture and shea butter (which is the one sure thing that will make the hair cuticle lay down) to seal all that in.

Too bad it will make one look like a grease ball :p :p

[Jenn of Pence]

LOL... from what it looks like, if you wanted to have great hair you should start with coconut oil to penetrate, EVOO to draw in the moisture and shea butter (which is the one sure thing that will make the hair cuticle lay down) to seal all that in.

Too bad it will make one look like a grease ball :p :p

I guess if you are Rapunzel and live in a tower where nobody can see you being a grease ball, that would be acceptable. ;)

[growingpains]

Working from the inside out would be the only way to permanently alter the chemical composition of your hair to make it healthier.)


Correct in that the only way to have truly healthy hair to ensure it grows out of your head healthy and is not then damaged. Anything to apply topically to your hair is temporary, though can prevent further damage.

And yes, oil seals, hence why if hair is dry oil alone can be dangerous. I heard cononut oil in particular can also penetrate.

[shikara]

In reading this thread, I came across the comments of the benefit of humectants, such as honey and the SMT, to moisturize hair. I come across these remarks often. Perhaps this works for many, but it should also be pointed out that in many situations, humectants are the WRONG thing to use and the result will be the opposite (the air will suck your strands dry!!!). The last few inches of my hair needed moisture badly but because the air is dryer where I am (other contributing factors could be the degree of porosity of your hair, how much damage) the SMT results were horrible!! Fortunately, I could post my problem and LHC clued me in!!

[chenille]

Figure 6, p. 9
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2001/cc052n03/p00169-p00184.pdf



Hmm, the pictures are interesting, but what really got me was the conclusion on page 16. They were also testing how much hair swells up when it's wet, when untreated versus when it's oiled.

"Significant reduction in swelling suggests this will prevent swelling and deswelling (hygral fatigue) of the fiber. Hygral fatigue can lead to cuticular damage to the cortex, which can, in turn, affect the mechanical properties."

So if I'm reading that right...

1. The process of hair getting wet and dry over and over again can cause damage just by itself!

2. Having oiled hair can reduce that effect.

3. And all you folks who are stretching washings have the right idea. :)

[Aurantia]

*subscribe!* :drama:

[RitaPG]

I asked the same question so many times too! You are right, some oils act more like a protective barrier, but others are easily absorbed.
I thought shea butter was horrible because of this, my hair doesn't soak it, but once I figured it out I started using it as a protective coating on the ends.

My old routine went like this: After washing, I use a couple drops of a creamy conditioner on the ends while my hair is still wet (if it still feels dry I'll use a drop of or two of coconut oil) and in extreme cases I would put a teeny tiny bit of Shea butter.

These days, most of the times my leave-in conditioner after washing is enough.
Also, since I wash twice a week, during the other days I just use a couple drops with a bit of water on the length (as a combing conditioner) to help with dryness and tangles, I don't rinse it out, just squeeze the excess water. My hair feels silky and soft as if I had just washed it.:D
I think the fact that it has few ingredients and no cones explains how I can use it several days in a row without buildup or yuckyness...

I also stopped using shea butter, prefer to use it on my skin :)
I do tend to use jojoba oil when I braid my hair, though, not just on the ends, but also on the length. Maybe it's because it's more of a wax than an oil, makes it shiny and smooth and keeps the ends from sticking out.

I don't know a lot about technical facts, though, all of my successes with hair routine were from trial and error :o
I'm not sure if any of this is helpful, I just came to the conclusion that it depends on too many things; being the most important one how *your* hair responds to each product.
For example, I read a lot of people mentioning that fine hair can't take a lot of product, and I use lots of leave in conditioner and oil ^^
Some oils are easily absorbed so you can use more, others are coating so you can use less.

[Mina17]

This thread has been so helpful. I was having a little trouble understanding the concept of moisturizing too.

I have a question about humectants if anyone knows the answer. What does the humidity level need to be for humectants to be beneficial and not actually be removing moisture from the hair?

[littlenvy]

This thread has been so helpful. I was having a little trouble understanding the concept of moisturizing too.

I have a question about humectants if anyone knows the answer. What does the humidity level need to be for humectants to be beneficial and not actually be removing moisture from the hair?
I'm not sure how technical my answer will be, but its based on my own observations.
The major factor in humectants ability to work depends on the general humidity.
For me, in summer time when its much more humid with the humidity level of at least 54%, I don't have to do anything but put them on my hair to have them work perfectly.
In winter time, when air is usually very dry (even with a humidifier running all the time) I need to wet my hair first, usually with distilled water, otherwise I either get no benefits from oiling or get slightly negative results like synthetic feeling hair. Wetting hair seems to provide enough general moisture to soften the hair and keep it at the perfect moisture balance.

So from what I've notice, the general humidity has to be around 54% to around 68% for humectants to work by themselves. Anything about 70% humidity ... and you don't need any more moisture in your hair. :eyebrows:

Mind you, the above information is for my climate. Which would be good for anyone living in North America around the Great Lakes area. For some reason my hair behaves totally different in other climates ie. Europe.

[Mina17]

I'm not sure how technical my answer will be, but its based on my own observations.
The major factor in humectants ability to work depends on the general humidity.
For me, in summer time when its much more humid with the humidity level of at least 54%, I don't have to do anything but put them on my hair to have them work perfectly.
In winter time, when air is usually very dry (even with a humidifier running all the time) I need to wet my hair first, usually with distilled water, otherwise I either get no benefits from oiling or get slightly negative results like synthetic feeling hair. Wetting hair seems to provide enough general moisture to soften the hair and keep it at the perfect moisture balance.

So from what I've notice, the general humidity has to be around 54% to around 68% for humectants to work by themselves. Anything about 70% humidity ... and you don't need any more moisture in your hair. :eyebrows:

Mind you, the above information is for my climate. Which would be good for anyone living in North America around the Great Lakes area. For some reason my hair behaves totally different in other climates ie. Europe.

Thanks! That's just the info I was looking for. Even if my climate is a little different it gives me something to go by.

[gthlvrmx]

I'm not sure how technical my answer will be, but its based on my own observations.
The major factor in humectants ability to work depends on the general humidity.
For me, in summer time when its much more humid with the humidity level of at least 54%, I don't have to do anything but put them on my hair to have them work perfectly.
In winter time, when air is usually very dry (even with a humidifier running all the time) I need to wet my hair first, usually with distilled water, otherwise I either get no benefits from oiling or get slightly negative results like synthetic feeling hair. Wetting hair seems to provide enough general moisture to soften the hair and keep it at the perfect moisture balance.

So from what I've notice, the general humidity has to be around 54% to around 68% for humectants to work by themselves. Anything about 70% humidity ... and you don't need any more moisture in your hair. :eyebrows:

Mind you, the above information is for my climate. Which would be good for anyone living in North America around the Great Lakes area. For some reason my hair behaves totally different in other climates ie. Europe.

I'm guessing Hawai'i is perfect. :p

[Jean Stuart]

LOL... from what it looks like, if you wanted to have great hair you should start with coconut oil to penetrate, EVOO to draw in the moisture and shea butter (which is the one sure thing that will make the hair cuticle lay down) to seal all that in.

Too bad it will make one look like a grease ball :p :p


I did this yesterday. Co, evoo, caster massaged into scalp and length. warmed some shea and applied to length and canopy. I first wrapped it in a moist towel and cover with a shower cap and sat under a dryer for 30 min. Then cover that with a scarf to keep it warm for a few hours. My hair feels so soft now. gonna do it again next week.

[knoxkatie]

Hmm, the pictures are interesting, but what really got me was the conclusion on page 16. They were also testing how much hair swells up when it's wet, when untreated versus when it's oiled.

"Significant reduction in swelling suggests this will prevent swelling and deswelling (hygral fatigue) of the fiber. Hygral fatigue can lead to cuticular damage to the cortex, which can, in turn, affect the mechanical properties."

So if I'm reading that right...

1. The process of hair getting wet and dry over and over again can cause damage just by itself!

2. Having oiled hair can reduce that effect.

3. And all you folks who are stretching washings have the right idea. :)

I just skimmed the article and was about to post something about this. This corollary makes sense and seems to be accepted on LHC, but it's nice to have it confirmed by a peer-reviewed article :D

Thanks teela for that article!

[littlenvy]

I did this yesterday. Co, evoo, caster massaged into scalp and length. warmed some shea and applied to length and canopy. I first wrapped it in a moist towel and cover with a shower cap and sat under a dryer for 30 min. Then cover that with a scarf to keep it warm for a few hours. My hair feels so soft now. gonna do it again next week.
:cheese: YAY IT WORKS!

I have to try it too.

[spidermom]

Yes, but even if some oils penetrate, they will eventually come out and wouldn't become part of your hair's composition. The effect will still be temporary.

(Again, I am not saying that oils and conditioners or bad or don't work, I am just saying that they are a temporary fix. Working from the inside out would be the only way to permanently alter the chemical composition of your hair to make it healthier.)

Exactly! Anything you do for your hair once it is outside of your follicle is temporary. If you want truly well-moisturized hair, you have to start by drinking lots of water so that the new hairs get a generous share. Then you can maintain this moisture level by excellent care, although the longer and older the ends of those hairs get, the more they lose moisture.

[spidermom]

Hmm, the pictures are interesting, but what really got me was the conclusion on page 16. They were also testing how much hair swells up when it's wet, when untreated versus when it's oiled.

"Significant reduction in swelling suggests this will prevent swelling and deswelling (hygral fatigue) of the fiber. Hygral fatigue can lead to cuticular damage to the cortex, which can, in turn, affect the mechanical properties."

So if I'm reading that right...

1. The process of hair getting wet and dry over and over again can cause damage just by itself!

2. Having oiled hair can reduce that effect.

3. And all you folks who are stretching washings have the right idea. :)

I remember reading #1 a couple of years ago and bringing it up for discussion on LHC, and no - it wasn't generally accepted. We had lots of folks claiming that the more you soaked your hair in water, the more moisturized it would be.

[Delila]

.... I know I'll eventually have to cut them off...

I really don't understand this attitude. People keep saying this, but I haven't found it to be true for myself, at all.

Have you used a chelating shampoo, to make sure that you're not just dealing with stubborn residues??

[knoxkatie]

I remember reading #1 a couple of years ago and bringing it up for discussion on LHC, and no - it wasn't generally accepted. We had lots of folks claiming that the more you soaked your hair in water, the more moisturized it would be.

Well now I guess we know that's not true (if that article is correct) :)

[bunzfan]

According to all this great info i'm doing it all wrong. I apply short term moisture all the time oils, conditioner etc but i don't drink enough water its a:doh: moment