What oils are good for your hair?

[SopphireGem]

I want super soft shiny hair! What oils can I use for my hair?

[Yozhik]

Different oils work for different people, depending on their hair type and preferences. Generally speaking, people with finer hair use lighter oils, whereas people with thicker hair use heavier ones. Or you can just put on less of the heavier oils to get them to work with finer hair. :shrug:

Coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil are perennial favorites here, but you can also try out a whole slew of other ones: avocado oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, etc.

There's a list somewhere around here about the different types of oils and what they are said to do for your hair. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful, but I'd definitely look over that list, because some oils are considered to be drying ones, which means that they can be used to coat the hair, but don't actually penetrate into the hair shaft like others do (coconut oil and olive oil, IRRC).

[jacqueline101]

The ones mentioned plus argan oil.

[Madora]

I found that a once a month EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) treatment did wonders for my hair with regard to giving it slip for braiding.

A tiny bit of coconut oil is great for taming those very short and tiny flyaway hairs around the front of your head.

[jojo]

I have fine hair which is thickish in volume, my all time favorite is EVOO, though its doesn't play well in Winter but mustard oil does!

[VikingVampChick]

Coconut works for me (but I easily overdo it if I'm not careful). However, lately I've been loving camellia and jojoba oils. Very light & I've yet to overdo it. Plus, they tend to stay in liquid form much better than coconut oil. I think thats why I have an easier time with hem, actually.

[shikara]

I like a little mix of olive and castor oil. Try a pre poo. Put the oil through your hair, wet a small towel with hot water and wring it, out on head and cover with shower cap or something like that for ten to fifteen minutes. Repeat, wash! Really lets everything soak in.

[Cocoa_Crema]

Olive oil and coconut oil are a favorite of mine. Once a week I try to let my hair soak in coconut or olive oil. I just smear through my hair and wrap it in a bun overnight.

[BlazingHeart]

Olive oil and I don't get along - it made a horrid mess and was hard to get out, for me.

I do well with a bit of coconut oil, to the point where I don't see a reason to go experiment with the more expensive oils. If it ain't broke...

[Orangerthanred]

I use canola oil sometimes to make my hair shine. It's really cheap.

[NymphSpirit]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10971&highlight=oils

As for me, I've only tried coconut and olive. Coconut did wonders, and the olive oil did... well, nothing... Next week I'm planning on trying castor and camellia.

[angiescurls]

For deep conditioning I use coconut oil and olive oil, then for leave ins I use lighter oils like jojoba, argan (both on the higher price end), or sweet almond oil, macadamia, or avocado oil. I would recommend jojoba most.

[SopphireGem]

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone! I'll give some of them a try :D Would any of the oils on this page be good for the hair: http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/categories.asp?cid=167&left=1

[Octopus]

Just a quick note:

-Avocado oil regenerates and it's very nutritious for the hair. Its consistency is thick though so you can mix it with a more fluid and lighter oil such as coconut and double the results.
-Unrefined oils have more benefits although their scent is stronger and sometimes not very pleasant.
-Warm the oil a little before use (never use it hot), the scalp and hair absorb it better
-Oils expire in a few weeks and you can tell the difference from the way they smell. You should be careful about the way you store them. Some need fridge, some not. Always keep in a dark cool place.

tip* you can use oils to sculpt the ends of your hair instead of using wax or.. other products.

Hope that helps!

[Amber_Maiden]

I vote avocado. Love it!

[isabelx]

My hair seems to like castor oil and olive oil, both mixed with honey. Soft soft soft. Besides those I don't use any other oils.

[Octopus]

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone! I'll give some of them a try :D Would any of the oils on this page be good for the hair: http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/categories.asp?cid=167&left=1

These are essential oils. If you don't know how to use them, I don't recommend them. Try the vegetable oils first. Each Essential oil serves a different purpose and you must use only a few drops because too much of it (if you have long hair), and it can cause severe irritation and allergy that lasts. Try vegetable oils or carrier oils (and if you are allergic to nuts, use oils such as olive, coconut-I can't think of any others right now). Vegetable oils are safe and no matter the quantity, they have all benefits more or less. And the worst thing that can cause, is oily hair.

[Octopus]

Thanks for all your suggestions everyone! I'll give some of them a try :D Would any of the oils on this page be good for the hair: http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/categories.asp?cid=167&left=1

Oh, and something else I forgot to mention!
People usually recomment to apply the oil while massaging the scalp. I have noticed that many people during the massage, lose a lot of hair. A LOT! Especially longer hair tend to be cut off from the roots. It's also dangerous for your boyfriends too if you are suggesting oils to them and they are already going ..ehem... bald.
What I do, is massaging the scalp RIGHT BEFORE putting the oil using the tool that is used for cellulite with the wooden thingies (I don't know what it's called) or move my fingers with circular motion and a little pressure in a way that the skin of the scalp moves a bit, but without rubbing the roots. That means better blood flow and if the oil is warm, better absorbtion as well and not a single piece of hair on the floor. Try it :)

[jesis]

I use Camellia oil from Henna Sooq. I think there are already lots of threads out there about different oils and their benefits.

[Alienor]

I like mixing avocado oil with coconut. ;)

[ktani]

I want super soft shiny hair! What oils can I use for my hair?

Oils have different applications for hair, depending on what you want them to do.

There are several great oils for conditioning, oilive oil, argan oil, avocado oil.

Coconut oil can have varied applications, for surface conditioning, and for deeper conditioning on clarified hair, used with shampoo that does not build-up.

Mineral oil can be used as a finishing oil, in very small amounts to give hair added shine or reduce moisture loss in low humidity.

Camellia oil is a great leave-in oil for smoothing hair.

Avoid drying oils that become resinous on exposure to oxygen: hemp, sunflower, flax or linseed and walnut to name a few as they can be hard to remove from hair and may require repeated clarifying to do so.

There are many other great oils that can be used on hair as well.

[kmoc123]

I use Argon...my hair sucks it up!!

[allio21]

Coconut oil is my favorite. It's my ideal scent and does a good job. I use olive oil once in a while but I HATE the smell. It's a lot heavier than coconut. Make sure you always get cold-pressed, unrefined virgin oils.

[ludwig20]

Personally, my hair loves coconut oil. I've had good experiences with others - olive, almond, and castor. But for softness and shininess, coconut oil would probably be the best option.

[bloomingrose]

I mix olive oil with a teensy bit of coconut oil, ten or so drops of vitamin E oil, a little bit of lemon juice and a little bit of honey. It really works for me! I have fine hair, though.

[NymphSpirit]

These are essential oils. If you don't know how to use them, I don't recommend them. Try the vegetable oils first. Each Essential oil serves a different purpose and you must use only a few drops because too much of it (if you have long hair), and it can cause severe irritation and allergy that lasts. Try vegetable oils or carrier oils (and if you are allergic to nuts, use oils such as olive, coconut-I can't think of any others right now). Vegetable oils are safe and no matter the quantity, they have all benefits more or less. And the worst thing that can cause, is oily hair.

Well, in my case essential coconut oil conditioned my hair way better than vegetable coconut oil, BUT I only tried them on my ends

[DarkSky]

Coconut oil and EVOO combined!! The best that I've ever used!!!