Layering/mixing oils and leave ins?

[kitcatsmeow]

Hello everyone! This is my first official post here although I've been reading these forums for well over a week and soaking up so much information! Although I must admit I am still overwhelmed, I am learning a lot.

I have just learned that my hair loves/needs protein and does much better when I use some cones. My hair started snapping when I comb and even run my fingers through it. It also felt rough and lifeless but a protein treatment followed by a deep conditioning has helped immensely.

I have always been a 3-4 x a week washer and sometimes longer. I have coarse APL (little longer) chemically dyed hair. I have have cut way back on heat styling although I can't go cold turkey yet and have recently hennaed for the first time and it def improved the quality of my hair and oompfed the color!

So along with my smoothing serum I do a bit of oiling. I layer a little coconut and then before bed a mix of emu/avocado.

Is it ok to mix and or layer oils? And will I still gain reap the benefits if I am using salon products specifically ones with cones?

How do I know how much is too much? I feel like I am putting too much of a good thing in my hair lol but I know my hair is distressed and needs a lot of help to get back to health.

:confused:

Thanks for any advice.

[krissykins]

First and foremost, WELCOME to LHC! I hope you like it here!

Congrats on all the new progress you're making with your hair! I'm glad to hear that you are taking advantage of all the great hair care knowledge to be found on our site.

Mixing and layering oils is PERFECTLY fine! :D I do it all the time. I love mixing sunflower and olive oils because those work really well for me, then I will add some Nightblooming Panacea on top because my hair loves that as well and it smells divine.

Secondly, not all salon products are magical potions of wonder. Some work great; some are terrible. It's important to do research on what works for other folks (especially those who have similar hair types to yours) to get the best possible recommendation on a quality product if you're searching for something new, then to test it out and see how your hair reacts. I'm assuming you like the stuff you're using now, so go ahead and keep using it if it works for you!

I am not an expert on cones because I am proudly cone free, but I would layer the product over the coconut/emu/avocado oils so it can seal in the moisturizing product.

As for whether or not you're using too much, do you mean as a leave in? If that is what you mean, then I think too much is when your hair starts to get greasy and limp. My hair always feels oily and piecey if I use too much. In the beginning of your hair journey, though, I think your hair needs a lot of time to recover from past beatings. It'll never be perfect hair, but it can definitely be improved. Hair that has been damaged by bleach/heat styling tends to need lots of protein, but don't forget to add lots of moisture afterwards! I used to slather my hair in oil and leave it on for a week (granted, it was summer and I was staying in the house a lot since I'm a homebody) to let my hair soak in all the moisture. Then I would wash it out with my chosen method, Conditioner Only washing. :)

Here's a great article written by our very own Gladtobemom on buildup: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=194. It might answer some more questions on whether you're experiencing buildup of too much of a product.

Again, welcome to LHC, and let us know if you have more questions! :waving:

[celebriangel]

I would echo the suggestion to use oils first, then cones. To prevent buildup, some LHCers use conefree shampoos and conditioners, but then a coney leave-in (I like the Aussie deep conditioning spray, or I used to when I used cones), so you might want to try that, using your oil(s) before your cones.

Another thing to do is to put on any "penetrating" oils before any "sealing" oils, so for example, coconut oil before jojoba.

I don't mix cones and oils, though, and I know some people do, so hopefully they'll wander over with their routines.