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View Full Version : Jojoba Oil - Could it damage hair?



tabby28
July 2nd, 2011, 01:46 PM
Really quick question but one I'd love some advice on!

Could Jojoba Oil damage hair? About a year a ago I tried using it on my hair after reading lots of good stuff about it, and immediately afterwards I got alot of breakage which I am still growing out now.

Obviously I have steered clear of it after that, but I am now looking at using a hair product that contains a small amount of Jojoba oil. I am really restricted in terms of hair products as I'm allergic to fragrances and my hair hates cones, proteins, sulfates and other stuff - but I finally found this styling product which has nothing that should bother my hair/scalp - except Jojoba!

So my question is: could the Jojoba itself really have been the cause of the damage? I am starting to wonder if the oil was cut with some other oil that caused the damage (it wasn't specifically for hair, just a bog standard Jojoba oil)? Has anyone at all experienced damage after Jojoba? Am I being sensible or overly cautious by avoiding it altogether?

I'd really appreciate advice as I'm tired of having only one shampoo and conditioner that I can use and no styling products at all :(

spidermom
July 2nd, 2011, 01:54 PM
I don't think so. If you were over-zealous in washing it out, that could have damaged your hair, but the oil itself = not damaging.

Kathie
July 2nd, 2011, 01:57 PM
Did you stop using cones and start using Jojoba Oil instead? Because cones can seal the hair so you don’t notice the damage... when you stop using them it all comes out of hiding.

tabby28
July 2nd, 2011, 02:19 PM
I stopped using cones a few months before, but I noticed an immediate improvement in hair texture and appearance after that. It was immediately after using the Jojoba that the damage ocurred and it was almost all on the areas where I had used the oil. I do have very fine, curly hair. It already had damage from dying, but that was gradually improving (after about two years growing out and regular trims) when I applied the Jojoba.

This is the brand I used but I can't see anything particularly wrong with it - but I'm not very experienced with these things :(

http://www.aromantic.co.uk/buy-jojoba-oil-organic-uk.htm

clairenewcastle
July 2nd, 2011, 02:22 PM
I've used jojoba oil on my ends in the past and although I didn't find it damaging, I didn't find it very moisturising either. In fact, it was the least so of all the oils I've tried. I've found that it skin prefers it, rather than my hair.

Some oils are better quality than others so it may have been cut with another oil as you suspect. I use Tisserand oils a lot for I find I can always rely on their purity.

tabby28
July 2nd, 2011, 02:25 PM
Hi Claire, yes I have a suspicion that it may have been poor quality :( I am annoyed with myself for not buying it from somewhere like Holland&Barrat or Tisserand.

BittSweetCherry
July 2nd, 2011, 11:29 PM
Jojoba oil is very unlikely to cause chemical damage to your hair - it's the botanical oil that most closely resembles the sebum that naturally coats our hair (or would do so if we stopped washing it). It's a waxy ester, which means it sits on the hair shaft rather than absorbing into the cortex like some other oils do (such as coconut and olive oils). Given that characteristic, it might reduce the absorption of some other haircare ingredients that had proven beneficial in your no-cones phase, and/or interfered with the coating and lubricating effects of the superficial-acting ingredients. Also, like spidermom said, some oils are harder to wash out which may promote mechanical damage.

I can't really tell you what happened in your instance - unfortunately, most haircare routines are a matter of trial and error to find the right combinations and order of application.

celebriangel
July 3rd, 2011, 01:13 AM
jojoba oil will seal moisture out as well as in - which is why I only use "sealing" oils like jojoba or triple moon oil on damp hair over a leave-in containing penetrating oils. I have to be careful or my curly ends become dry, and I don't notice till I wash them.

I would try damp oiling next time you want to try an oil. This will help seal in moisture.

tabby28
July 3rd, 2011, 03:19 AM
Thanks Cherry and Celeb - my hair was very dry before I stopped using cones and I noticed a massive improvement when I started to use products with natural humectants - so perhaps I prevented moisture getting into my hair from the new products because I put the oil straight on dry hair :S