Oiling for <s>Dummies</s> Newbies (and other stuff)

[Arrow]

OK, so although I have been trying to grow my hair long for a very long time, oiling hair is something I only learned about a few months ago and only tried twice. The first time was Saturday.
Call me stupid if you will, but I don't understand what I'm doing or how it's supposed to be beneficial for my hair.
Saturday night I coated the length of my hair in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, braided it and left it in overnight. I washed it all out Sunday morning (not an especially pleasant feeling).
This evening I have put about a capful of EVOO on the ends of my hair, then gone through the length with a brush which has distributed it nicely I think, and had a go at the Cameo Bun.
I guess my trouble is that I don't know what I'm supposed to be achieving with the olive oil. Softness? Shine? Prevention of damage to my split ends? I can't imagine oiling my hair on a daily basis to help with braiding and so on because my hair looks... well, oily, when it's covered in oil.

A little more...

I'm going for the 2011 with no trims challange and am starting to itch for the scissors. I can see all these split ends and am worried it will go all the way up my hair. I definitely remember having my hair cut for my sister's wedding in May last year, but can't remember whether or not I've had a trim since then. There are layers in my hair that I hate. Seriously. I was talked into getting them because it would be a great idea, but I hate them. Whenever I bun or braid I get all these little bits sticking out which is just not attractive. I have started doing a mini shampoo-major condition wash with Tresseme Salon Silk products. I bought my first tangle-teezer today.

Is there anything I can do to prevent my ends from splitting even further or shall I just book an appointment at the hairdresser's for January 2012?

Sorry for the long post...

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[Anje]

Usually you'll get some lubrication, decreased dryness, and increased flexibility in your hair if you oil it.

How to keep it from looking oily? Stop using so much. Put maybe a drop or two in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. You should just see a light sheen of oil on your hands. Smooth your slightly shiny palms over your length and ends. If your hair is oily-looking, use less the next time, and put your hair up. Some oils like olive, coconut, and avocado, will absorb into your hair over a few hours, so even if you start out with hair that appears a bit oily, it may look good later.

Olive oil might be a bit heavy for your straight hair. Straight-haired folks often prefer lighter oils like coconut, jojoba, and camellia. Use very little so your hair doesn't get piecey.

[Madora]

Here's Heidi W's excellent article on oiling:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=71

You might also like to check out the various articles by member Ktani under the Articles Menu above (grey menu bar). Look in the "hair care" section.

I do not know about other oils since I've never used them. I can, however, heartily recommend the EVOO treatment (Extra Virgin Olive Oil).

LHC member Jojo told me about the benefits of EVOOing and after much trepidation I tried it..and was thrilled with the results.

Here's how:

Shampoo and condition your hair and dry thoroughly.
Apply a small amount of EVOO to your dry hair. You do not want damp hair with the EVOO. Apply just enough EVOO to coat all the hair slightly.

Take 3 sheets of Saran Wrap ("cling wrap") and place them so that they cover your entire head.

How long you leave it on is up to you. Some members only leave the EVOO on for several hours.

I left mine on overnight, then shampooed and conditioned as usual the next day.

Hair was fantastic. Smooth and silky with terrific slip, which was a major help in braiding! I found that I needed only a little bit of EVOO for my head of hair (less than a quarter cup..and even then that was too much).

The EVOO kept working its magic for weeks afterwards!

As for damage...the sooner you get rid of that damage, the better your hair will be!

Layers will bug the hell out of you because the hairs tend to stick out willy nilly when you're trying to do braids or buns!

To protect your delicate ends, it is recommended by many here to wear your hair in updos, use hair friendly products, avoid heat and straightening and chemicals, do periodic S and D (Search and Destroy -- i.e. cutting off damage with SHARP scissors, wearing a silk night cap or using a silk pillowcase. Also, avoid nylon or synthetic brushes. Use a pure boar bristle brush, eat healthy, drink plenty of water, exercise moderately..and take supplements.

How you comb and brush your hair will ultimately determine the condition and health of your hair.

Long hair is gorgeous..but you have to take the proper steps..and be gentle and patient..if you want to see results..and it DOES take time!!

Good luck!

[Arrow]

Thank you for the replies :0) One thing about oiling... everyone says to only use a few drops on the palms, rub them together, then smoothe over the hair... but surely the oil gets absorbed into the skin of your hands?

I did try coconut oil a little while ago but I didn't get on with it. I suspect it was because it was something called Blue Magic Coconut Oil and more of a conditioner than anything else. I just don't know where to look for oils in the UK. :0(

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[vanity_acefake]

You can buy coconut oil at Holland and Barrett.
:)

[Madora]

True coconut oil leaves a sheen on your palms. You then apply your palms to your hair. A little bit goes a long way! There are different types of coconut oil (refined and unrefined). Some coconut oils seem to be more heavily scented than others. I guess it all depends on your nose's sensitivity to scent!

[gthlvrmx]

I thought in the no trims challenge you could do S&D??

[Arrow]

I thought in the no trims challenge you could do S&D??

Is that true? If so I'll get on the internet for some proper hair-cutting scissors and ask my roommate nicely if she'll help me. If she can't, is it safe to go to a hairdresser? Or are they like dodgy dentists, giving you advice and treatments you don't really need?

Re Holland & Barrett - it's just too expensive for me. I'm off to Asda tomorrow and will take a look when I get my groceries. I tried Superdrug and Sainsbury's today with no luck.

[krissykins]

S&D is allowed in the no trimming challenge. :p

[gthlvrmx]

Is that true? If so I'll get on the internet for some proper hair-cutting scissors and ask my roommate nicely if she'll help me. If she can't, is it safe to go to a hairdresser? Or are they like dodgy dentists, giving you advice and treatments you don't really need?

Re Holland & Barrett - it's just too expensive for me. I'm off to Asda tomorrow and will take a look when I get my groceries. I tried Superdrug and Sainsbury's today with no luck.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=58746
The OP said that she's S&Ding and wearing her hair in an updo which is what i am doing (though i am not in the challenge). So go for it! All for healthy hair!
You can order them online, buy them at your nearest Sally's, Walmart even has to have some hair scissors in the beauty section. But if you're in a different country i wouldn't know other than hair supply places would have them :) And careful with them, only use it on your hair, the blades are very sharp.

[Anje]

Yep, some of the oil will absorb into your hands, especially if they're dry. I tend to need an extra drop in the winter to deal with my dessicated hands. :) But again, if you're going to put oil on clean hair and leave it in til your next wash, the idea is not to put so much on that it looks oily.

For coconut oil, you want stuff you can eat. Therefore, don't get it in the haircare section, get food grade. The haircare section stuff is typically mostly petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) and can often just be a mess in hair. See if you can find an Indian grocery -- they'll have coconut oil.