Mineral Oil/Baby Oil? Help?

[patienceneeded]

For those who use mineral oil/baby oil, please help a gal and answer my questions...

I was under the assumption (mistakenly?) that mineral oil was baaaaaaad for your hair but have recently seen a number of posts where people are using it with great success. For those who use it, can you clarify my misunderstanding and educate me on its uses? Thanks!

1. Are mineral oil and baby oil the same thing? As near as I can tell, the only difference is the baby-powdery smell...

2. Do you use plain-old mineral oil? Or do you use baby oil? I like the smell of baby oil and would use it if it was okay...

3. How do you apply it?

4. What does it do, how is it better than other oils (Argan, Coconut, Sweet Almond, etc...)?

5. Would it work with my hair type? Would my hair be less tangle-prone?

Anything else I should know?

Baby oil is SO much cheaper than any other oil...if it works that would be great!

[lapushka]

Good questions. Would like to know this as well!

[Hamh]

Hi, I have been using it with amazing results. I cant quote the science bit - chat to Ktani she had been a wealth of knowledge on this subject and can help.

I use it after shampoo and conditioner on damp hair, 2 drops that's all and air dry. Result for me is soft shiny hair that isn't weighed down. I personally could be happier using mineral oil (I use Johnsons baby oil), its cheap, no other leave ins needed and gives me the best result of anything I have tried! Hope it works for you too!!

[ktani]

For those who use mineral oil/baby oil, please help a gal and answer my questions...

I was under the assumption (mistakenly?) that mineral oil was baaaaaaad for your hair but have recently seen a number of posts where people are using it with great success. For those who use it, can you clarify my misunderstanding and educate me on its uses? Thanks!

1. Are mineral oil and baby oil the same thing? As near as I can tell, the only difference is the baby-powdery smell... YES

2. Do you use plain-old mineral oil? Or do you use baby oil? I like the smell of baby oil and would use it if it was okay...

3. How do you apply it?

4. What does it do, how is it better than other oils (Argan, Coconut, Sweet Almond, etc...)?

5. Would it work with my hair type? Would my hair be less tangle-prone? It can work on any hair type.

Anything else I should know?

Baby oil is SO much cheaper than any other oil...if it works that would be great!

This should answer most of your other questions re the oil, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=225.

[Georgies]

Here is ktani's super helpful article about this:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=225

Mineral oil is the primary ingredient in most baby oil as far as I know (they add a nice fragrance). However, it's not particularly environmentally friendly, which is one reason why people don't like - it's a petroleum product, i.e. a product of non-renewable fossil fuels. That said, I've used it (accidentally) and liked it. Instead of penetrating your hair it coats it to keep the moisture in so it's best used when your hair is damp...but ktani has tons more info.

[Georgies]

oh, double posted with ktani!

[Long_hair_bear]

Ya, ktani is the foremost authority on the use of baby oil in hair. :D I tried it per her suggestion, and it made my hair very soft!

[patienceneeded]

Does it basically simulate the effects of a silicone-based serum? Back when I used cones, one of my favorite things was my Aveda silicone serum...

[Long_hair_bear]

Does it basically simulate the effects of a silicone-based serum? Back when I used cones, one of my favorite things was my Aveda silicone serum...

I dunno, but I use no cones whatsoever, and it works great for me. :D

[patienceneeded]

Thanks for the link Ktani!

[ktani]

Thanks for the link Ktani!

My pleasure :)

[Mommyof4]

The only thing I know about mineral oil is that Rainbow Research recommends using it to help removed their brand of Henna products.. but I've never tried it.. I might after reading Ktani's links though :D

[ktani]

Does it basically simulate the effects of a silicone-based serum? Back when I used cones, one of my favorite things was my Aveda silicone serum...

In the research study and other sources, mineral oil which is natural (using drops only is more environmentally friendly in my opinion that using lots of other stuff processed with petrochemicals like just about all of the waxy ingredients in conditioner) is more effective at moisturising than silicone.

While not all silicones build-up, some emulsions can be difficult to remove from hair.

I am a fan of what works, not greenwashing hype or lies about ingredients started and kept going by greedy "all natural" companies as long as what works is SAFE and cosmetic mineral oil is safe.

[jojo]

I have been using baby oil for just less than a week and my hair has never looked or felt better since using it.

1. Are mineral oil and baby oil the same thing? As near as I can tell, the only difference is the baby-powdery smell...
yes there the same
2. Do you use plain-old mineral oil? Or do you use baby oil? I like the smell of baby oil and would use it if it was okay...
i use Johnsons baby oil
3. How do you apply it?I apply to wet hair just a drop, rubbed between my hands, enough to give my hands a sheen and then i apply from ears down, concentrating on my ends, you only need a bit one or two drops is plenty

4. What does it do, how is it better than other oils (Argan, Coconut, Sweet Almond, etc...)?
its far more moisturising, it softens my hair better and its easier to wash out
5. Would it work with my hair type? Would my hair be less tangle-prone?
absolutely my hair is fine but thickish and normally tangles by just looking at it LOL! i get not one tangle using baby oil
Anything else I should know?
if you try this oil and forget all the hype but concentrate on the benefits it will give your hair, you will never look back

Baby oil is SO much cheaper than any other oil...if it works that would be great!another great plus and it smells lovely!

here are my results 1st photo before and dry
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/DSCF8372.jpg after visually softer and more moisturisedhttp://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/babyoil1-1.jpg both taken in same spot and lighting conditions

[jacqueline101]

I've started trying baby oil on my dry ends my hair seems to like it. I put mine on my ends every three days and my hair is dry when I apply.

[ktani]

I've started trying baby oil on my dry ends my hair seems to like it. I put mine on my ends every three days and my hair is dry when I apply.

I was thinking about just this on my way home tonight, lol.

If your hair's moisture level is fine, you can use the drops on dry hair to maintain it in conditions of low humidity, after every wash - no need to reapply them between washes.

If people live in conditions of high humidy, applying the drops to dry hair with a good moisture level Correction can not will - maintain that too, while helping to prevent moisture from the air causing frizz.

ETA: If the hair is dry as in lacking moisture in any environmental conditions, the drop(s) are best used on damp hair, to help rehydrate the hair.

[patienceneeded]

Well, I am now sitting with freshly washed hair and a few drops of Johnson's Baby Oil worked through the length and ends. I showered early tonight so I could experiment with this and let my hair dry before braiding it for sleep. Normally I sleep with a wet braid on wash night...it will be nice to not do that tonight. I wanted to see what the mineral oil did/looked like on air-dried (non-braided) hair. Will report back later!

[beachgirlla]

Very interesting, I need to keep an eye on this post, LOL
Katani, LOL about thinking about the baby oil in your way back :D

[Lissandria]

I use baby oil, because I bought some awhile back that was sitting in the cupboard unused, now I am using it on top of my coconut oil as a post wash leave-in. Coconut Oil has never given me "crunchy" ends, I just love it and refuse to give it up. :D

The Mineral Oil is working well so far, but I shall reserve my judgement until I have seen consistent results for a period of time. Incidentally, when I went to several pharmacies and asked for straight Mineral Oil they didn't seem to stock it at all :confused:. I don't love the Baby Oil smell, but it's a cheap Oil I had at home already. HTH :blossom:

[patienceneeded]

Okay, 2 hours later and my hair is (mostly) dry. The baby oil did not make my hair greasy nor does it look oily. I can't really smell it now that it is dry, not that I would mind if I could smell it. My length and ends feel soft and are not tangling like normal. My hair curled a little more while wet, but now that it is dry it seems a little straighter. Best thing ever? NO FRIZZ! None at all. I think I like this! I'll experiment with ratio, I used 4 drops this time. I think I could use a little more, maybe 6? I have obnoxiously thick hair. I will DEFINATELY be using this method again!

[long]

I started using mineral oil (baby oil) about six or eight weeks ago when I saw ktani suggested it in a thread. It is working really well for me. I put it on damp ends after a shampoo/no conditioner. My ends always feel soft, silky and manageable and it seems like the strands are more separated. I say that because coconut oil made my strands stick together more.

It has also helped me to stretch washes to every other day because I no longer use conditioner. Somehow even a little conditioner on the ends makes my hair get oily faster. The mineral oil does not make my hair greasy at all.

[sfgirl]

I'm so intrigued to try it. I currently just bought a huge jar of coconut oil though, so I'm going to stick to that for a bit. :)

[Rosetta]

Good to know mineral oil can actually be good for hair :) As I have some hair oils that contain mineral oil, and I've been a bit wary of using them much (just for a few for pre-oilings). Although they do contain other oils in addition to mineral, so the effect may not be quite the same. But in any case, I'm going to try them for my ends instead of buying baby oil (it's not so common here as in some other countries anyway, I think most people here think it's not good for a baby's skin...)

(For that matter, my hair does fine with cones, but since I already have these hair oils, I think I'll put them to use and try :))

[B-L]

I'm gonna try baby oil too. I do use coconut oil and my hair love it but my ends are still dry and chrunchy from time to time. I don't want to trim so I hope this will help..

Is there any ingredient in the baby oil that I should avoid?? My baby oil has paraffinium liquidium and isopropyl palmitate in it, and nothing else. Is that ok?

[Libbylou]

I started using it to help with the static. Seems to help for a while then the static is back. I only use a drop. Maybe I need 2 or 3. My hair is shoulder length and I can't stand it sticking to my neck.

[pepperminttea]

Darn you, you've got me interested. :p I'm such a bangwagon-jumper.


Jojo, you mentioned you use the Johnson's baby oil, I looked up the ingredients (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1326966879886):

Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Parfum.

Will the isopropyl palmitate affect the result for good or ill? I'm wondering because there's a supermarket own brand baby oil (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1326967034967) that's just Paraffinum Liquidum and Parfum (I know parfum is an umbrella term for goodness knows how many ingredients, but still). Ktani, given the choice, which would you pick? :)

[maria_asa]

I find mineral oil intriguing and would like to try it but I have a few questions. I did read Ktani's article but I couldn't find the answers there (or maybe I'm just too tired to understand it :silly: ).

My normal routine is scalp wash every day with one full CWC wash per week. The full wash is always preceded by a pre-wash treatment with coconut oil, honey and conditioner.

Would CWC be enough to remove the mineral oil from the hair and thus prevent overloading of it in the long run?

Does the mineral oil create a sort of barrier that other products can't penetrate or will a treatment of "ordinary" products put on top of the mineral oil work as normal? (What I'm getting at is if I'll be able to continue with my pre-wash treatment as normal or will I have to wash the mineral oil away first and then add the treatment?)

[ktani]

Darn you, you've got me interested. :p I'm such a bangwagon-jumper.


Jojo, you mentioned you use the Johnson's baby oil, I looked up the ingredients (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1326966879886):


Will the isopropyl palmitate affect the result for good or ill? I'm wondering because there's a supermarket own brand baby oil (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1326967034967) that's just Paraffinum Liquidum and Parfum (I know parfum is an umbrella term for goodness knows how many ingredients, but still). Ktani, given the choice, which would you pick? :)

Johnson's has more than one baby oil. The Original has just two ingredients,
http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/johnsons-baby-oil
"Mineral Oil and Fragrance"
If you cannot find one and it can be a house brand, you can buy pure USP or BP mineral oil unfragranced, at a pharmacy. I would go with the least ingredients.



I find mineral oil intriguing and would like to try it but I have a few questions. I did read Ktani's article but I couldn't find the answers there (or maybe I'm just too tired to understand it :silly: ).

My normal routine is scalp wash every day with one full CWC wash per week. The full wash is always preceded by a pre-wash treatment with coconut oil, honey and conditioner.

Would CWC be enough to remove the mineral oil from the hair and thus prevent overloading of it in the long run?

Does the mineral oil create a sort of barrier that other products can't penetrate or will a treatment of "ordinary" products put on top of the mineral oil work as normal? (What I'm getting at is if I'll be able to continue with my pre-wash treatment as normal or will I have to wash the mineral oil away first and then add the treatment?)

Both the C - conditioner only and the W - wash (shampoo) can remove the mineral oil in one wash provided you do not use too much.

If you are using the coconut oil as a pre-treatment on CWC'd hair as your normal routine it is not penetrating your hair now. It is going on top of all the coatings in your conditioner and shampoo and can effectively be used that way to offset shampoo drying out the hair. However it is not going any deeper into your hair than the surface.

If you want coconut oil or any oil to penetrate hair, they have to be used on clarified hair. The oils can and do diffuse into the hair cuticles somewhat, over the other coatings present, but no further. The mineral oil should not interfere with your routine.

[maria_asa]

Thank you, Ktani, for your quick answer. :flower: I was planning on clarifying this weekend anyway so it'll be a good time to test mineral oil.

[pepperminttea]

Johnson's has more than one baby oil. The Original has just two ingredients,
http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/johnsons-baby-oil
"Mineral Oil and Fragrance"
If you cannot find one and it can be a house brand, you can buy pure USP or BP mineral oil unfragranced, at a pharmacy. I would go with the least ingredients.

Ah, I wonder if that version's available here. :hmm: I'll see what I can find, thank you!

[Long_hair_bear]

Ah, I wonder if that version's available here. :hmm: I'll see what I can find, thank you!

I found that version in the baby aisle at my grocery store, so it should be easy to find (in theory) :D

[pepperminttea]

I found that version in the baby aisle at my grocery store, so it should be easy to find (in theory) :D

In the USA, I don't doubt it. :)

[ktani]

Thank you, Ktani, for your quick answer. :flower: I was planning on clarifying this weekend anyway so it'll be a good time to test mineral oil.

You are very welcome but just so you know, even with clarifying, mineral oil cannot penetrate hair.

Oils that can penetrate hair need access to the hair and while some shampoo coatings allow that, many botanicals, and conditioner and styling aid coatings do not.

ETA: Clarifying is great when your hair needs it. If you pre-oil on clarified hair and then C first - the oil is not going to penetrate hair. If you W first and your shampoo contains barrier coatings - same result. If you want to do a treatment - clarify your hair, leave it damp, ETA:2: oil it - and cover with plastic - and blow dry over the plastic for 5 minutes with a medium heat setting. You do not have to do more than a light oling.

[ktani]

Ah, I wonder if that version's available here. :hmm: I'll see what I can find, thank you!

You are very welcome.

[jojo]

I think any baby oil would do to be honest, a lot of the shop brand baby oils are make in the same factories over in the UK and the only difference is they don't add the famous johnsons fragrance, i love the smell of Johnson's but unfortunately it doesn't stop on my hair long!

[ktani]

Okay, 2 hours later and my hair is (mostly) dry. The baby oil did not make my hair greasy nor does it look oily. I can't really smell it now that it is dry, not that I would mind if I could smell it. My length and ends feel soft and are not tangling like normal. My hair curled a little more while wet, but now that it is dry it seems a little straighter. Best thing ever? NO FRIZZ! None at all. I think I like this! I'll experiment with ratio, I used 4 drops this time. I think I could use a little more, maybe 6? I have obnoxiously thick hair. I will DEFINATELY be using this method again!

Great news but with mineral oil less is more. You do not want to overuse it. Use the least amount you can for your thick hair for the most benefits.

[jojo]

^^ agree, its also not necessary to apply every day or so, I just apply after each wash and it lasts until my next one!

[ktani]

^^ agree, its also not necessary to apply every day or so, I just apply after each wash and it lasts until my next one!

Agreed with you too. I have gone a full week with one only application - no dryness - no tangles - great volume.

ETA: I updated my blog post below and will update the article here later tonight.

[maria_asa]

You are very welcome but just so you know, even with clarifying, mineral oil cannot penetrate hair.

Oils that can penetrate hair need access to the hair and while some shampoo coatings allow that, many botanicals, and conditioner and styling aid coatings do not.

ETA: Clarifying is great when your hair needs it. If you pre-oil on clarified hair and then C first - the oil is not going to penetrate hair. If you W first and your shampoo contains barrier coatings - same result. If you want to do a treatment - clarify your hair, leave it damp, ETA:2: oil it - and cover with plastic - and blow dry over the plastic for 5 minutes with a medium heat setting. You do not have to do more than a light oling.

No, I didn't think the mineral oil would penetrate the hair. I just thought it would be good to start with clarified hair because then I'll know that any benefits, or lack thereof, comes from the mineral oil and not something else.

[ktani]

No, I didn't think the mineral oil would penetrate the hair. I just thought it would be good to start with clarified hair because then I'll know that any benefits, or lack thereof, comes from the mineral oil and not something else.

Wise decision, and if your hair needs clarifying, you will see more benefits afterward, the way you can with anything that can work well.

[Long_hair_bear]

In the USA, I don't doubt it. :)


Lol sorry, wasn't paying attention to your location. :D

[kittymallow]

I was wondering if anybody has tried the hawaiian tropic tanning oil in hair. Its first ingredient is mineral oil, and the second one is coconut oil, and the rest is extracts from fruits/nuts/seeds. I LOOVE the smell of this oil, so i think i will try it next time i wash my hair:)

[Of the Fae]

In the research study and other sources, mineral oil which is natural (using drops only is more environmentally friendly in my opinion that using lots of other stuff processed with petrochemicals like just about all of the waxy ingredients in conditioner) is more effective at moisturising than silicone.

While not all silicones build-up, some emulsions can be difficult to remove from hair.

I am a fan of what works, not greenwashing hype or lies about ingredients started and kept going by greedy "all natural" companies as long as what works is SAFE and cosmetic mineral oil is safe.

Haha this made me think of my shampoo/conditioner that says : "with botanical silk extract":liar:... well, as far as I know silk is either synthetic or won from caterpillars.. no botany here!
Besides it contains cones, and I know thát is what makes my hair silky smooth. I wouldn't be bothered if they were a bit more honest about this, yeah. Many people are fooled by blatant lies while the product in itself works just fine- why lie?


I'm getting baby oil tomorrow!

[ktani]

Haha this made me think of my shampoo/conditioner that says : "with botanical silk extract":liar:... well, as far as I know silk is either synthetic or won from caterpillars.. no botany here!
Besides it contains cones, and I know thát is what makes my hair silky smooth. I wouldn't be bothered if they were a bit more honest about this, yeah. Many people are fooled by blatant lies while the product in itself works just fine- why lie?


I'm getting baby oil tomorrow!

I do not think you will be disappointed, lol.

[starlamelissa]

Ok I tried the baby oil thing!

I have hip length chemically colored hair, and soft water. Also I live in rural Iowa, which is very cold and dry this time of year.

I colored my roots, did a quick wash with baby shampoo(which is my normal poo) and towel dried. I used three drops of baby oil, from the ears down. Last drop focused on the ends.

My hair detangled fairly easily, and dried soft and shiny. Lots of volume, but my hair is thick regardless.

I decided to try it because when I do use conditioner ( after clarifying) I really like prell conditioner, which has mineral oil as an ingredient. Also, my sensitive skin does better with plain mineral oil based lotion/ cream than any fancy thing.

I like that this is a very low maintenance thing, and it's cheap and easy. I have been using Paul Mitchell spray detangler in the same way, but this works the same. Yay!

[Gilly]

So do we basically wash and apply 2 drops of baby oil? No conditioner?
Must get a small bottle of it tomorrow!

[ktani]

So do we basically wash and apply 2 drops of baby oil? No conditioner?
Must get a small bottle of it tomorrow!

No conditioner is an option. Some of my friends who now use mineral oil still use conditioner, while some no longer need it.

Damp hair before applying the oil is an option too. If your hair needs moisture, the oil can help rehydrate the hair. If your hair has enough moisture, the oil can help it stay in your hair, while helping to prevent frizz and static.

ETA: If conditioner is no longer needed, you have one less build-up causing product on your hair, provided you do not use too much mineral oil, which is not difficult to remove from hair in any case. ETA:2 It can be emulsified out with conditioner only or shampoo if too much is used. Otherwise it should just wash out with your shampoo each time you wash your hair.

What this can mean is less product to remove when clarifying is needed. Clarifying is not necessary to remove mineral oil from hair. The only things that would need clarifying using mineral oil this way, would be any residue still on the hair from other products, or coatings from the shampoo used. All in all that means clarifying may be stretched out in terms of time.

ETA:3 It styling products are needed, they can be used on top of the mineral oil but they may no longer be needed either.

[pepperminttea]

No conditioner is an option. Some of my friends who now use mineral oil still use conditioner, while some no longer need it.

So hang on, mineral oil locks in moisture, I think? So presumably it'd lock it out, too? So say I'd shampooed my hair, and didn't use conditioner of any kind; after that my hair would be fairly bush-like, dry, and generally unhappy. Surely using the mineral oil after that would keep it in that dry state? :hmm:

[ktani]

So hang on, mineral oil locks in moisture, I think? So presumably it'd lock it out, too? So say I'd shampooed my hair, and didn't use conditioner of any kind; after that my hair would be fairly bush-like, dry, and generally unhappy. Surely using the mineral oil after that would keep it in that dry state? :hmm:

Conditioner can add moisture to hair - most contain a high amout of water - however, that has not prevented the same water from evaporating or conditioned hair from being very dry and lacking moisture.

One of the mineral oil myths is that it seals the hair from all environmental air moisture - untrue - moisture vapour from the air can still access it and mineral oil helps prevent moisture in the hair from evaporating.

One can have a good moisture level in their hair without using conditioner and several people here do not use conditioner at all.

In conditions of low humidity, moisture from the air is not available to access hair. Using mineral oil on damp hair is helping keep added moisture there.

ETA
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17520153
"Although treating the hair samples with oil reduced moisture pickup, a considerable amount of moisture vapor was still able to penetrate into hair fibers."

Several oils were tested in the above study. Mineral oil was one of them. Yes, it does reduce the amount of water vapour accessing hair and that is why it can help prevent frizz.

[pepperminttea]

Conditioner can add moisture to hair - most contain a high amout of water - however, that has not prevented the same water from evaporating or conditioned hair from being very dry and lacking moisture.

One of the mineral oil myths is that it seals the hair from all environmental air moisture - untrue - moisture vapour from the air can still access it and mineral oil helps prevent moisture in the hair from evaporating.

One can have a good moisture level in their hair without using conditioner and several people here do not use conditioner at all.

In conditions of low humidity, moisture from the air is not avaiable to access hair. Using mineral oil on damp hair is helping keep added moisture there.

I know some (lucky!) people can get away without using conditioner, I think there's a thread round here somewhere, but I'd lay bets there are more who need conditioner than those who don't.

So mineral oil is kind of a one-way seal? Moisture can still get in, but it can't then evaporate?

[ktani]

I know some (lucky!) people can get away without using conditioner, I think there's a thread round here somewhere, but I'd lay bets there are more who need conditioner than those who don't.

So mineral oil is kind of a one-way seal? Moisture can still get in, but it can't then evaporate?

It is not a seal.

It reduces moisture going in, and evaporating out. It can do such a good job of both though, it does not need to be reapplied between washes in my experience, and that of others, and it can help prevent frizz.

[Libbylou]

This does seem to help my hair for a while, maybe I fiddle with my hair too much, brushing, putting it up and taking it down.
The air is so dry around here now that I have resorted to using Vaseline on my skin, even my face. Just out of the shower I don't dry my face, immediately put a tiny bit on my face. I use it all over my body while still damp. Let me tell you, after years of seeing various dermatologist and using a boat load of prescriptions, My psoriasis is improving. My face is super soft and does not feel parched like when I use the expensive face creams. I have to give these petroleum products a thumbs up. Who knew?

[jojo]

Ah, I wonder if that version's available here. :hmm: I'll see what I can find, thank you!

its the original one we have in the UK!

[ktani]

This does seem to help my hair for a while, maybe I fiddle with my hair too much, brushing, putting it up and taking it down.
The air is so dry around here now that I have resorted to using Vaseline on my skin, even my face. Just out of the shower I don't dry my face, immediately put a tiny bit on my face. I use it all over my body while still damp. Let me tell you, after years of seeing various dermatologist and using a boat load of prescriptions, My psoriasis is improving. My face is super soft and does not feel parched like when I use the expensive face creams. I have to give these petroleum products a thumbs up. Who knew?

It is no secret and has been known for a very long time. It has just been made unpopular by marketing, erroneously.

ETA: It was the amount needed ETA:2 of the mineral oil - that threw me. That study linked in my article changed all of that for me and led to this.

[jojo]

I tried half my head in baby oil mixed with coconut oil and half in just baby oil. Results are the coconut oiled side is crunchy and my hair looks squashed and thinner, but the baby oiled side is fuller and softer...who'd have known!

going to wash it now but gonna try without conditioner and just baby oil!

I love coconut as a pre wash oil but the baby oil is a better finishing oil IMHO.

[ktani]

I tried half my head in baby oil mixed with coconut oil and half in just baby oil. Results are the coconut oiled side is crunchy and my hair looks squashed and thinner, but the baby oiled side is fuller and softer...who'd have known!

going to wash it now but gonna try without conditioner and just baby oil!

I love coconut as a pre wash oil but the baby oil is a better finishing oil IMHO.

That is (the mix) a coconut oil over conditioner result (the "crunchiness"). Coconut oil is both greasy and heavy and weighed you hair down (the thinness).

Used as a pre-oil or in oil shampoo that is not a result as the oil is more distributed (with a pre-oil most of it is washed out) and if used with no barrier coatings, it can penetrate hair too.

[starlamelissa]

I tried half my head in baby oil mixed with coconut oil and half in just baby oil. Results are the coconut oiled side is crunchy and my hair looks squashed and thinner, but the baby oiled side is fuller and softer...who'd have known!

going to wash it now but gonna try without conditioner and just baby oil!

I love coconut as a pre wash oil but the baby oil is a better finishing oil IMHO.

You have got to try it with no conditioner! My hair looks really great!!!

[joliherb]

I just started using it. I use the baby oil. I use a few drops on wet hair. My hair is curly and my hair loves it!

[ktani]

I just started using it. I use the baby oil. I use a few drops on wet hair. My hair is curly and my hair loves it!

My friend with curly bsl (bra strap length) hair loves it on damp hair. I can see wet hair being good too. It depends on how much extra moisture the hair may need. It also depends on how wet or damp, the hair is, lol.

[pepperminttea]

its the original one we have in the UK!

The only original Johnson's one I could find was the one with three ingredients? All the others had added ones in, like aloe vera or lavender. Oh well. :shrug:


It reduces moisture going in, and evaporating out. It can do such a good job of both though, it does not need to be reapplied between washes in my experience, and that of others, and it can help prevent frizz.

So I'm confused, why would it be especially different from another light oil that doesn't penetrate?

[ktani]

So I'm confused, why would it be especially different from another light oil that doesn't penetrate?

Because studies have shown that it is more moisturising than natural sebum (and there are artificial ones out there), silicone and vegetable oils.

The Mayo Clinic aknowledges this too. It is known in the cosmetic industry.

[pepperminttea]

Because studies have shown that it is more moisturising than natural sebum (and there are artificial ones out there), silicone and vegetable oils.

The Mayo Clinic aknowledges this too. It is known in the cosmetic industry.

Intriguing! Thanks. :) I'll be interested to see how people trying it get along with it.

[ktani]

Intriguing! Thanks. :) I'll be interested to see how people trying it get along with it.

So far, results are great. Vegetable oils can be close in results.

However, if they were equal, then people would not need to reapply the oils to their hair between washes because their hair is still dry. To me it is just logical.

ETA: I have updated the article on mineral oil here. It should help with questions.

[pepperminttea]

I tried half my head in baby oil mixed with coconut oil and half in just baby oil. Results are the coconut oiled side is crunchy and my hair looks squashed and thinner, but the baby oiled side is fuller and softer...who'd have known!

going to wash it now but gonna try without conditioner and just baby oil!

I love coconut as a pre wash oil but the baby oil is a better finishing oil IMHO.

Just thought; wouldn't coconut oil normally result in the crunchies at this time of year, with it being colder (and resolidifying on your hair)?

[Of the Fae]

Ok, I bought it, applied it, and I smell like a nursery :D
It feels nice. I'll see how the results will be in a few days. EVOO has made my dry rough ends a little better, but I'm hoping that this will solve it.

[HuggyBear]

I'm on the mineral oil bandwagon. I have used it twice on my hair so far and love it. I was contemplating cutting a couple inches off because of my sad ends but now I don't have to. I have also been washing my face with Pond's Cold Cream (MO is the main ingredient) and my face cleared up. So, I am officially in love with mineral oil!

[ktani]

I'm on the mineral oil bandwagon. I have used it twice on my hair so far and love it. I was contemplating cutting a couple inches off because of my sad ends but now I don't have to. I have also been washing my face with Pond's Cold Cream (MO is the main ingredient) and my face cleared up. So, I am officially in love with mineral oil!

Every time I hear about someone using the mineral oil this way and not having to trim, I am thrilled.

And you make number 4.

[CariadA]

Today's a wash day and I'm going to try using a couple of drops of mineral oil when my hair is still damp. I have Johnson's baby oil (for polishing stainless steel appliances) and pure mineral oil (for conditioning wood) already. I think I'm going to try the unfragranced kind since I don't really like the baby powder smell. I'm excited to try it!

[HuggyBear]

Every time I hear about someone using the mineral oil this way and not having to trim, I am thrilled.

And you make number 4.

Yay...number 4! :) Thanks for all you do ktani!

[ktani]

Yay...number 4! :) Thanks for all you do ktani!

My pleasure :).

This to me is so simple - and less complicated than the oil shampoo to explain or do, lol.

And the cost? - so very inexpensive - but most of all - safe.

ETA: As long as it is pure cosmetic oil that is used.

[HuggyBear]

My pleasure :).

This to me is so simple - and less complicated than the oil shampoo to explain or do, lol.

Lol...yes, it sure is. I used the oil shampoo for a little while and loved what it did for my hair but I had to give up using coconut oil due to the horrible breakouts it gave me. I am glad to have an alternative that not only doesn't break me out but also keeps my skin clear and my hair looking/feeling great. :)

[ktani]

Lol...yes, it sure is. I used the oil shampoo for a little while and loved what it did for my hair but I had to give up using coconut oil due to the horrible breakouts it gave me. I am glad to have an alternative that not only doesn't break me out but also keeps my skin clear and my hair looking/feeling great. :)

Babassu oil can be used instead for that but the concept was difficult for many and there can be other issues - which I did more research on, as well as testing, and solved - but that is another story and not for now.

ETA: I also researched vegetable oils for reactions and - a number of them can cause allergic reactions and breakouts - which mineral oil is known for not causing. The only thing in mineral oil that can cause breakouts is added fragrance ETA:2 or another added ingredient. Mineral oil cannot cause acne but it may not be great to use if one has it.

ETA:3 http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/news/20050527/mineral-oil-cleared-of-pimple-rap

[jojo]

You have got to try it with no conditioner! My hair looks really great!!!
I did today it is brilliant!

[jojo]

Just thought; wouldn't coconut oil normally result in the crunchies at this time of year, with it being colder (and resolidifying on your hair)?

Well not really unless I am going out, i get what you mean if id have been outside, this is why I normally switch to mustard oil in winter. I wanted to see if there where any benefits to using coconut oil with baby oil; theres none! the coconut oil appeared to flatten rather than fluff my hair, so it sbaby oil from now on!!

[patienceneeded]

So, I washed my hair on Wednesday in the evening and applied some Johnson's Baby Oil (4 drops). My hair dried with almost no frizz, and was super-soft. I braided it for sleep and the next day had shiny/soft hair. I did not wash on Thursday and today (Friday) all day I have had sleek and frizz-free hair. I have not re-oiled or done anything at all to my hair since the mineral oil on Wednesday evening. I have combed it, but that it all. Today I wore my hair in twin pig-tail braids, which usually get frizzy and messy and need to be re-braided throughout the day. They are still smooth and perfect! I haven't had to fix them once! I'm going to wash my hair again tomorrow morning (Saturday) and reapply the mineral/baby oil after washing. I think I may have found my miracle product! Thank you Ktani!

[ktani]

So, I washed my hair on Wednesday in the evening and applied some Johnson's Baby Oil (4 drops). My hair dried with almost no frizz, and was super-soft. I braided it for sleep and the next day had shiny/soft hair. I did not wash on Thursday and today (Friday) all day I have had sleek and frizz-free hair. I have not re-oiled or done anything at all to my hair since the mineral oil on Wednesday evening. I have combed it, but that it all. Today I wore my hair in twin pig-tail braids, which usually get frizzy and messy and need to be re-braided throughout the day. They are still smooth and perfect! I haven't had to fix them once! I'm going to wash my hair again tomorrow morning (Saturday) and reapply the mineral/baby oil after washing. I think I may have found my miracle product! Thank you Ktani!

I call nothing a miracle but to me, this and catnip (I do not mean used together ETA: they could be but no need) are close, lol. I am thrilled for you too :).

ETA:2 For those concerned about splits and breakage (ETA:3 I had a pm on the subject of mineral oil and no conditioner), an earlier post by long - colour added by me
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1930777&postcount=18
"We have been having very dry cold weather this winter in Northern California and my ends were feeling very dry and sticky with conditioner and coconut oil. I took ktani's advice and tried some baby oil which is mineral oil and it has been great. My hair feels very balanced, silky and smooth. I have stopped using conditioner and have no tangles or split ends. I know alot of people won't use mineral oil but I just decided to give it a try and I am glad I did. ETA:4 - I left out a line - I just use a few drops on the ends while hair is still slightly damp."

Now, if it could only cover grey/white.... lol.

[holomi]

Just tried mineral oil today on clean damp hair. My hair hates it! I am stuck at work with the most tangly unruly hair I've ever had. :-(

But at least I know now! Anyone else had a similar reaction? I can't do oils of any kind for leave ins. They make my hair tangly and rough feeling.

[ktani]

Just tried mineral oil today on clean damp hair. My hair hates it! I am stuck at work with the most tangly unruly hair I've ever had. :-(

But at least I know now! Anyone else had a similar reaction? I can't do oils of any kind for leave ins. They make my hair tangly and rough feeling.

I read your thread on tangles by day 2. My hair used to be like that years ago and no leave-in helped. They just made it worse. It sounds like your hair is losing moisture as time passes and you hair gets dry.

For me, knowing what I do now, it was a lot of build-up on my hair.

If you have not clarified in a while, that can help. If you then condition lightly afterward, a drop or so of mineral oil over that on damp hair may help. It does not have to be used on its own.

I found that mineral oil worked wonderfully for me on just shampooed hair. However, I have no build-up on my hair at all.

ETA: Up until the mineral oil I still disliked leave-ins, even catnip as a leave-in. I always rinse catnip out of my hair. I could not feel the mineral oil on my hair. Catnip as a leave-in made my hair stringy and slightly tacky. The difference with mineral oil drops both times I tried it is that I cannot detect it. It is not sticky, greasy or tacky and did not leave my hair stringy. I had no tangles. All of that plus defined waves and volume made me very happy.

ETA:2 I just washed my hair again and used catnip alone as a treatment. Same result as always - great colour coverage and conditioning.

[jojo]

Just tried mineral oil today on clean damp hair. My hair hates it! I am stuck at work with the most tangly unruly hair I've ever had. :-(

But at least I know now! Anyone else had a similar reaction? I can't do oils of any kind for leave ins. They make my hair tangly and rough feeling.

Hi, Can you be more specific on how you used it? how much, brand etc. It seems odd that you had such terrible results, when everybody is getting such excellent results. Even my daughter who has terribly damaged hair saw a 100% difference when using baby oil.

I too am wondering if you have build up and need to clarify?

Ive only tried Johnson's, I wonder if you have used a different one that has different ingredients?

[Of the Fae]

And the results are in!
I also used Johnsons baby oil, and it really helped making my hair less rough. It is shiny and manageable, and updo's look less frizzy- amazing.
It still feels a bit tangly and rough at the ends but it has certainly improved a lot! I'll see how this goes for a week and if it turns out well I may not need a trim :D

[jojo]

thats wonderful news, im very happy for you.

[ladyshep]

:cheese:Well, I am so glad this thread is here. I was trying so hard to find some kind of oil to replace cones, and all of them made my hair so staticy still. So I gave up on all cones and oils until this thread popped up. Baby oil works very well on my hair with no static, wow, and also on my daughter's unruly staticy hair as well. THANK YOU!!!!!

[pepperminttea]

I feel your pain holomi, I had unspectacular results too, my hair seems drier. (I don't need to clarify, and I only used a very small amount. I'm wondering if I actually should have used more than the two drops I did.) I'll try it for a couple more washes though, and see what happens. Fingers crossed!

[ktani]

:cheese:Well, I am so glad this thread is here. I was trying so hard to find some kind of oil to replace cones, and all of them made my hair so staticy still. So I gave up on all cones and oils until this thread popped up. Baby oil works very well on my hair with no static, wow, and also on my daughter's unruly staticy hair as well. THANK YOU!!!!!

I was concerned about that too, as with catnip I have no static but it worked perfectly on that as well. Glad to hear that you are so pleased with your results. :)

[CurlyZ]

Just wondering if anyone who has extremely dry hair tried to use baby oil right after washing (no conditioner) and what are the results?
Since my hair is really dry and frizzy, could I use aloe gel before applying baby oil?
Would anything speak against?

[ktani]

Just wondering if anyone who has extremely dry hair tried to use baby oil right after washing (no conditioner) and what are the results?
Since my hair is really dry and frizzy, could I use aloe gel before applying baby oil?
Would anything speak against?

Aloe gel is a humectant and builds-up. It can also cause tangling. I would not use it on dry fizzy hair in low humidity or high humidity conditions.

It made my hair when I tried it tangly and frizzy - it was a humid summer and I was not thinking, lol

My friend with very curly bsl length hair loves the baby oil on hair with no conditioner - used on very damp hair - she told me it makes her curls perfectly defined and soft - no frizz. ETA: She uses just over 3 drops - her hair is thicker than mine.

[CurlyZ]

Aloe gel is a humectant and builds-up. It can also cause tangling. I would not use it on dry fizzy hair in low humidity or high humidity conditions.

It made my hair when I tried it tangly and frizzy - it was a humid summer and I was not thinking, lol

My friend with very curly bsl length hair loves the baby oil on hair with no conditioner - used on very damp hair - she told me it makes her curls perfectly defined and soft - no frizz. ETA: She uses just over 3 drops - her hair is thicker than mine.

Thank you ktani!
Do you know how and when your friend detangles/combs her hair?
The only way to really detangle my hair is while I have conditioner in it.
Without cond it would be a birds nest.
I really would love to give baby oil a shot though.
Any recommendations?

[ktani]

Thank you ktani!
Do you know how and when your friend detangles/combs her hair?
The only way to really detangle my hair is while I have conditioner in it.
Without cond it would be a birds nest.
I really would love to give baby oil a shot though.
Any recommendations?

My friend washes and separates her hair with her hands like I do in the shower. She uses a conditioning shampoo though so her hair is ok with that. Then after having it up in a towel for a very short time, just enough so that her hair is not wet, she adds the baby oil drops. She finger separates her curls.

For you I suggest using your conditioner to start. That is what she did initially. She wanted back-up, lol.

[gazelle]

I was using johnson's baby oil as leave in. I am wavy and tangly haired, it was really good. I also have Dabur Amla hair oil which has mineral oil, too. It is heavy fragranced oil, I bought it for amla in it. Can it be used both on scalp and length of hair what do you think?

[CurlyZ]

My friend washes and separates her hair with her hands like I do in the shower. She uses a conditioning shampoo though so her hair is ok with that. Then after having it up in a towel for a very short time, just enough so that her hair is not wet, she adds the baby oil drops. She finger separates her curls.

For you I suggest using your conditioner to start. That is what she did initially. She wanted back-up, lol.

Your input is highly appreciated!
I'll try that out today and will post the results later.
Keep your fingers crossed! :)

[ktani]

Your input is highly appreciated!
I'll try that out today and will post the results later.
Keep your fingers crossed! :)

You are very welcome and good luck!

[ktani]

I was using johnson's baby oil as leave in. I am wavy and tangly haired, it was really good. I also have Dabur Amla hair oil which has mineral oil, too. It is heavy fragranced oil, I bought it for amla in it. Can it be used both on scalp and length of hair what do you think?

If you are asking me you can try it. The herbs may interfere with the detangling effect ETA: and they may cause build-up. I would try it first on a small section of hair. I prefer the mineral oil with as little else in it as possible for a leave-in.

[jojo]

Wow can't believe how many people are getting such brilliant results with baby oil.

For my fine hair it gives me much better results than any other oil ive tried, its non greasy as long as you don't go over board but that stands true for any oil really. I got excellent results from day one of using this, for those not getting the same results maybe clarifying first may help or maybe it just isnt for you :( as with any product there going to be people who unfortunately don't get the same results.

[Georgies]

I was using johnson's baby oil as leave in. I am wavy and tangly haired, it was really good. I also have Dabur Amla hair oil which has mineral oil, too. It is heavy fragranced oil, I bought it for amla in it. Can it be used both on scalp and length of hair what do you think?

I find it tough to use as a leave in because of that smell! I don't dislike it but I think the people around me would! I wash it out after an hour or overnight, both my hair and scalp love it.

[ktani]

Wow can't believe how many people are getting such brilliant results with baby oil.

For my fine hair it gives me much better results than any other oil ive tried, its non greasy as long as you don't go over board but that stands true for any oil really. I got excellent results from day one of using this, for those not getting the same results maybe clarifying first may help or maybe it just isnt for you :( as with any product there going to be people who unfortunately don't get the same results.

My friends who have tried it have various hair types - the results are the same - all good. Not all needed to clarify either - they just washed their hair - some with conditioner only - and tried it. It worked for them. All in all about 5 of them, so far - a small number - true enough.

ETA: the average number of drops used was 3 - all tried it on damp hair because their hair was feeling dry. ETA:2 - I am waiting to har back from another who is going to use it on dry hair - who has no dry hair issues as in lack of moisture but wants a better leave-in detangler.

[ladyshep]

The link is awesome ktani! and the results are brilliant!

And I agree jojo! I can't even notice I put oil on it unlike other oils.

I don't notice the smell.

[jojo]

I find it difficult to get my head round as there is no reason why this shouldn't work. It is a non greasy oil that if used in drops should not cause crunchiness, the opposite in fact. The only way that I can see if this wasn't to work is not to do with the oil but more to do with the method used.

I know myself and my daughter who's hair was terribly damaged got outstanding results.

Id be interested to know the methods and products used by pepperminttea and holomi to see if there is anything that would make it work for them too.

[jojo]

The link is awesome ktani! and the results are brilliant!

And I agree jojo! I can't even notice I put oil on it unlike other oils.

I don't notice the smell.

its a lovely oil, a keeper for me!

[ktani]

I find it tough to use as a leave in because of that smell! I don't dislike it but I think the people around me would! I wash it out after an hour or overnight, both my hair and scalp love it.

You can try to find unfragranced mineral oil at a drugstore - many do carry it. It is pure USP/BP mineral oil. Ask at the pharmacy counter if you cannot find it. ETA: That is all you need but it must be USP or BP pure oil. That is what is used in baby oil and cosmetics.

Here you go - you can try Wal-Mart too, http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cookware/msg101455139437.html

[jojo]

Id just like to share my daughters success with baby oil. Some of you may have seen my post about her dying her hair and the roots going green. She totally abuses her hair, she bleaches, dyes it pink, gets bored, so bleached that out went dark, got bored bleached that out and then put a lightish brown that went green at the roots. She then put a plum which looks more of a dark brown. In between all this bleaching and dying, she washes, blow dries and straightens every day, how she isnt bald is a wonder to me!! but her hair is knackered!

I havent a photo of her with her green roots but i do have one of her with pink hair, please bear in mind it was bleached and coloured a few more times after this!
you can see the old white bleached bits, this was around september
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/emmapink.jpg
this was the result of using baby oil day 4 after dying, we'd used coconut oil and got some great results but nothing like the baby oil did, i wish id taken photos straight after dying. It took us for ever just to comb it, it was tangly and dull. The coconut oil did help upto a point but it felt like an old broom, immediately after using just 3 drops of baby oil (johnsons, original pink top) it felt completely different! for damaged hair, this is a god send, for healthy but parched ends this is the gold standard in hair care. I am so excited and thankful to Ktani for her shared knowledge in this
and the after condition, it speaks for its self!
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/nicemuffs.jpg

[CurlyZ]

Here I am again.
So after reading this thread I wanted to give Mineral Oil (Baby Oil) a shot.
I was very hesitant to put it in my hair, especially after googling around and finding so many negative comments about how drying it can be - which would be the opposite of what I want to achieve.
After washing and conditioning my hair, I wrapped it in a towel for a couple minutes and was then standing in front of the mirror asking myself "what if it's really drying?" After pampering my hair I just couldn't live with the thought to go back to square one (before LHC times)...
So I decided spontaneously to first put Coconut Oil in my wet hair, following 3 drops of Baby Oil. I am not sure if I made a smart decision, but it made me "feel" a little better about it.
My hair is almost dry now. It looks pretty, curly and not too frizzy and it's soft.
But it always looks like that when it's washed...
So end of the story: I am a scaredy cat and after my experiment still not much smarter than before. My hair doesn't feel much different and I am at the point where I'll rather just use Coconut Oil instead of something like Mineral Oil and always have to wonder if it will have a negative ending (drying) in the long run.

[holomi]

I feel your pain holomi, I had unspectacular results too, my hair seems drier. (I don't need to clarify, and I only used a very small amount. I'm wondering if I actually should have used more than the two drops I did.) I'll try it for a couple more washes though, and see what happens. Fingers crossed!

I will not use it as a leave in again, the results were so annoying. I could not run my fingers through my hair and I got massive knots and tangles, and matted hair by the time I returned home. Never again! It has been the only thing I've done to my hair that was a complete disaster. My hair typically like most things, cones, no cones, protein, etc. I usually skip leave in since it is an unnecessary extra step and my hair seems to be more tangly with them. My ends do like a refreshing around day 3, and plain water or Mane N' Tail detangler does the trick. I'm not sure why the mineral oil hated me on freshly washed damp hair. My thought was that maybe with the mineral oil, I wouldn't need this refreshing on my ends. But alas, the mineral oil just didn't work for me.

[holomi]

Hi, Can you be more specific on how you used it? how much, brand etc. It seems odd that you had such terrible results, when everybody is getting such excellent results. Even my daughter who has terribly damaged hair saw a 100% difference when using baby oil.

I too am wondering if you have build up and need to clarify?

Ive only tried Johnson's, I wonder if you have used a different one that has different ingredients?

I washed using a sulfate shampoo (Joico) and conditioned with Garnier Triple Nutrition like I always do. Applied some Johnson's baby oil to my ends, until my hands were clean of oil. Maybe about a dime sized amount of oil? At first I thought my hair would dry nicely but as it did, I could not run my fingers through it easily and the ends stuck together, meaning running my fingers through was nearly impossible.

On another note, I used Suave Clarifying shampoo last night to wash this stuff completely out of my hair! :)

[jojo]

How did you use it exactly and which brand? im intrigued as to why you got this result? did you condition your hair or skip this? how many drops? sorry for all the questions, im just shocked at you result, as it should not cause tangles at all as it is known for its moistursising properties. I am sorry you experienced this.

CurlyZ you do not need to use coconut oil with the baby oil, its of no use with it and will make the hair feel worse. I was using with coconut oil and thought the results were good until, i did an experiment of half my head in baby oil mixed in coconut oil and half just using baby oil, my baby oil side showed better results, softer and untangled hair. Ktani has a blog in her signature thread which goes into detail about the properties of mineral oil, its not the evil that lots think; i too was of this assumption but I cannot praise it enough.

[jojo]

I washed using a sulfate shampoo (Joico) and conditioned with Garnier Triple Nutrition like I always do. Applied some Johnson's baby oil to my ends, until my hands were clean of oil. Maybe about a dime sized amount of oil? At first I thought my hair would dry nicely but as it did, I could not run my fingers through it easily and the ends stuck together, meaning running my fingers through was nearly impossible.

On another note, I used Suave Clarifying shampoo last night to wash this stuff completely out of my hair! :)

I shampoo and condition and just add 2 drops, rice grain size and rub my hands together, I concentrated on my ends and then work up my hair. It sounds like you may have used a little too much, which would cause the crunchy, tangled feeling you experienced. Mineral oil can build up but used in the minimum amounts this shouldn't be a problem, it washes out using your normal routine. hope this helps.

[ktani]

Id just like to share my daughters success with baby oil. Some of you may have seen my post about her dying her hair and the roots going green. She totally abuses her hair, she bleaches, dyes it pink, gets bored, so bleached that out went dark, got bored bleached that out and then put a lightish brown that went green at the roots. She then put a plum which looks more of a dark brown. In between all this bleaching and dying, she washes, blow dries and straightens every day, how she isnt bald is a wonder to me!! but her hair is knackered!

I havent a photo of her with her green roots but i do have one of her with pink hair, please bear in mind it was bleached and coloured a few more times after this!
you can see the old white bleached bits, this was around september
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/emmapink.jpg
this was the result of using baby oil day 4 after dying, we'd used coconut oil and got some great results but nothing like the baby oil did, i wish id taken photos straight after dying. It took us for ever just to comb it, it was tangly and dull. The coconut oil did help upto a point but it felt like an old broom, immediately after using just 3 drops of baby oil (johnsons, original pink top) it felt completely different! for damaged hair, this is a god send, for healthy but parched ends this is the gold standard in hair care. I am so excited and thankful to Ktani for her shared knowledge in this
and the after condition, it speaks for its self!
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/nicemuffs.jpg

jojo your daughter is just gorgeous and her eyes are mesmerizing!

I can see the shine on her hair now and it looks like healthy hair. I am so pleased for both of you and especially your daughter, that she can now live with her hair after all that she has put it through.

And you are very welcome. :)

[holomi]

I shampoo and condition and just add 2 drops, rice grain size and rub my hands together, I concentrated on my ends and then work up my hair. It sounds like you may have used a little too much, which would cause the crunchy, tangled feeling you experienced. Mineral oil can build up but used in the minimum amounts this shouldn't be a problem, it washes out using your normal routine. hope this helps.

I really don't want to try it again honestly. It was so bad, lol. I am happy for everyone else having great results, but I don't think baby oil is for me.

[jojo]

jojo your daughter is just gorgeous and her eyes are mesmerizing!

I can see the shine on her hair now and it looks like healthy hair. I am so pleased for both of you and especially your daughter, that she can now live with her hair after all that she has put it through.

And you are very welcome. :)

thank you Ktani, it feels like healthy hair now and is much more manageable, no tangles or dullness. Obviously her hair is still damaged but its more presentable, she was ready for cutting it very short and although her hair has been through the mill, it would have upset her. I just hope she prefers to see her hair healthy looking and shinning and doesn't start with the bleaching, dying cycle!

thank you so much for your input!:)

[holomi]

Thinking back on it, I don't think I used too much. Maybe I misspoke by saying a dime size... I used no more than I would any other oil, a light coating on my ends. Drops are hard to approximate, since the oil kind of gushes out and I had to get rid of some on my body. Hmm... I'm thinking it's just not for me.

[jojo]

I know I need twice as much with other oils than i do with this, maybe you used a little more than you realised. Its a shame it didn't work for you as well as it has for so many.

[ktani]

Mineral oil does not build-up more than most nondrying oils for exactly that reason - it is a nondrying oil, and oils in general build-up when they are not completely removed.

Mineral oil washed out of my hair completely with shampoo and the shampoo I use although a sulfate one, is not a clarifying shampoo. By comparison, when I have experimented with a small amount of conditioner, the same shampoo did not remove all of the conditioner in one shampoo.

Conditioner coatings are designed to remain on the hair and not be removed easily with a non clarifying shampoo.

[CurlyZ]

@ jojo:
I know, I read it all.
The problem is that my curls are just so dry that I really have to take care of what I am using.
I have had great results with Coconut Oil.
The mane reason why I doubt the Baby Oil:
It just coats hair. 3 drops won't "cover" my hair that well, that it won't release moisture (You would have to dip your whole head in a bucket of MO to really "lock in moisture"), which means my hair will dry like it usually does, with the difference that now I have a coat of Mineral Oil on top of it doing nothing good, just sitting there. If I want to use something moisturizing the next day, I have to wash my hair to get rid of the Mineral Oil. Right? So thinking about that: what's the purpose of using MO?

[holomi]

I know I need twice as much with other oils than i do with this, maybe you used a little more than you realised. Its a shame it didn't work for you as well as it has for so many.

Would too much of this stuff cause my problem though? Tangles and the like? Seems it would just cause the hair to look greasy, and that wasn't the case.

[jojo]

:cheese:Well, I am so glad this thread is here. I was trying so hard to find some kind of oil to replace cones, and all of them made my hair so staticy still. So I gave up on all cones and oils until this thread popped up. Baby oil works very well on my hair with no static, wow, and also on my daughter's unruly staticy hair as well. THANK YOU!!!!!

my daughter hair too, its good not having to fight with tangles either both me and my daughter, no longer get tangly hair, the comb just glides through now. Prior to this my hair tangled up as soon as id combed it, with it being fine its prone to tangles.

I am hoping now that I can go longer without trims and still have healthy ends, i still cant believe i thought my ends where damaged when they where just thirsty! just goes to show eh?

[jojo]

Would too much of this stuff cause my problem though? Tangles and the like? Seems it would just cause the hair to look greasy, and that wasn't the case.

do you mean baby oil? baby oil is a very light ungreasy oil if used in drops so no, too much would cause build up which would give you tangly, crunchy hair. All oil can build up and cause this problem, in fact too much of a good thing can have the opposite result, any oil if you used too much would cause greasy hair, the best bet is to start off with minimal amounts, you can always add more if need be but you can't take it off without washing. My hair is nearly hip and 2 rice sized drops is plenty for my hair, i have not experienced any tangling whatsoever, which for me is remarkable, my hair is much shinier and feels softer from using it. My results is my siggi photo!

[ktani]

[quote=CurlyZ;1963320
The problem is that my curls are just so dry that I really have to take care of what I am using.
I have had great results with Coconut Oil.
The mane reason why I doubt the Baby Oil:
It just coats hair. 3 drops won't "cover" my hair that well, that it won't release moisture (You would have to dip your whole head in a bucket of MO to really "lock in moisture"), which means my hair will dry like it usually does, with the difference that now I have a coat of Mineral Oil on top of it doing nothing good, just sitting there. If I want to use something moisturizing the next day, I have to wash my hair to get rid of the Mineral Oil. Right? So thinking about that: what's the purpose of using MO?[/quote]

I will try to explain this in more detail.

You hair is already very dry.

If you use conditioner and you do, and then apply coconut oil, it cannot get through that to penetrate your hair. It does exactly what the mineral oil does only not as well - there is research to prove that, help moisturize.

It has also been shown in research on skin, that very little mineral oil is needed to help skin stay moisturized in conditions of low humidity.

What applying the mineral oil to damp hair does is help hold in added moisture - water - that has not yet evaporated to help redhydrate already dry hair.

It has worked for me and others because just like in the skin research and if you read the Mayo clinic link - it has more "staying power". Where you get the bucket of mineral oil idea I know not.

[jojo]

@ jojo:
I know, I read it all.
The problem is that my curls are just so dry that I really have to take care of what I am using.
I have had great results with Coconut Oil.
The mane reason why I doubt the Baby Oil:
It just coats hair. 3 drops won't "cover" my hair that well, that it won't release moisture (You would have to dip your whole head in a bucket of MO to really "lock in moisture"), which means my hair will dry like it usually does, with the difference that now I have a coat of Mineral Oil on top of it doing nothing good, just sitting there. If I want to use something moisturizing the next day, I have to wash my hair to get rid of the Mineral Oil. Right? So thinking about that: what's the purpose of using MO?

right i get you, do you condition your hair before using it? try 3 drops and tip your head forward, rub you hands together and then scrunch your hands in your hair, concentrate on the ends, you can always add another drop if it doesnt seem enough and also do this on damp hair, not wet it works better. Bring your head up and then add a teeny bit on your hands and gently pat your length, scrunch some more and then leave. You results should last until your next wash, you hair should be moisturised like really soft, its its not then you probably need to use a drop more, build up the amount until you see a result, but remember the wetter the hair the easier it is to be heavy handed. My hair is very fine but thickish, my hair is neither dry nor greasy but my ends get dry, 2 drops is plenty for me, this will be different for you as you have drier hair than me but it is workable once you find the correct amount to use. good luck:)

[long]

CurlyZ
Just want to say I tend to have dry hair but oily roots. I feel the mineral oil has worked great to balance out my hair. When I apply it to fairly damp ends they stay soft for a few days until my next wash. I guess time will tell how it works long term on the hair.
I personally wanted to stop using conditioner because it makes my roots more oily faster and this has been a great solution so far. I also tend to want to keep a very simple program for my hair/skin and I don't care to buy alot of products. I also am very sensitive to products and have had reactions to things and do not want product getting all over my skin.
I know baby oil/mineral oil won't be right for everyone and some people won't like it because it is mineral oil.
It seems like some of us are having really good results so thanks again ktani and thanks everyone for posting your results. It is very interesting and is like a big experiment.

[ktani]

CurlyZ
Just want to say I tend to have dry hair but oily roots. I feel the mineral oil has worked great to balance out my hair. When I apply it to fairly damp ends they stay soft for a few days until my next wash. I guess time will tell how it works long term on the hair.
I personally wanted to stop using conditioner because it makes my roots more oily faster and this has been a great solution so far. I also tend to want to keep a very simple program for my hair/skin and I don't care to buy alot of products. I also am very sensitive to products and have had reactions to things and do not want product getting all over my skin.
I know baby oil/mineral oil won't be right for everyone and some people won't like it because it is mineral oil.
It seems like some of us are having really good results so thanks again ktani and thanks everyone for posting your results. It is very interesting and is like a big experiment.

You are very welcome.

[silverjen]

I'm quite interested in this. Cold cream saved my skin in a big way, and that experience made me a mineral oil convert.

I do have a question, though. Last week I decided to try MO as a leave-in, on damp hair after a normal wash (I use shampoo bars, followed by a white vinegar rinse, if that makes a difference). I didn't have any baby oil on hand, but I did have my cold cream, which is mostly made of mineral oil. So I used a pea-sized dab of cold cream, and scrunched it in as I normally do with other oils.

I experienced the improvement in volume, and reduction in frizz. My hair looked generally neater and more polished, which was nice. But I did actually get more tangling. I normally tangle very little. I am wondering whether the tangling could possibly have been caused by one of the other ingredients in the cold cream? Among other things it contains beeswax, and I wonder if that was the culprit. I would love to get the benefits of MO, but an increase in tangling is a deal-breaker for me.

Any ideas?

[silverjen]

Apologies for the double post.

[holomi]

I'm quite interested in this. Cold cream saved my skin in a big way, and that experience made me a mineral oil convert.

I do have a question, though. Last week I decided to try MO as a leave-in, on damp hair after a normal wash (I use shampoo bars, followed by a white vinegar rinse, if that makes a difference). I didn't have any baby oil on hand, but I did have my cold cream, which is mostly made of mineral oil. So I used a pea-sized dab of cold cream, and scrunched it in as I normally do with other oils.

I experienced the improvement in volume, and reduction in frizz. My hair looked generally neater and more polished, which was nice. But I did actually get more tangling. I normally tangle very little. I am wondering whether the tangling could possibly have been caused by one of the other ingredients in the cold cream? Among other things it contains beeswax, and I wonder if that was the culprit. I would love to get the benefits of MO, but an increase in tangling is a deal-breaker for me.

Any ideas?

My main problem with MO was tangling as well.

[curlsgalore]

I've been reading this thread and I just had to run and buy some baby oil :). I mentioned it to my DD14 and she said she wants to try it too. I did see the plain mineral oil in the store, but because it had the word "laxative", she said "no way will I put that in my hair!". Lol!! So anyway, we will be trying this out. I was glad I found this thread. I have a bottle of GVP joico k-pack that has mineral oil in it. Although I used it a long time ago with success, I was a little leary because of the negative things I had read about mineral oil! but I'm going to use it anyway since I didn't have problems with it before. I will report back with my results.

[KN2384]

Wow, this thread was a little overwhelming at first. I read it from the beginning. I am glad I read it though because I have been contemplating getting some coconut oil but now will try the mineral oil/baby oil first. I too would like to use as few products as possible with good results. I have previously heard negative things about mineral oil but now view it in another light.

[ktani]

I'm quite interested in this. Cold cream saved my skin in a big way, and that experience made me a mineral oil convert.

I do have a question, though. Last week I decided to try MO as a leave-in, on damp hair after a normal wash (I use shampoo bars, followed by a white vinegar rinse, if that makes a difference). I didn't have any baby oil on hand, but I did have my cold cream, which is mostly made of mineral oil. So I used a pea-sized dab of cold cream, and scrunched it in as I normally do with other oils.

I experienced the improvement in volume, and reduction in frizz. My hair looked generally neater and more polished, which was nice. But I did actually get more tangling. I normally tangle very little. I am wondering whether the tangling could possibly have been caused by one of the other ingredients in the cold cream? Among other things it contains beeswax, and I wonder if that was the culprit. I would love to get the benefits of MO, but an increase in tangling is a deal-breaker for me.

Any ideas?

Beeswax may indeed be the problem. In my opinion, it is the cause of honey residue, which causes the exact same result, tangling.

[ktani]

I just heard back from a friend with a good moisture level in her hair, who tried the mineral oil - 3 drops - on medium thick apl or armpit length dry hair as opposed to damp hair.

She did not condition her hair first. It has been 4 days and she is due to wash her hair again. It is low humidity where she lives. The results? She is thrilled. No dryness without conditioner, no tangling, no static, no problems.

ETA: Her hair is straight and naturally silky. She uses a conditioning shampoo. She detangled with a wide toothed comb in the shower.

ETA:2 She was going to condition her hair first but decided to go for it, lol.

[holomi]

New development. Used mineral oil on my body and I have a rash now. Small little bumps everywhere :-(

[ktani]

New development. Used mineral oil on my body and I have a rash now. Small little bumps everywhere :-(

Most likely a fragrance additive. I have seen reports of that with some baby oils - switching to another brand - no such reaction.

ETA: In one report it was Johnson's that caused the sensitivity or allergic reaction - and when the person tried an alternate brand it did not happen again.

ETA:2 It was the same reaction you describe.

I cannot use the fragrance additive hexyl cinnamal, which is widely used in some ETA:4 kinds of - shampoos. I get a painful reaction.

ETA:3 I hope that it clears up soon!

[gthlvrmx]

I remember using it and got loads and loads of splits. Mineral oil was my first sign my hair did not like oils at all.

[ktani]

I remember using it and got loads and loads of splits. Mineral oil was my first sign my hair did not like oils at all.

What did you use in in and how did you use it?

[Saeth]

Ktani:

I hope you don't mind me asking you a few questions. I recently mentioned mineral oil to a friend who nearly had a heart attack at my idea of using it. The two main protests were: It contains paraffin because it's petrol (though Wiki says a by product of it) so it's not healthy and that it acts as a lens in regards to the sun, leading to damage.

I'd like some unbiased opinion but it seems very hard to find. I'd be grateful if could help. I would love to use it on my hair but I'm a little unsure.

[ktani]

Ktani:

I hope you don't mind me asking you a few questions. I recently mentioned mineral oil to a friend who nearly had a heart attack at my idea of using it. The two main protests were: It contains paraffin because it's petrol (though Wiki says a by product of it) so it's not healthy and that it acts as a lens in regards to the sun, leading to damage.

I'd like some unbiased opinion but it seems very hard to find. I'd be grateful if could help. I would love to use it on my hair but I'm a little unsure.

Not at all.

It is distilled and purified from petroleum, http://thebeautybrains.com/2006/11/28/the-top-5-myths-about-mineral-oil-part-1/ ETA:4 and http://www.cosmeticscop.com/cosmetic-ingredient-dictionary/definition/963/mineral-oil.aspx

Re the sun - any oil on the skin does that. I sent an email to Health Canada about it and received this back some time ago. I asked for studies too. You always need sun protection. Colour added by me.

"There are a number of resources that support the fact the baby oil (oils in general) can intensify the absorption of UV rays. First of all, oils applied to the skin causes less reflection and refraction (bouncing-off) of the UV rays, therefore allowing larger proportion of the UV radiation to be absorbed by the skin. The skin surface on close inspection is quite irregular and by applying oils you make the surface smoother and more uniform, allowing a larger proportion of the UV radiation to be captured by the skin. Lastly, there are tiny air pockets between the horny scales in the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the skin), creating spaces that allow a lot of scattering of the UV radiation. Oil is the perfect substance that is able to seep between these horny scales and minimizes diffusion of UV rays allowing more of it to penetrate deeper into the skin to be absorbed.

Here are a number of resources/references.

Penetration of epidermis by ultraviolet rays. Everett MA, Yeargers E, Sayre RM, Olson RL.
Photochem Photobiol. 1966 Jul;5(7):533-42.

The light barrier of the epidermis Dermatol Wochenschr. 1965 Jul 24;151 (30):887-9.

Increased penetration of epidermis by high intensity ultraviolet rays following the application of vaseline oil.
Leroy D, Dompmartin A, Deschamps P. Photodermatol. 1986 Feb;3(1):51-2.

Change in ultraviolet (UV) transmission following the application of vaseline to non-irradiated and UVB-exposed split skin K. Hoffmann, K. Kaspar, T. Gambichler, P. Altmeyer British Journal of Dermatology
Volume 143, Issue 3, pages 532–538, September 2000"

Would that apply to hair? Possibly.

The difference here is that so little baby oil/mineral oil is needed in comparison to the amount needed with other oils, and there is no need to constantly reapply mineral oil to hair, like other oils. Mineral oil can diffuse in the hair cuticles somewhat and it can into the surface of the skin too. But it can go no further. ETA: 5 I am using the word diffuse loosley - it cannot penetrate the hair shaft. It speads out easily.

Before heat was applied, even ETA:6 some - coconut oil remained on the hair surface after 24 hours ETA:2 PGS 9, 10, and 11 - no advantage there, and used over ETA:3 or with - conditioner and other barrier coatings, coconut oil cannot penetrate hair at all,
http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2005/cc056n05/p00283-p00295.pdf ETA the link does work but it can be problematic.

For hair protection in the sun, cover your hair although they have made and are making progress with cosmetic sun blocks, the problem being how they leave the hair looking and feeling. They (cosmetic industry scientists) are working on it.

I did theorize about coconut oil used under sunblock here http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=529716&postcount=780

However, sunblock over mineral oil would give protection too.

[Anywhere]

So I'm not sure what to search for in the thread, sorry if this is a repeat.

Its just.. how do I only get 2-3 drops? Do you all use eyedroppers or something? :confused:

[ktani]

So I'm not sure what to search for in the thread, sorry if this is a repeat.

Its just.. how do I only get 2-3 drops? Do you all use eyedroppers or something? :confused:

Go to "search this thread" at the top of the page and type in apply.

[ktani]

I have done searches of natural oils and SPF. The SPF of shea butter is about 6 - not enough sun protection these days.
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/butter/shea.php
"Shea Butter offers a low level of UV protection (approximately SPF-6)"

[proo]

Chiming in to say "Mineral oil, where have you been all my life?"
It's absolutely great on my damp ends: much softer, way less frizz.
My skin is also loving it, again i use just a bit on damp skin.
It seals so well, my skin stays moist all day despite lots of dry artificial heat this time of year.
It's becoming one of those things that makes me realize conventional wisdom . . . ain't.

[starlamelissa]

Second wash with baby oil instead of conditioner, same fab results! 3 drops on towel dried hair, de tangled and blown dry. Looks clean, soft, and shiny.

[einna]

Ok, read most of the thread, an I am ready to try, I just have some questions:

- How big are the drops you use?
- What names does mineral go under?
- How moist should the hair be when applied? Can it be very wet or is dryer better?
- Can I use other leave ins as well? Such as a gel or a leave in conditioner? And in what order should I apply it?

[whiterabbitz]

Its just.. how do I only get 2-3 drops? Do you all use eyedroppers or something? :confused:

I've only tried this once so far and had this problem. My bottle has quite a large opening in the lid. I tried to get just 1 drop in my palm but it quickly flowed out and I ended up with a little puddle about 1cm in diameter. So I rubbed that into my arm and had to start again... found it quite difficult to get just 1 drop of such a thin oil. My plan for next time is to clean out an old EO bottle (the kind with a plastic stopper in the top that only allows 1 drop to come out at a time) and use that. Hope it works.

My verdict on MO: Jury is still out. I'd like to give it a few weeks before I decide and my first application was only yesterday (clarified, conditioned, ACV rinse, then 1 drop MO on damp hair). However, I'm already quite impressed. Usually, putting a tiny amount of leave-in oil in my hair has very little effect and if I add more it becomes greasy. But 1 drop of MO has tamed frizz without greasiness. So far I'm very pleased. Will try with no conditioner next time.

Thanks for all the research ktani. I've been reading a few of your articles and finding them very thorough and helpful.

[starlamelissa]

For those who can't figure out how to do drops, buy the small travel sized johnsons baby oil. It comes with a bitty opening, only allowing drops to pass.

[starlamelissa]

Ok, read most of the thread, an I am ready to try, I just have some questions:

- How big are the drops you use?
- What names does mineral go under?
- How moist should the hair be when applied? Can it be very wet or is dryer better?
- Can I use other leave ins as well? Such as a gel or a leave in conditioner? And in what order should I apply it?

Johnsons baby oil is a name brand that is most recognizable.

My droplets are very small. Like a grain of rice each.

My hair has been towel dried when I put it on. Not so wet that my hair is drippy.

I would put the mineral oil on top of every leave in thing. But seriously, clarify and use the baby oil on it's own. The results will be purer then!

[kidari]

I've been using jojoba oil as a leave-in but I'm almost out of jojoba and so I read this thread and purchased some generic baby oil to take it's place. I will definitely put in my input once I try it out but I'm excited because it's way cheaper!

[ktani]

I've only tried this once so far and had this problem. My bottle has quite a large opening in the lid. I tried to get just 1 drop in my palm but it quickly flowed out and I ended up with a little puddle about 1cm in diameter. So I rubbed that into my arm and had to start again... found it quite difficult to get just 1 drop of such a thin oil. My plan for next time is to clean out an old EO bottle (the kind with a plastic stopper in the top that only allows 1 drop to come out at a time) and use that. Hope it works.

My verdict on MO: Jury is still out. I'd like to give it a few weeks before I decide and my first application was only yesterday (clarified, conditioned, ACV rinse, then 1 drop MO on damp hair). However, I'm already quite impressed. Usually, putting a tiny amount of leave-in oil in my hair has very little effect and if I add more it becomes greasy. But 1 drop of MO has tamed frizz without greasiness. So far I'm very pleased. Will try with no conditioner next time.

Thanks for all the research ktani. I've been reading a few of your articles and finding them very thorough and helpful.

You are very welcome :)

I wanted to learn as much as I could about cosmetic mineral oil too, although I had written about it before, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=41427

[ktani]

For those who can't figure out how to do drops, buy the small travel sized johnsons baby oil. It comes with a bitty opening, only allowing drops to pass.

This is really helpful, thanks!

ETA: I had no problems when I have used the baby oil but others have had an adjustment period over the drops for application.

[Saeth]

Ktani: you're a star, thanks very much. I never realised that this occurs with oils, this made me go a bit :eek: considering I place them on my face. I'll follow up the info you provided, but I'm certainly still thinking about getting some MO. It seems to be like most things: knowledge helps you to use it more effectively and safely. Considering my friend uses argan oil on her hair and lives in a hot climate, she apparently is not better off and she's sun sensitive. So your info may have saved her from some misery.

[ktani]

Ktani: you're a star, thanks very much. I never realised that this occurs with oils, this made me go a bit :eek: considering I place them on my face. I'll follow up the info you provided, but I'm certainly still thinking about getting some MO. It seems to be like most things: knowledge helps you to use it more effectively and safely. Considering my friend uses argan oil on her hair and lives in a hot climate, she apparently is not better off and she's sun sensitive. So your info may have saved her from some misery.

Thank you!

Argan oil is not supposed to be used in the sun - it can make one sun sensitive if they are not already.

ETA: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=660267&postcount=965
That is about skin but it would apply to the scalp.

[whiterabbitz]

For those who can't figure out how to do drops, buy the small travel sized johnsons baby oil. It comes with a bitty opening, only allowing drops to pass.

Ahhh.... thanks. I will look for this.

I know I said I would trial this for a few weeks before I judged it but today was my second application and it looks like I'm a convert! Finally something I can put in my hair that leaves it soft, shiny and moisturised without feeling tacky, coated or greasy. And when I think of all the money I've spent on products to try to *fix* my hair when all it needed was to retain a little more moisture. Such a simple solution, I love it. :cloud9:

[Long_hair_bear]

It is very hard to just get one drop.....

[ktani]

It is very hard to just get one drop.....

I had that problem too but I did it - took a bit of practice and washing my hands and starting over, lol. I did not put it in my hair until it was a drop.

ETA: I have dollar store travel bottles - plastic with flip up tops - small ones. I think I will just transfer the baby oil to that for next time - they are the ones that you can take on a plane - which is why I bought them - two come with the set of other things - white tops - I had a family function or two - out of town. The flip up part is thin and in the center of the top - it dispenses drops well as I recall.

ETA:2 I put my favorite liquid soap in it for hand washing - I like a clear soap for that. The bottle allowed me not to use too much at a time.

[jojo]

Another idea to get the correct amount, is put a some in an egg cut and dip your index finger in and count the drops this way. 1 index finger drip=2 rice grain drops!

or use a cotton ball and dip it, you need just enough oil to cause a slight sheen to the hands, once you have rubbed them together!

ETA= only your finger tip, let it drip once back into the egg cup and then let it do a small drip on your hand, hope im making sense!

[ktani]

From pms I have had 2 things.

Drops is a guide. With mineral oil less is more because it is so light and spreads so easily. Why waste product if it is not necessary to get the same results with less? It will wash out whether you use shampoo - sulfate or not - conditioner only or not - that much easier.

And this is not about giving up conditioner. It may replace that for some people and some people will prefer to still use conditioner plus mineral oil.

However, you may find that you can get away with using much less conditioner when mineral oil is also used because it can do the job of moisturizing hair and helping to prevent frizz and static control better than conditioner alone, depending on the conditioner used. From the reports here before I started posting about mineral oil as a grooming aid, ETA: and results since then with mineral oil used - that is very likely.

[heatherovka]

For those of you having trouble getting just drops, here is an idea. Use a coffee stirrer, the small straw type. Dip that in your oil (assuming the lid is easy to remove) and you should be able to measure out by droplets. I do that with perfume oils and other liquids I want just tiny amounts of. They are inexpensive and fairly easy to find.

I think I'll try the mineral oil sometime. I have an unused bottle sitting around I intended to use for possible kitty ear mites (it suffocates them, apparently), but it turned out she didn't need it. I bought my plain old mineral oil at Family Dollar.

[dragonette@1]

Ok, I love using baby oil on my fine, thin, damaged hair! I'm maintaining at BSL with frequent microtrims to get rid of damage from chemical dyes (I use cassia/henna mix now!) I still have about eight inches of damage to grow out, and the two drops of baby oil gives my hair a shiny, soft, smooth glow - without looking greasy or limp!

Thank you Ktani!

[ktani]

Ok, I love using baby oil on my fine, thin, damaged hair! I'm maintaining at BSL with frequent microtrims to get rid of damage from chemical dyes (I use cassia/henna mix now!) I still have about eight inches of damage to grow out, and the two drops of baby oil gives my hair a shiny, soft, smooth glow - without looking greasy or limp!

Thank you Ktani!

My pleasure :)

I love easy and inexpensive and something that works without for me, and othes too, a downside.

The biggest reward for me is the 5 people so far, who have avoided unnecessary trims, just by using cosmetic mineral oil.

People here lament losing fractions of an inch to stylists who overcut. Not having to trim is saving time and effort growing hair as long as one wants. I was not expecting that result. To have it repeated 5 times now is amazing to me.

[jojo]

My pleasure :)

I love easy and inexpensive and something that works without for me, and othes too, a downside.

The biggest reward for me is the 5 people so far, who have avoided unnecessary trims, just by using cosmetic mineral oil.

People here lament losing fractions of an inch to stylists who overcut. Not having to trim is saving time and effort growing hair as long as one wants. I was not expecting that result. To have it repeated 5 times now is amazing to me.
thats an excellent result and most of these in less than a week too!
and when you look at how less,( none in my experience) hair tangles with MO thats even more hair retention, which doubled with less trim = more growth- its a win, win situation really!:)

[allycat]

Waaaah! I so wanted to have the same fabulous results that almost everyone is having! And I really, really thought I would but just....no. Put me in the handful of people that had bad luck.

I'm a big fan of your work, Ktani, so rather than say nothing I thought I'd submit my results because I know you might like the data.

For my dry ends I've been using olive oil on damp hair with pretty good results, and recently after you suggested coconut oil over un-conditioned hair, that's been working well for me too.

So for this experiment I clarified my hair and then used no conditioner and just a few drops of mineral oil on the bottom several inches while damp. My ends feel tangly and rough, perhaps even rougher than usual, and a bit frizzed out. The body and volume is very good, but still too rough on the ends.

Thank you for your work (I still follow you in the honey thread where I've had good results), and I love your scientific method. I find myself wanting a scientific explanation for my failed results! Anyway, I might conceivably try again over conditioned hair. I hope results like mine are helpful in any case.

[heatherovka]

I just looked at my mineral oil and it says 'extra heavy'. Does that matter? Does that mean I should use 1 drop or less than a drop? Hmm...

[allycat]

Okay, now this is really weird though, but I hadn't really looked at my hair from behind today, so I just now finger-combed it again and looked at my hemline in the mirror, and visually, wow - it looks really good! My ends don't ever look that good.

JoJo, it looks like the transformation your hair has had in your new length shot. I was really struck by that, and your hair was sort of what made me want to try it.

Why does it LOOK better than ever, but not feel so great? Not fair! ;)

Scientific explanation: I have weird hair.

[ktani]

Waaaah! I so wanted to have the same fabulous results that almost everyone is having! And I really, really thought I would but just....no. Put me in the handful of people that had bad luck.

I'm a big fan of your work, Ktani, so rather than say nothing I thought I'd submit my results because I know you might like the data.

I've had the best luck smoothing my dry ends with olive oil on damp hair, and recently after you suggested coconut oil over un-conditioned hair, that's been working well for me too.

So I clarified my hair and then used no conditioner and just a few drops of oil on the bottom while damp. My ends feel rough, perhaps even rougher than usual. The body and volume is very good, but still too rough on the ends.

Thank you for your work (I still follow you in the honey thread where I've had good results), and I love your scientific method. Can you think of a scientific explanation for my failed results with MO?? Anyway, I might conceivably try one more time over conditioned hair.

Thank you!

First I want to clarify a few things. I am not leading this "experiment" nor am I collecting data.

I have posted here and responded to questions and offered help because this interests me and I started this and did the research. Everything I have said about mineral oil in my blog and article is based on the reasearch, my experience with mineral oil and what I have read about it. It is known in the cosmetic industry to be a more effective moisturizer than natural sebum, vegetable oils and silicone.

What I have offered is a different way to use it that can be simple, effective and without possible problems like build-up or residue, based on what I have read and taken from the research and tried myself. It is a different approach to making use of an inexpensive, available remedy for dry hair and skin. I made it more user friendly. It is all simply logical to me. Yes, I have kept track of results. I do that about other things here too. I learn from them as we all do by observing and working through them to come to conclusions. It is problem solving, something I enjoy doing.

The not needing trims results? I am in awe of them and thrilled for those people.

As to your results, you hair obviously needs more than just the mineral oil alone. As I just said, and said in the article and my blog, this is not about mineral oil being the one only product needed aside from cleansing ones. It may be that for some, other than shampoo or conditioner only. It does not have to be that for everyone.

[allycat]

No, I got that it's just your interest in the subject. Sorry. I just meant in the context of you being such a resource with your information in this thread.

[ktani]

No, I got that it's just your interest in the subject. Sorry. I just meant in the context of you being such a resource with your information in this thread.

You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. I did not take you the wrong way at all.

I just wanted to get that out of the way, before I post on the subject in the future.

ETA: And you do not have weird hair, lol. It is just that your hair needs more help than mineral oil alone can give it. Mineral oil can to a lot but not everything for everyone. My hair is in much better condition since catnip use. I had a head start.

[ktani]

I just looked at my mineral oil and it says 'extra heavy'. Does that matter? Does that mean I should use 1 drop or less than a drop? Hmm...

As long as it is USP or BP mineral oil it is ok to use.

It does come in heavy and like baby oil, light grades.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil

Since you have extra heavy I would use less or switch to a baby oil which is light. ETA: You may be able to find a light version in a drugstore too, unfragranced.

ETA:2 The extra heavy version will no doubt be more difficult to remove and possibly leave a residue you do not like, if more than needed is used on hair. Try it and see on a strand or two. It may have other uses if you do not like it on your hair like make-up removal or very lightly used on your body to moisturize your skin.

ETA:3 More on mineral oil grades - I posted a link with this in it but no one else has mentioned heavy or extra heavy mineral oil so far. Double check your label to see what it is for too. Baby oils are mostly light paraffin oil.
http://personalcaretruth.com/2011/02/mineral-oil/
See paragraph 5

ETA:4 - A laxative extra heavy USP version, http://www.amazon.com/Mineral-Intestinal-Lubricant-Laxative-Extra/dp/B000RF0RRY

Light unfragranced USP mineral oil for cutting boards https://www.lorannoils.com/p-8938-mineral-oil-light-usp.aspx

ETA:5 Doing the math.
Yes, mineral oil is not green. Yes, many of the indredients in conditioners are not as green as cosmetic companies would have people believe. Ceteareth-20 is processed with petrochemicals. So are many other derived ingredients despite claims made about them. Using drops of mineral oil and less conditioner versus lots of natural oils and a lot of conditioner comes out to being more eco friendly in the end, than the "natural" cosmetic companies would like potential customers to believe, in my opinion ETA:6 when they make false claims about their products being petrochemical free.

[maria_asa]

Add me to the people MO doesn't work for. I clarified my hair, used the usual deep conditioner I always use after clarifying and then added a few drops of MO on damp hair. When I do this using my regular avocado oil my hair comes out really, really soft, shiny and tangle free. With MO it feels really strange. It is shiny but at the same time it feels very dry, it tangles more and the biggest difference is the huge amount of frizz I got. Having 1b hair frizz is usually not that big of a problem for me but this is terrible. It's now been three days since I applied the MO and after wetting my hair this morning the frizz has calmed down a bit but I can't wait to get the MO out of my hair and go back to my usual routine.

[jojo]

Add me to the people MO doesn't work for. I clarified my hair, used the usual deep conditioner I always use after clarifying and then added a few drops of MO on damp hair. When I do this using my regular avocado oil my hair comes out really, really soft, shiny and tangle free. With MO it feels really strange. It is shiny but at the same time it feels very dry, it tangles more and the biggest difference is the huge amount of frizz I got. Having 1b hair frizz is usually not that big of a problem for me but this is terrible. It's now been three days since I applied the MO and after wetting my hair this morning the frizz has calmed down a bit but I can't wait to get the MO out of my hair and go back to my usual routine.

I found the opposite with avocado oil. At first avocado oil worked for about 2 weeks for me and then stopped working, it made my hair more frizzy overtime and I needed to clarify more due to build up. Ive found no build up with MO at all and my frizz and tangles completely gone. Although in the past ive found oils which i "thought" worked well at the time, it wasn't until i used MO that I realised my hairs full potential. Different strokes, for different folks i suppose!

[Sissilonghair]

It is strange for me to think about the use of baby oil on hair :agape:...I banned any kind of petrolatum on my skin and consequently I would never use it on my hair.
Sorry ...it is just my personal opinion.

[heatherovka]

Thank you for the info on the extra heavy MO, ktani!

[lapushka]

Anyone know how exactly MO is next to (silicone) serum? I do not mean (strictly) from a scientific POV. I'm looking for people who have been using serum and have now successfully switched to MO, who obviously think MO is better. :)

[ktani]

Thank you for the info on the extra heavy MO, ktani!

You are very welcome.

[ktani]

Anyone know how exactly MO is next to (silicone) serum? I do not mean (strictly) from a scientific POV. I'm looking for people who have been using serum and have now successfully switched to MO, who obviously think MO is better. :)

This may help, re skin, http://www.skintherapyletter.com/2005/10.5/1.html
"Petroleum jelly, in a minimum concentration of 5%, reduces TEWL by more than 98% and is the most effective occlusive, followed by lanolin, mineral oil, and silicones (e.g., dimethicone), which only reduce TEWL by 20%-30%. ...
Occlusives reduce TEWL by creating a hydrophobic barrier over the skin ... Their main limitations include odor, potential allergenicity, and the greasy feel associated with most occlusives."

Lanolin is a wax, petrolatum greasy - mineral oil outdoes silicone in performance. In addition, cosmetic mineral oil has no odour, is not greasy or clog pores and is known not to cause allergic reactions.

This further supports the sources given in the article I wrote.

ETA: I used silicone on my hair in an attempt to get it to do what the mineral oil succeeded in doing, years ago. I used a silicone serum, lightly. It did not help with tangles at all and made my hair stringy, even with a light application.

[lapushka]

This may help, re skin, http://www.skintherapyletter.com/2005/10.5/1.html
"Petroleum jelly, in a minimum concentration of 5%, reduces TEWL by more than 98% and is the most effective occlusive, followed by lanolin, mineral oil, and silicones (e.g., dimethicone), which only reduce TEWL by 20%-30%. ...
Occlusives reduce TEWL by creating a hydrophobic barrier over the skin ... Their main limitations include odor, potential allergenicity, and the greasy feel associated with most occlusives."

Lanolin is a wax, petrolatum greasy - mineral oil outdoes silicone in performance. In addition, cosmetic mineral oil has no odour, is not greasy or clog pores and is known not to cause allergic reactions.

This further supports the sources given in the article I wrote.

ETA: I used silicone on my hair in an attempt to get it to do what the mineral oil succeeded in doing, years ago. I used a silicone serum, lightly. It did not help with tangles at all and made my hair stringy, even with a light application.

Thanks for the info, ktani! :)

Serum is fine for my hair, but I'm just wondering whether MO could beat the serum in terms of efficiency and as a frizz tamer (serums don't do *that* much for me in that regard).

[ktani]

Thanks for the info, ktani! :)

Serum is fine for my hair, but I'm just wondering whether MO could beat the serum in terms of efficiency and as a frizz tamer (serums don't do *that* much for me in that regard).

You are very welcome.

My hair does not frizz with catnip usually. However, it can sometimes, rarely. When I used the MO without catnip, it was humid during that week, on certain days, and very cold and dry on others, (it has been a weird winter here) and I was very pleased that I had no frizz at all, just smooth hair with great volume, and no dryness ETA: and no tangles or static.

[Long_hair_bear]

I might have to nix the mineral oil for abit. Lately, as I've used it, my hair has felt waxy. I know it's not my shampoo or condish because ive always used the same ones. I loved mineral oil at first, but it's kinda worked its way up to waxy. :confused:

[ktani]

I might have to nix the mineral oil for abit. Lately, as I've used it, my hair has felt waxy. I know it's not my shampoo or condish because ive always used the same ones. I loved mineral oil at first, but it's kinda worked its way up to waxy. :confused:

It not a wax but it sounds as if you are not removing all of it each wash. I know that you conditioner only wash and use shampoo less frequently. It may be a good idea to take a break for a bit and let any residue wash out. Then you can restart using it if you like.

[Long_hair_bear]

It not a wax but it sounds as if you are not removing all of it each wash. I know that you conditioner only wash and use shampoo less frequently. It may be a good idea to take a break for a bit and let any residue wash out. Then you can restart using it if you like.

Well, I'm beginning to think ill just use mineral oil on my ends when they start to get dry; and by my ends, I mean the ends of my ends. I may go back to jojoba for the time being and cut my co washes to 2 a week instead of three. May need to reclarify too.

[ktani]

Well, I'm beginning to think ill just use mineral oil on my ends when they start to get dry; and by my ends, I mean the ends of my ends. I may go back to jojoba for the time being and cut my co washes to 2 a week instead of three. May need to reclarify too.

Clarifying is faster but I do not believe necessary. I think you may have used more than you needed and your conditioner just did not remove the excess well. It is up to you. Jojoba oil is a wax and can build-up too. Any oil can leave a residue if not completely removed from the hair.

I had a minor such problem when I used too much coconut oil in an oil shampoo ratio. The excess washed out over time. I just used less oil after that.

ETA: Here is a bit of history, http://cosmeticsandskin.com/bcb/petrolatum.php
"Petrolatum/petroleum jelly is made up of solid mineral waxes and liquid mineral oils."

[Long_hair_bear]

Clarifying is faster but I do not believe necessary. I think you may have used more than you needed and your conditioner just did not remove the excess well. It is up to you. Jojoba oil is a wax and can build-up too. Any oil can leave a residue if not completely removed from the hair.

I had a minor such problem when I used too much coconut oil in an oil shampoo ratio. The excess washed out over time. I just used less oil after that.


Well, my jojoba oil is diluted and mixed with other things:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44196366/blue-lilac-hair-conditioner-leave-in?ga_search_query=Lilac&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5170092

Also, in my 6 months or more of using jojoba, I've never had this problem. Also, I used only a small drop of mineral oil on my bsl hair. It conditioned my ends and saved them, I'll give it that, but I don't think it's something my hair is destined to use on a weekly basis. Pry just as needed for dry ends.

[ktani]

Well, my jojoba oil is diluted and mixed with other things:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/44196366/blue-lilac-hair-conditioner-leave-in?ga_search_query=Lilac&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5170092

Also, in my 6 months or more of using jojoba, I've never had this problem. Also, I used only a small drop of mineral oil on my bsl hair. It conditioned my ends and saved them, I'll give it that, but I don't think it's something my hair is destined to use on a weekly basis. Pry just as needed for dry ends.

Use it the way it best suits you. It can help rehydrate hair and that is what it did for you. It can do that any time you choose to use it.

[Long_hair_bear]

Use it the way it best suits you. It can help rehydrate hair and that is what it did for you. It can do that any time you choose to use it.

I may give nightbloomings triple moon hair anointing oil a try.

[ktani]

I may give nightbloomings triple moon hair anointing oil a try.

That is up to you too. Good luck with whatever you use.

[Kapri]

Hi all and Ktani!

I think since I started that I may have slipped into using a little too much oil and ended up with slightly fluffy/tangly hair. I have then had to wash the hair twice to remove the min oil which has been very drying on my coloured hair and left the ends tangly and dry. Then I have conditioned and then added half a small pour/splash of MO, by one tip of the bottle onto my palm..my palm has been very oily.

So I will now limit myself to 2 rice grain size drops. I also think that I will wash the roots and CW the ends down. My hair has benefited for years now by only letting shampoo trickle down to the ends and it seems a shame to lose that benefit. I don't seem to get split ends for instance even though it is fine and coloured. It is just dry. New plan..will report back.

[Elenna]

Climbing on the band wagon! I usually have crazy tangly hair with the problem of faerie knots. That's single strand knots! It's a uphill battle! A couple of days ago, I mixed two drops of mineral oil mixed with water and applied to damp hair. Goodness, I could get a comb through my hair since the tangles are gone! Plus my hair feels softer. I really don't see any difference in how my hair looks. But the texture is so much better. The mineral oil seems to act like a silicone serum. So maybe that's why a little bit goes a long way.

[ktani]

Climbing on the band wagon! I usually have crazy tangly hair with the problem of faerie knots. That's single strand knots! It's a uphill battle! A couple of days ago, I mixed two drops of mineral oil mixed with water and applied to damp hair. Goodness, I could get a comb through my hair since the tangles are gone! Plus my hair feels softer. I really don't see any difference in how my hair looks. But the texture is so much better. The mineral oil seems to act like a silicone serum. So maybe that's why a little bit goes a long way.

I am glad to hear that it helped so much. Yes, a little goes a very long way. I have washed it out twice now and with a shampoo that does not clarify and I had no problems removing it completely and I did not use extra shampoo either. I checked with my friends who are using it. They are having 0 problems with it too. ETA: One of my friends conditioner only washes in between using shampoo sometimes. Her conditioner, a light one had no problems removing the mineral oil. ETA: Mineral oil is not a wax.

[Saeth]

I got a bottle of MO, put it on my hair which is tangling like a bramble bush atm and hey-presto! I think the angels came out of heaven to sing. What absolutely wonderful stuff. This was without conditioner too!

So far I'm very impressed. I still need to experiment on quantity but I'm really pleased. It tangles much less, it's not stringy or thin, it doesn't overload my hair (a miracle in itself) and it's soft. If it continues to provide enough moisture without condish I'll be so happy. Even applying condish on the ends makes me shed like hell so it'll be a welcome step to leave out of the regular washing regime. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress in the next month.

Thanks once again everyone :D

[ktani]

Just a note on shampoos. Sunsilk Lively Blonde Shampoo, the one I use exclusively, is supposed to "remove residues". Well, it never kept up with either chamomile tea used after each wash or linden flower tea. I had to stop using both and the build-up from both washed out gradually.

If I overuse catnip tea, my hair can get stringy and if I use less shampoo, enough catnip has not been removed at all times, for me not to have to use a drop more next wash, just on the length.

I apply the shampoo to my scalp, lather up and work the lather through my length each time I wash my hair. I have not found this to be drying, as the catnip conditions so well for me.

I have used non sulfate shampoos too in the past. Some are more cleansing than others.

I have to remove enough catnip each time I wash my hair to have the best results with it for me. I did not need to alter my washing routine when I used the MO/baby oil.

ETA: In other words, I did not have to apply an extra drop of shampoo to my length, to remove it. How do I know that I removed it all? I have said many times here that catnip does not work well for me over coatings. Each time I used the mineral oil and went back to catnip alone, the colour and conditioning were the same, as if I had not used anything else on my hair. When I have used very little conditioner after catnip and washed my hair and used catnip alone after that, the colour did not take as well and the conditioning was not as good as usual.

When I tested oil shampoo, catnip used afterward did not give me the same results as usual either. When I tested oil shampoo again in the past few months, with no catnip used afterward, it took several washes after that, using catnip and just the Lively Blonde Shampoo, to regain the colour I lost and for catnip to give me all of the usual conditioning benefits I am used to getting.

ETA:2 See also, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1968407&postcount=21
If a shampoo contains waxy ingredients, natural or not and does not cleanse that well, and it is used over an oil coating - the result is going to be wax over oil ETA:3 at some point. - Natural waxes and waxy ingredients? jojoba oil, cocoa butter which is over half stearic acid, which is waxy.

ETA:4 Not all conditioning shampoos contain enough conditioning ingredients like glycerin or some oils to not to be cleansing too. It depends on the formulation. If they can remove waxy, oily sebum well, they should be able to remove a light coating of MO well, which is not waxy.

[ktani]

Conditioners

Some conditioners are more waxy than others. Waxy ingredients? cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, jojoba oil, cocoa butter, shea butter ETA: and of course beeswax. This is not a complete list of cosmetic waxes or waxy ingredients. - For drying oils see http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=190 and click on "repeatedly".

ETA: 2 more waxy alcohols - lanolin alcohol, stearyl alcohol - they are not like denatured alcohol - they are fatty acid conditioning ingredients but are waxy.

[Long_hair_bear]

I'm going to use an Sls shampoo to try to get the waxy out (cringe). Maybe mineral oil just doesn't work for everyone or it's just not meant to use on my hair every other day after washing. I'll use it again on dry tips, but I'm going to try nightbloomings oil for now.

[ktani]

I'm going to use an Sls shampoo to try to get the waxy out (cringe). Maybe mineral oil just doesn't work for everyone or it's just not meant to use on my hair every other day after washing. I'll use it again on dry tips, but I'm going to try nightbloomings oil for now.

Whatever you do use the continued results will depend on what else you use in your routine. If you start off with clarified hair, build-up from all products will not be that apparent at first.

[patienceneeded]

I'm going to use an Sls shampoo to try to get the waxy out (cringe). Maybe mineral oil just doesn't work for everyone or it's just not meant to use on my hair every other day after washing. I'll use it again on dry tips, but I'm going to try nightbloomings oil for now.

I wash every-other day and have no problems with mineral oil, so I doubt that's the entire issue. I also use MO on my daughter's hair (she's almost 5) and it has really reduced her tangles. Her hair is washed every-other day too.

[Mirsha]

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but would a conditioner that uses Paraffinum Liquidum (mineral oil) have the same effect as this?

The difference being it's one step shorter?

I'm thinking about the Schwarzkopf Schauma Oil Intense Conditioner. It uses mineral oil as primary moisturizing ingredient. http://www.germandeli.com/schauma4.html

[ktani]

Forgive me if this is a silly question, but would a conditioner that uses Paraffinum Liquidum (mineral oil) have the same effect as this?

The difference being it's one step shorter?

I'm thinking about the Schwarzkopf Schauma Oil Intense Conditioner. It uses mineral oil as primary moisturizing ingredient. http://www.germandeli.com/schauma4.html

It depends on what else is in the conditioner besides the mineral oil. All conditioners build-up on the hair. For me and several others, MO causes no build-up because it is being completely removed from the hair each wash. Conditioner never, ever, did that for me, no matter which one I tried and I tried many over the years.

ETA: It is not just my experience. Conditioners are designed to leave coatings behind after each wash. That is why clarifying shampoos were created. Cosmetic companies know this. Consumers want increasingly better results - conditioners layer the hair with coatings each time one is used.

ETA:2 At some point the hair cannot handle all of that and you need to remove some or all of them. That is also why some clarifying shampoos have added coating ingredients. It makes them less potentially drying and people condition afterward again anyway.

ETA:3 Most "regular" shampoos can remove some of but not all of the conditioner coatings. If you want to be build-up free as I do because I want predictable, consistent results, which I get because I control the amount of coating I get with catnip and now MO, you need to use a clarifying shampoo that does not leave added coatings behind, and use a shampoo regularly, that does not build-up, which for me is the Lively Blonde Shampoo.

[Long_hair_bear]

Whatever you do use the continued results will depend on what else you use in your routine. If you start off with clarified hair, build-up from all products will not be that apparent at first.

Well I've used the same poo and condish for months. I clarified and then started mo, using the same poo and condish. Again, I believe that not everyone's hair needs the same oils. Mineral oil saved my ends, I'll give it that, but I won't be weekly using it anymore. Just as needed. :D

[Mirsha]

It depends on what else is in the conditioner besides the mineral oil. All conditioners build-up on the hair. For me and several others, MO causes no build-up because it is being completely removed from the hair each wash. Conditioner never, ever, did that for me, no matter which one I tried and I tried many over the years.

ETA: It is not just my experience. Conditioners are designed to leave coatings behind after each wash. That is why clarifying shampoos were created. Cosmetic companies know this. Consumers want increasingly better results - conditioners layer the hair with coatings each time one is used.

ETA:2 At some point the hair cannot handle all of that and you need to remove some or all of them. That is also why some clarifying shampoos have added coating ingredients. It makes them less potentially drying and people condition afterward again anyway.

So like any conditioner, you might need to clarify once in a while.

But how do you know mineral oil washes out as cleanly as you say it does? Is there any way to test this? :confused:

[ktani]

So like any conditioner, you might need to clarify once in a while.

But how do you know mineral oil washes out as cleanly as you say it does? Is there any way to test this? :confused:

For me - please read the post I just did not long ago on shampoos on the page before this one..

[ktani]

Well I've used the same poo and condish for months. I clarified and then started mo, using the same poo and condish. Again, I believe that not everyone's hair needs the same oils. Mineral oil saved my ends, I'll give it that, but I won't be weekly using it anymore. Just as needed. :D

I am not going to argue. You said yourself your hair was dry and that MO saved you from having to trim when it was not actually necessary. What I have written should I hope, help you understand why your hair was so dry. It was overloaded with coatings and starving for moisture.

ETA: Sorry I have had to reboot several times today - computer issues - in my opinion belongs at the end of the last sentence above.

ETA:2 It is entirely up to you what you choose to use on your hair.

[LaurelSpring]

MO has been applied...
Lets what happens when it dries! :)

[ktani]

I'm thinking about the Schwarzkopf Schauma Oil Intense Conditioner. It uses mineral oil as primary moisturizing ingredient. http://www.germandeli.com/schauma4.html
"Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimomium Chloride, Paraffinum Liquidum,, Distearoylethyl Hydroxy ethylmonium Methosulfate,, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Methylparaben, Lactic Acid, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Parfum, Amodimethicone, Niacinmide, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Trideceth-5, Glycerin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Trideceth-10, Limonene, CI 47005, CI 15985"

I missed this part, sorry.
Waxy ingredients are in blue. It will build-up but that is ok. You can clarify as needed. The mineral oil will help keep moisture in your hair. It is your choice as to how you want to use it.

[LaurelSpring]

Me Likey!!! :cheese:


Thank you!!

The funny thing is that my daughter just gave me two bottles of baby oil because she wasnt using them. I was trying to figure out what I could use it for.....then I saw this thread!

[Siiri]

Hi

I've been using mineral oil for about a week now, so I can't say what the long term effects will be, but for now it's working really well for me :) I was using coconut oil before and decided to try mineral oil out of curiosity. Compared to coconut oil, mineral oil seems to work better. Although my hair isn't damaged, just dry especially at this time of year, I do see some improvements - the hair is softer and less frizzy, and I don't have problem with oil causing stringiness.

I haven't seen many co-washers using mineral oil, so I was first a bit hesitant, but so far it seems to wash out well with just conditioner. I normally use a heavier conditioner after washing, which I rinse out, and add two drops of mineral oil on damp/almost wet de-tangled hair. I co-wash every other or third day, but I do a light wo-wash between washes, because I exercise nearly daily and sweat like a pig. For some reason some of the mineral oil seems to come out with just plain water, so I add just one drop of mineral oil after wo-washing. I had the same problem with other oils and leave-in conditioners too, wo-wash without oiling left the top layers and tips of my hair feeling dry. I'm not really worried about potential build-up from mineral oil, because I do get it from just using conditioner or any other oil. I wash about once every third week with a clarifying shampoo so the build-up never gets too excessive.

[weatherwax]

This is all very exciting . . . I'd love to ditch the conditioner bottle. I've been washing with shikakai and amla for a couple of months, with occasional shampoos to remove build-up. I love what it's done for my scalp, but haven't been able to dispense with the conditioner, even with pre-herb oilings. I'll report back . . .

[ktani]

The idea of using drops only of mineral oil was the key in the research study for me that led to the rest of the article and blog post.

I had tried small amounts of other oils before. Drops were less intimidating and they worked for me and others without waste, aside from being incredibly economical, although the price of mineral oil is low to start with, especially for baby oil.

They also reduced the possibility of using too much and having to rewash my hair because it would look and feel bad.

I had no reason to worry. Its spreadability is another commonly known factor in the cosmetic industry that sets mineral oil apart from vegetable oils and silicone, in addition to its superior moisturization abilities, and it not being as potentially greasy. It goes further and better than other oils can using an equivalent amount.

See "Emolliency" Pg 5. As reported here, it reduces friction and that means less hair stress, which in turn means less potential hair damage.
http://www.calumetspecialty.com/pdf/articles/scopeofmineraloil.pdf

Dow Corning has come up with a silicone product to enhance vegetable oils, http://www.dowcorning.com/content/publishedlit/27-1276.pdf

That would not be needed if what has been reported so far in most cases could be found in vegetable oils.

Going back to sustainability, mineral oil is already widely available. Applications of drops only, means much less is needed. The production of the needed product to enhance vegetable oils uses power and that power comes from non renewable sources.

Every vegetable oil out there used for cosmetics or food is processed, even the unrefined ones. Heat is used in processing virgin coconut oil for example - more power generation from non renewable sources, not to mention the availability of land to grow other vegetable oil sources and transportation fuel costs.

To me, mineral oil is a win win product. Mineral oil cannot replace all vegetable oil cosmetic applications but it can replace oiling hair as a grooming aid and with better results.

[ellen732]

I tried a couple of drops of Johnson's Baby Oil on damp hair, ingredients being just MO and fragrance, and I must say I am very pleased. It really makes my ends soft, but I cannot detect the oil at all, unlike when I use even the littlest bit of coconut or olive oil (which I will still apply before a wash).

[Lissandria]

So far I like MO too. I use it over coconut oil- It has helped my issues with dry ends and made them incredibly soft. Thanks for all your research and knowledge Ktani! :)

[ktani]

So far I like MO too. I use it over coconut oil- It has helped my issues with dry ends and made them incredibly soft. Thanks for all your research and knowledge Ktani! :)

You are very welcome. You can use it on its own too for oiling ends.

ETA: I used it throughout my hair very lightly (just over 2 drops) to replace catnip and will be in the future as needed, when my schedule is rushed. It washed out compeletly for me with no problems and was wonderful in terms of results.

ETA:2 Baby oil, which I used is light mineral oil and that is the grade to look for when buying unfragranced MO. It spreads the easiest and is the easiest to work with.

ETA:3 For anyone new to this thread it is only cosmetic mineral oil (USP or BP) mineral oil under discussion.

[LaurelSpring]

I tried it again today and I am still thrilled with the results. My hair is so shiny and feels so soft. The only problem is that I just cant seem to keep my hands off of it now! Who would have thought MO was so awesome?

I am so grateful for this gem of a thread and for all of your efforts ktani. :cheer:

[ktani]

I tried it again today and I am still thrilled with the results. My hair is so shiny and feels so soft. The only problem is that I just cant seem to keep my hands off of it now! Who would have thought MO was so awesome?

I am so grateful for this gem of a thread and for all of your efforts ktani. :cheer:

Lol, I am glad that you are so pleased with it and you are very welcome.

Unless you washed you hair again though, you should not need to re-oil it. It is not a good idea to overuse any oil.

ETA: I updated my blog, based on posts of mine here.

[ktani]

Filed under fascinating.

Mineral oil is used in wound management and in skin grafting. World Health Organization Article Colour added by me.
http://www.steinergraphics.com/surgical/002_05.1B.html
"To perform a skin graft, prepare the donor site with antiseptic, isolate with drapes and lubricate with mineral oil. ... After 7 to 10 days, remove any sutures, gently wash the grafted area, and lubricate it with mineral oil."

ETA: It is USP or BP mineral oil used.

Pure petrolatum is also used in dressings. Colour added by me.
http://www.medicalsuppliescenter.com/detail.php?pid=10073&cid=279
"Nonadherent petrolatum blend with 3% Bismuth Tribromophenate on fine mesh gauze. Indicated for use on open wounds, burns, donor sites, cancer resections, wounds and abrasions, surgical incisions ..."

ETA:2 http://www.medicalsuppliescenter.com/detail.php?pid=10076&cid=279 Colour added by me
"USP absorbent fine mesh gauze impregnated with USP white petrolatum. Clings and conforms to the wound without sticking. Conformable, soothing and hypoallergenic. Occlusive, indicated for use on fistulas, stomas, chest tube incisions, skin grafts ..."

ETA:3 Mineral oil is also recommended for the treatment of cradle cap in infants - a medically reviewed and referenced New York Times article.
http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/seborrheic-dermatitis/overview.html

[Kapri]

Hi all,

An attempt at gentle clarifying prior to sparing mineral oil application!

I have been getting less than great results since my first experience of MO.

I think I may be suffering from an excess of coatings from various treatments, pre-wash, spray in , you name it I would use it if it were available!

So today, I used a very light cone free conditioner to co wash any residual conditioning treatment coating off and followed this by an AV rinse with a little squirt of lemon juice in it and a cold water rinse.

This time I used a tiny smear of baby oil rather than a small splash. It is looking ok so far and drying slowly which is a sign that it isn't too dried out.

We'll see....

I need to stay away from over-conditioning!!!!

[Kapri]

ok...following a pm to dear Ktani, I have now clarified. 2 washes with my L'Oreal Purifying shampoo and a very weak dilution of AV rinse. Interestingly, the results ... my hair looks the same as when I use the Ojon Restorative Treatment and even the Mineral Oil. Clearly, my hair has been so over coated with products that it needs a break from them. I am going to sort through my stash and give some thought as to how to proceed from here on!

I've had hairdressers recommending me products for dry ends and known that my ends were anything but neglected ...have simply over-done it!

Less is more! I am sure that min oil will form part of my arsenal of weapons against dryness in future too ....

[jojo]

Okay, now this is really weird though, but I hadn't really looked at my hair from behind today, so I just now finger-combed it again and looked at my hemline in the mirror, and visually, wow - it looks really good! My ends don't ever look that good.

JoJo, it looks like the transformation your hair has had in your new length shot. I was really struck by that, and your hair was sort of what made me want to try it.

Why does it LOOK better than ever, but not feel so great? Not fair! ;)

Scientific explanation: I have weird hair.

thanks over the last 10 days of using it ive seen a huge improvement, which has got better each time ive used it. My ends actually look and feel like ive had a trim; my hair has not seen scissors since November 11th, I am amazed at the difference.
before natural state hair, ends always dried straight probably due to dryness
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/lengthblack-1-1.jpg
after 2 uses i think, already the wave is more uniform, hair noticeably more shiny
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/babyoil1-1.jpg
after 10 days, the shine even better
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/DSCF8974.jpg
my ends ive combed my hair while drying to make it straighter to show the ends
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/DSCF8976.jpg

Overall I am very happy with using baby oil, for years id never use MO due to listening to the hype surrounding its use. I am really glad I did try this and will continue to use its cheap, its prevents tangling and its really saved my ends from the scissors.

ETA- all photos taken in the exact same position and lighting conditions.
ETA2- the first photo is before i found MO all the rest are with MO!!!

[ktani]

ok...following a pm to dear Ktani, I have now clarified. 2 washes with my L'Oreal Purifying shampoo and a very weak dilution of AV rinse. Interestingly, the results ... my hair looks the same as when I use the Ojon Restorative Treatment and even the Mineral Oil. Clearly, my hair has been so over coated with products that it needs a break from them. I am going to sort through my stash and give some thought as to how to proceed from here on!

I've had hairdressers recommending me products for dry ends and known that my ends were anything but neglected ...have simply over-done it!

Less is more! I am sure that min oil will form part of my arsenal of weapons against dryness in future too ....

Wonderful news!

It can be hard to realize just how much is too much with product use and build-up, which is gradual.

The hair does indicate when it has had enough through tangling, limpness, dry ends etc. but that is often misread as the need to apply more product.

What cosmetic mineral oil/baby oil can do is 3-fold +.

1. For dry ends or hair it can allow you to have the fasest, easiest, cheapest, moisture treatment by using just drop(s) on damp hair. Water is moisture and that is all other moisturizing treatments do, help keep moisture in the hair, and in some cases with a humectant like aloe for example, draw water to it from the air.

2. Used on dry hair with a good moisture level, the MO (mineral oil) can help keep it that way and help prevent frizz because it slows water evaporating from the hair and slows the moisture from the air getting into the hair. It is not a seal.

3. It is also an antistatic, which is very welcome this time of year.

Where clarifying comes into this is that hair that is already overloaded with product is not retaining moisture or allowing any moisture from the air to access it. By the time hair is overloaded with product residues, some of the coatings on it have started to degrade and that contributes to tangling. They need to be removed. Hair that needs clarifying is often tangly, and straighter than normal, with "velcro" ends.

[ktani]

thanks over the last 10 days of using it ive seen a huge improvement, which has got better each time ive used it. My ends actually look and feel like ive had a trim; my hair has not seen scissors since November 11th, I am amazed at the difference.
before natural state hair, ends always dried straight probably due to dryness
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/lengthblack-1-1.jpg
after 2 uses i think, already the wave is more uniform, hair noticeably more shiny
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/babyoil1-1.jpg
after 10 days, the shine even better
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/DSCF8974.jpg
my ends ive combed my hair while drying to make it straighter to show the ends
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l283/joanna_eglin/DSCF8976.jpg

Overall I am very happy with using baby oil, for years id never use MO due to listening to the hype surrounding its use. I am really glad I did try this and will continue to use its cheap, its prevents tangling and its really saved my ends from the scissors.

ETA- all photos taken in the exact same position and lighting conditions.

WOW - that is one gorgeous head of hair! I am thrilled even more for you now.

I can see the difference the baby oil made very clearly.

LOL, I just finished posting that in some cases, hair that needs clarifying can look straighter at the ends. Sometimes it can simply be the weight of the conditioner or leave-in used too.

Long years ago now, I tried a skin "crack" cream on my splitting ends in a futile attempt to get moisture back in them. It sounded good, lol. My hair, which is wavy had poker straight ends because of too much coating. Fortunately, I had not used too much and it just washed out, over several shampoos, lol.

[jojo]

Just wanted to add this really does work with cradle cap, i was told 24 years ago to use it on my eldest daughter; works great!

Thanks again Ktani for the time and effort you have taken with this research. there will always be doubters who are too scared to try and see for themself, I too was one of these in the past. I love how this oil really does help in stretching trims out. My ends normally at 2-3 months post cut would be velcroey and it would be starting to get difficult to comb without numerous knots catching. My hair ends as shown above look and feel like freshly trimmed hair; its magical!

[jojo]

WOW - that is one gorgeous head of hair! I am thrilled even more for you now.

I can see the difference the baby oil made very clearly.

LOL, I just finished posting that in some cases, hair that needs clarifying can look straighter at the ends. Sometimes it can simply be the weight of the conditioner or leave-in used too.

Long years ago now, I tried a skin "crack" cream on my splitting ends in a futile attempt to get moisture back in them. It sounded good, lol. My hair, which is wavy had poker straight ends because of too much coating. Fortunately, I had not used too much and it just washed out, over several shampoos, lol.

thank you, yes thats exactly what i was getting i oiled daily the last inch or so, this has clearly affected my ends and made them straighter. Your theory is correct it was coating on my hair which caused this strange straightness and gnarley feeling, this has all gone now without the use of scissors, by now id have trimmed thinking my hair was damaged.

[Kapri]

I'm grateful to you Ktani for all the great advice and for being such a creative and steadfast hair health researcher. I will keep reporting back but am so pleased to be headed in the right direction.

Have a great day!

Kapri

[ktani]

Just wanted to add this really does work with cradle cap, i was told 24 years ago to use it on my eldest daughter; works great!

Thanks again Ktani for the time and effort you have taken with this research. there will always be doubters who are too scared to try and see for themself, I too was one of these in the past. I love how this oil really does help in stretching trims out. My ends normally at 2-3 months post cut would be velcroey and it would be starting to get difficult to comb without numerous knots catching. My hair ends as shown above look and feel like freshly trimmed hair; its magical!

You are very welcome. It was an "eye opener" for me too as it was the last thing I expected to work so very well. I was amazed at the 0 tangling, amazed. I only have ever gotten that with catnip, nothing else!


thank you, yes thats exactly what i was getting i oiled daily the last inch or so, this has clearly affected my ends and made them straighter. Your theory is correct it was coating on my hair which caused this strange straightness and gnarley feeling, this has all gone now without the use of scissors, by now id have trimmed thinking my hair was damaged.

No oil, even cosmetic mineral oil/baby oil should need to be used every day. No leave-in should need to be used every day or about every day. If the hair feels dry in between uses, something is wrong.

The MO (mineral oil) can help correct that by helping to truly moisturize hair or help maintain a good level of moisture in the hair. ETA: and for several people here who have tried it, including me over one entire week my hair remained moisturized and tangle free, after one only application of the baby oil on shampooed only hair, no catnip used.

[ktani]

I'm grateful to you Ktani for all the great advice and for being such a creative and steadfast hair health researcher. I will keep reporting back but am so pleased to be headed in the right direction.

Have a great day!

Kapri

Thank you so much!

I am so glad that finally you are getting good results.

ETA: My friends who have tried this so far have different hair types and textures, from medium thickness and texture to fine/medium and straight and fine/medium curly, to thick and coarse, to curly/medium thickness. All of of them have benefitted from the mineral oil and needed only one application post wash of the oil. The lengths of hair vary too. Most are past shoulder and some are waist length.

ETA: There are a few wavies in there too, lol among the first to try it after I told them about it. Every one of them wanted something to use that is fast, easy, inexpensive and actually works, without a downside.

[jojo]

You are very welcome. It was an "eye opener" for me too as it was the last thing I expected to work so very well. I was amazed at the 0 tangling, amazed. I only have ever gotten that with catnip, nothing else!



No oil, even cosmetic mineral oil/baby oil should need to be used every day. No leave-in should need to be used every day or about every day. If the hair feels dry in between uses, something is wrong.

The MO (mineral oil) can help correct that by helping to truly moisturize hair or help maintain a good level of moisture in the hair. ETA: and for several people here who have tried it, including me over one entire week my hair remained moisturized and tangle free, after one only application of the baby oil on shampooed only hair, no catnip used.
thats the other good thing about this oil you wash your hair, you put MO on and thats it until the next wash, it continues to work until the next wash day. Before i actually thought i was doing my hair good by oiling daily (last inch), i wasn't as you correctly pointed out it was causing a build up on my ends, hence why they where getting dry and looking straighter (see ends on photo 1, i have a pink top on) you can actually see its the last inch or so where id oiled, compare this to my other photos where MO has been used and the horrible ends are gone. To think I spent all last year constantly trimming those nasty ends off and then id go back to oiling them with either coconut or a little EVOO thinking it would help, i had got into a cycle of oil daily which would cause build up but i just thought my ends where just getting damaged due to fine hair, so id trim them off, to start oiling with coconut again and so on and so on. Now I have found the best oil for my hair with MO, the ends look better and I dont need to trim, never did they just needed the correct oil!

[Sheryl]

I am going to try this when I next wash my hair! I have dry frizzy ends after washing. It sounds perfect for me and I already have some in the cabinet!

Thank you!

[ktani]

thats the other good thing about this oil you wash your hair, you put MO on and thats it until the next wash, it continues to work until the next wash day. Before i actually thought i was doing my hair good by oiling daily (last inch), i wasn't as you correctly pointed out it was causing a build up on my ends, hence why they where getting dry and looking straighter (see ends on photo 1, i have a pink top on) you can actually see its the last inch or so where id oiled, compare this to my other photos where MO has been used and the horrible ends are gone. To think I spent all last year constantly trimming those nasty ends off and then id go back to oiling them with either coconut or a little EVOO thinking it would help, i had got into a cycle of oil daily which would cause build up but i just thought my ends where just getting damaged due to fine hair, so id trim them off, to start oiling with coconut again and so on and so on. Now I have found the best oil for my hair with MO, the ends look better and I dont need to trim, never did they just needed the correct oil!

I get that - habit and thinking you are helping your hair. Oiling is about helping the hair stay moisturised and lubricated. Mineral oil can do both better than vegetable oils or butters or conditioners and for a longer time because of that, and using so little and washing it out completely means no residue.

The reason it can work so well on all hair types and thicknesses is because all hair no matter what type or thickness needs lubricating as natural sebum is not enough in many cases alone, and moisture, which natural sebum cannot protect the hair from the loss (evaporation) of as well as mineral oil.


I am going to try this when I next wash my hair! I have dry frizzy ends after washing. It sounds perfect for me and I already have some in the cabinet!

Thank you!

You are very welcome.

[jojo]

I am going to try this when I next wash my hair! I have dry frizzy ends after washing. It sounds perfect for me and I already have some in the cabinet!

Thank you! I hope you get the brilliant results i got. Another thing with MO helps stretch washes out and the longer i go in between washes the better MO feels, its one of those oils which actually gets better the more you use it, unlike coconut for example which yes feels good at first but then i need to clarify with this, its easier to get out of the hair=less stress on hair, easier to comb hair=less stress on hair-all good stuff, 3 cheers to Ktani!


I get that - habit and thinking you are helping your hair. Oiling is about helping the hair stay moisturised and lubricated. Mineral oil can do both better than vegetable oils or butters or conditioners and for a longer time because of that, and using so little and washing it out completely means no residue.

The reason it can work so well on all hair types and thicknesses is because all hair no matter what type or thickness needs lubricating as natural sebum is not enough in many cases alone, and moisture, which natural sebum cannot protect the hair from the loss (evaporation) of as well as mineral oil.



You are very welcome. makes total sense to me and its one of those "if I only knew 2 years ago, what I know now" kinda moments!!!

[ktani]

I hope you get the brilliant results i got. Another thing with MO helps stretch washes out and the longer i go in between washes the better MO feels, its one of those oils which actually gets better the more you use it, unlike coconut for example which yes feels good at first but then i need to clarify with this, its easier to get out of the hair=less stress on hair, easier to comb hair=less stress on hair-all good stuff, 3 cheers to Ktani!

makes total sense to me and its one of those "if I only knew 2 years ago, what I know now" kinda moments!!!

In fairness to coconut oil, the only reason you needed to clarify with it is because you used far too much. I found that it washes out very well over time - clarifying is faster though.

Thank you!

I only discovered the research that led to all of this recently, lol and that got me thinking. It was a complete accident. It just makes perfect sense to me. Mineral oil "aces" (outperforms) other oils and products for hair lubrication and moisturizing, and when used this way ETA: there is - no downside at all.

And it is cosmetically classified as natural. As for the green issue, I have covered that. The amount of cosmetic mineral oil produced is a fraction - a very small fraction of the petroleum produced and using so little of the mineral oil this way is reducing that minute fraction further.

In the article and my blog it can also be seen (links) that many so called green products are not really green at all. Many cleansers used in them and preservatives and conditioning waxes are processed with petrochemicals, and more of those conditioners can be used in an attempt to do what so little mineral oil can do better.

[Mirsha]

I went/(am) away on a long weekend, washed my hair on thursday and friday, two different shampoos, no conditioner and oiled my ends with MO.

(Friday I washed again because I accidentally got a load of oil in my fringe)

I forgot to bring my hairbrush with me and relied on my fingers to detangle.
Friday, my hair was good. Freshly washed, shiny (even shinier in the light of the appartment we rented, halogen). Saturday I detangled as good as it got, and threw it in a beak clip for most of the day, switching to a braid when that fell out. Sunday.. was terrible. My hair was superstaticky that it would retangle as soon as I ran my fingers through it. After trying for most of the morning to get it to look presentable and finding a humongous amount of lint.. I washed it with a super basic showergel and used a tiny dot of after-shave balsam for leave in. I combed with a kitchen utensil made for spaghetti. I hadn't planned on washing my hair and wasn't prepared.

Most of my hair is drying, in twin braids, the tassels are dry (they look fine) and smell like my favourite man. I plan on washing again tomorrow.. but what I really am wondering is why there was such a huuuge amount of static and lint in my hair. The apartment perhaps? No clue.

I am happy with the performance of MO.. short term so far. Long term will be subject to more experimenting. :p

[ktani]

I went/(am) away on a long weekend, washed my hair on thursday and friday, two different shampoos, no conditioner and oiled my ends with MO.

(Friday I washed again because I accidentally got a load of oil in my fringe)

I forgot to bring my hairbrush with me and relied on my fingers to detangle.
Friday, my hair was good. Freshly washed, shiny (even shinier in the light of the appartment we rented, halogen). Saturday I detangled as good as it got, and threw it in a beak clip for most of the day, switching to a braid when that fell out. Sunday.. was terrible. My hair was superstaticky that it would retangle as soon as I ran my fingers through it. After trying for most of the morning to get it to look presentable and finding a humongous amount of lint.. I washed it with a super basic showergel and used a tiny dot of after-shave balsam for leave in. I combed with a kitchen utensil made for spaghetti. I hadn't planned on washing my hair and wasn't prepared.

Most of my hair is drying, in twin braids, the tassels are dry (they look fine) and smell like my favourite man. I plan on washing again tomorrow.. but what I really am wondering is why there was such a huuuge amount of static and lint in my hair. The apartment perhaps? No clue.

I am happy with the performance of MO.. short term so far. Long term will be subject to more experimenting. :p

Good question. I am betting it was the last shampoo used that has something in it that coated the hair in such a way, that the hair was not letting the antistatic properties of the mineral oil work as well.

When I have experimented with catnip - and it has been over 6 years now, even using catnip as a "shampoo" following less of my regular shampoo used, did not allow access to my hair of the catnip treatment that followed, ETA: to - condition my hair as well as it does normally.

Many shampoos these days contain polymers that coat the hair and leave behind enough residue to be problematic in a number of ways.

ETA:2 The shampoo I use does not build-up and for the entire week the mineral oil was on my hair without catnip, I had no static. My apartment is really dry too. I am not suggesting that you only use a shampoo that does not build-up. I think you just need to use a different shampoo than the last one used before the mineral oil.

[weatherwax]

Well . . . I couldn't try the MO after an herb wash, because my hair was just too dirty for those herbs to handle. Had to follow up with a dab of shampoo. However, the MO was insanely good: my hair was shiny, soft, and not tangly. Honestly it reminded me of the best days of oil-shampooing, except that it was less trouble!

I guess I'll have to wait a bit on the shikakai + MO experiment.

Jojo, your hair looks gorgeous in those before/during/after pics. What an amazing difference.

[ktani]

However, the MO was insanely good: my hair was shiny, soft, and not tangly. Honestly it reminded me of the best days of oil-shampooing, except that it was less trouble!

LOL, I did think of that too, lol. Oil shampoo can work wonderfully and it has other benefits that MO (mineral oil) cannot offer but it can need tweaking, and patience, lol.

This is much simpler and the results can truly be awesome.

ETA: Now, the next option. Can it be used as a pre-shampoo oil treatment? I would say yes. It will depend though on how much is used and how well it is washed out. The purpose of a pre-shampoo oil treatment is to not wash all of the oil out and offset a harsher shampoo. The mineral oil cannot penetrate hair. However, coconut oil (or any other oil) as I have said many times now, cannot either, if it not used on well clarified hair or washed out with a shampoo that contains barrier coatings.

ETA:2 With the way mineral oil works, much less would be needed as a pre-wash treatment, than a vegetable oil, so it is still going to be a good environmenal choice compared to the waste other oils can cause, at a fraction of the price, for a better result.

[einna]

ETA: Now, the next option. Can it be used as a pre-shampoo oil treatment? I would say yes. It will depend though on how much is used and how well it is washed out. The purpose of a pre-shampoo oil treatment is to not wash all of the oil out and offset a harsher shampoo. The mineral oil cannot penetrate hair. However, coconut oil (or any other oil) as I have said many times now, cannot either, if it not used on well clarified hair or washed out with a shampoo that contains barrier coatings.


Ktani, what do you mean by "barrier coatings" in shampoo? :)

[ktani]

Ktani, what do you mean by "barrier coatings" in shampoo? :)

Coatings that do not allow an oil to penetrate hair - polymers, waxes, botanicals like aloe vera, drying oils - it is a long list. That is why the oil shampoo failed for many, why mixing coconut oil with shea butter or jojoba oil failed as a pre-treatment before lightening - not failed for that - just not great results - in those cases the coconut oil did not have full access to chelate as well not penetrate - different application.

And no, I am not going to test this one - catnip will not colour or condition well over any oil on the hair - that I know for a fact after testing oil shampoo and catnip as a shampoo. Some coconut oil in oil shampoo coats the hair to condition it as well as penetrate, if used as I said above - on well clarified hair and with a shampoo that does not build-up.

[einna]

Coatings that do not allow an oil to penetrate hair - polymers, waxes, botanicals like aloe vera, drying oils - it is a long list. That is why the oil shampoo failed for many, why mixing coconut oil with shea butter or jojoba oil failed as a pre-treatment before lightening - not failed for that - just not great results - in those cases the coconut oil did not have full access to chelate as well not penetrate - different application.

And no, I am not going to test this one - catnip will not colour or condition well over any oil on the hair - that I know for a fact after testing oil shampoo and catnip as a shampoo. Some coconut oil in oil shampoo coats the hair to condition it as well as penetrate, if used as I said above - on well clarified hair and with a shampoo that does not build-up.

Thank you very much! I get it now. I just misread the last line of your ETA, and thought it said that coconut oil would penetrate when using a shampo with barrier coatings.

[ktani]

I said this in the oil shampoo thread - the one I started.

Someone asked me about the 2003 research, http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2003/cc054n02/p00175-p00192.pdf the one everyone including scientists quote that shows that coconut oil can penetrate hair the deepest, over other oils.

I was asked if the research study was biased as it was conducted by a company that sells vegetable oils.

It is a peer-reviewed study and the results are accurate.

However, the hair was prepped - with an emulsifier first to remove oils and then washed with SLES to make sure nothing could prevent any of the oils from penetrating hair.

In other studies before that, the hair was washed with SLS for the same reason.

In the 2005 study - on penetration and heat being used, the prep is unclear - except that the hair cuticles were clearly visable, which means nothing could obstruct the oils from penetrating hair.

I have no issues with the reasearch. What none of them addressed was that in real life today, many shampoos and conditioners coat the hair and do obstruct the lauric acid in coconut oil for example from penetrating hair.

If this were not so, the results the movie stars in that thread got - hair with volume and curl and wave with no tangling and no conditioner was used except oil shampoo and acidic rinses would be the same results that anyone who tried oil shampoo would get.

That did not happen and I realized why. The coatings that exist today in products did not exist then. ETA:2 And the coatings that did exist like certain botanicals were not widely used in soaps or the shampoos available then like today in "all natural" hair products.

Even herb shampoos coat the hair and no results like above have been reported by people here using coconut oil as a pre-wash before an herb wash.

It is as simple as that. ETA: Some coatings in shampoos today allow lauric acid to penetrate hair - that was the oil shampoo biggest issue, finding those shampoos and finding a clarifying shampoo that did not leave barrier coatings behind.

Why did they conduct the research? Here is the clue from page 3 of the link above. Colour added by me.
"Historically,coconut oil has been used as a hair dressing in the developing countries in the tropical regions of the globe where the coconut is cultivated extensively. Prolonged use of coconut oil has been known to lead to healthy looking long hair, suggesting that it may prevent damage to the cuticle in grooming procedures involving abrasion. Obvious is the lubricating effect of oil on fiber friction, which reduces abrasive damage, especially in combing. However, in modern times, the trend in hair oil formulations is more towards the use of non-sticky oils such as mineral oil ..."

[jojo]

Well . . . I couldn't try the MO after an herb wash, because my hair was just too dirty for those herbs to handle. Had to follow up with a dab of shampoo. However, the MO was insanely good: my hair was shiny, soft, and not tangly. Honestly it reminded me of the best days of oil-shampooing, except that it was less trouble!

I guess I'll have to wait a bit on the shikakai + MO experiment.

Jojo, your hair looks gorgeous in those before/during/after pics. What an amazing difference.
thank you, its great and a lot less faffing about!

I said this in the oil shampoo thread - the one I started.

Someone asked me about the 2003 research, http://journal.scconline.org/pdf/cc2003/cc054n02/p00175-p00192.pdf the one everyone including scientists quote that shows that coconut oil can penetrate hair the deepest, over other oils.

I was asked if the research study was biased as it was conducted by a company that sells vegetable oils.

It is a peer-reviewed study and the results are accurate.

However, the hair was prepped - with an emulsifier first to remove oils and then washed with SLES to make sure nothing could prevent any of the oils from penetrating hair.

In other studies before that, the hair was washed with SLS for the same reason.

In the 2005 study - on penetration and heat being used, the prep is unclear - except that the hair cuticles were clearly visable, which means nothing could obstruct the oils from penetrating hair.

I have no issues with the reasearch. What none of them addressed was that in real life today, many shampoos and conditioners coat the hair and do obstruct the lauric acid in coconut oil for example from penetrating hair.

If this were not so, the results the movie stars in that thread got - hair with volume and curl and wave with no tangling and no conditioner was used except oil shampoo and acidic rinses would be the same results that anyone who tried oil shampoo would get.

That did not happen and I realized why. The coatings that exist today in products did not exist then.

Even herb shampoos coat the hair and no results like above have been reported by people here using coconut oil as a pre-wash before an herb wash.

It is as simple as that. ETA: Some coatings in shampoos today allow lauric acid to penetrate hair - that was the oil shampoo biggest issue, finding those shampoos and finding a clarifying shampoo that did not leave barrier coatings behind.

Why did they conduct the research? Here is the clue from page 3 of the link above. Colour added by me.
"Historically,coconut oil has been used as a hair dressing in the developing countries in the tropical regions of the globe where the coconut is cultivated extensively. Prolonged use of coconut oil has been known to lead to healthy looking long hair, suggesting that it may prevent damage to the cuticle in grooming procedures involving abrasion. Obvious is the lubricating effect of oil on fiber friction, which reduces abrasive damage, especially in combing. However, in modern times, the trend in hair oil formulations is more towards the use of non-sticky oils such as mineral oil ..."

excellent post and well explained!

[ktani]

excellent post and well explained!

Thank you!

I just ETA'd again to be more accurate. Botanicals have been around "forever" lol. However, when I was growing up, and then (1930s and 1940s) none were used in shampoos that I could find, or recall from when I was young, and certainly not in the amounts used today.

ETA: Oh and coconut oil used as a grooming aid reducing protein loss with combing, same thing applies. It would need to be used on bare hair for that benefit, like in the research. Used over coatings, it has no direct access to the hair.

[ktani]

Thank you very much! I get it now. I just misread the last line of your ETA, and thought it said that coconut oil would penetrate when using a shampo with barrier coatings.

You are very welcome.

[Georgies]

I'm sorry to go on a slight tangent, but while I can't claim a whit of expertise in hair, environmental dimensions of fossil fuels are part of my day job. For those that are not interested, please skip this post. But as for the env'l aspects of mineral oil - it's true that a tiny fraction of the crude oil fractionating process results in mineral oil. I have visited oil refineries and they are quite efficient - all kinds of everyday, useful products are produced by the fractionation besides gasoline, really, they sell virtually every bit of what comes off the refining process, and min oil is one of those things.

The problem is that for the younger members the this board, the world's economically feasible reserves of crude oil will be exhausted in your lifetime. Regardless of other env'l issues, that is a basic problem. There is definitely uncertainty about the exact time frame since extraction technologies change and there are undiscovered oil reserves. But in general, crude oil is just not abundant on this planet. We are going to have find alternatives for all the many things that come from crude oil - gasoline, plastic, jet fuel, asphalt, mineral oil (obviously min oil isn't the most crucial). And soon. For some of these things, like min oil, there are alteratives. For others it's more difficult.

I'm not judging anyone's personal choice or saying that no one should use min oil - when I find that a product I've already bought has it as an ingredient I don't throw it away, I use it. And I'm definitely not saying that all other oils are environmentally kosher, because lots of "natural" products have serious env'l (and health) ramifications when produced in large quantities. But for those who are interested in this sort of thing, there is no way to make mineral oil a sustainable product with current technology.

Everyone should do as they see fit - I totally respect that. ktani and others have posted alot of really useful info in this thread and b/c I already have min oil products in my cabinet, I'm gonna use 'em!

end of tangent!

[ktani]

I'm sorry to go on a slight tangent, but while I can't claim a whit of expertise in hair, environmental dimensions of fossil fuels are part of my day job. For those that are not interested, please skip this post. But as for the env'l aspects of mineral oil - it's true that a tiny fraction of the crude oil fractionating process results in mineral oil. I have visited oil refineries and they are quite efficient - all kinds of everyday, useful products are produced by the fractionation besides gasoline, really, they sell virtually every bit of what comes off the refining process, and min oil is one of those things.

The problem is that for the younger members the this board, the world's economically feasible reserves of crude oil will be exhausted in your lifetime. Regardless of other env'l issues, that is a basic problem. There is definitely uncertainty about the exact time frame since extraction technologies change and there are undiscovered oil reserves. But in general, crude oil is just not abundant on this planet. We are going to have find alternatives for all the many things that come from crude oil - gasoline, plastic, jet fuel, asphalt, mineral oil (obviously min oil isn't the most crucial). And soon. For some of these things, like min oil, there are alteratives. For others it's more difficult.

I'm not judging anyone's personal choice or saying that no one should use min oil - when I find that a product I've already bought has it as an ingredient I don't throw it away, I use it. And I'm definitely not saying that all other oils are environmentally kosher, because lots of "natural" products have serious env'l (and health) ramifications when produced in large quantities. But for those who are interested in this sort of thing, there is no way to make mineral oil a sustainable product with current technology.

Everyone should do as they see fit - I totally respect that. ktani and others have posted alot of really useful info in this thread and b/c I already have min oil products in my cabinet, I'm gonna use 'em!

end of tangent!

I do not disagree. My point is that with the cosmetic mineral oil/baby oil out there already, and the way of using it here, there is a "conservation" of what is available now.

The cosmetic industry is as I write this, searching for renewable resources to find an alternative to mineral oil use in cosmetics. So far they (the scientists) have not found an equivalent.

[Hollyfire3]

I have tried baby oil!!! Now, up until now, my hair has been doomed, or so i thought. My hair had lost its curl and had turned just odd (protein overload and damage from heat i think) , i had glopped product after product to get my hair back and nothing had worked. Now, after reading this thread, i decided to try MO, and i am pleasently suprised. Up until now, i thought my hair was just screwed permanetly, it would be flat looking forever. After clarifying, i lightly conditioned with cone free conditioner rinsed then towel dried. I then applied 3 drops of MO and ran my hands through my hair. 3 hours later, my hair is nearly dry and is beautiful. Thick and full, no other products neccessary, even my ponytail looks better! My curl is not totally back, but i hoep this will come in time. The point is, mineral oil has given me a new persepective on my hair, it is not flat at all!!! I recomend moew people to try this is they need hydration or moisture locking on their hair, it puts new life in your locks!

[goldenmoments]

I purchased mineral oil last week and coated my lenght with two drops after clarifying. The results were wonderful. My hair was again bouncy and oh so shiny....reminded me of why I missed cones somewhat.

I was unsuccesful in washing the oil out with co, so I clarified again this week ( neutrogena anti residue). I only wash every four or five days, so experiment is taking a while...

I have a few concerns:
1. The biggest change in my routine since joining LHC, has been stretching washes and staying away from harsh cleansers. I'm worried washing regularly with a shampoo( which is what seems necessary to remove the mineral oil ) will set me back, I'm rather proud of the thickness I've gained since joining LHC. From 2.5 to 3 inches.
Perhaps I could lightly pre shampoo around the roots with coconut oil since I only place mineral oil on my length....?

2. How to know I've washed it all out? It scares me that I could just seal my hair off for a month of time considering I wash about weekly.

To anyone who is skeptical.... Good for your hair long term or not....this is definetly a product you could use occasionally to get a silicone like shine with simply a drop or two, especially if you don't have any silicone products in your stash, like me. I already know that when valentines arrives and I want my hair to shine for all to see, mineral oil will be used without a second thought.

Thank goodness I like to play with my hair. Just when I thought I'd settled on a routine....

[Tia2010]

I'm not sure about it yet. I washed and conditioned with my normal Giovanni smooth as silk, lightly sprayed detangling spray (also Giovanni), detangled and then put it up in a twisti-turban wrap.... Then while it was still damp I applied 3 drops of MO to my ends and length..

While it did feel 'fuller' on the ends (I guess) it felt dry and was somewhat tangle-y as well.

I'm going to try again next wash and see how it works for me. I don't think I need to clarify because I really don't use much product on my hair daily. ( no gels,hairsprays, styling wax etc.) just some argon oil or coconut oil but I figured that would wash out with my Giovanni and I clarified less than a month ago.

I'm really hoping for good results so fingers crossed :D

[ktani]

Mineral oil/baby oil is a light oil. It should conditioner only wash out easily. Non sulfate shampoo can remove it. It does not seal hair. It is no more difficult to remove from hair than any other light oil, ETA: except a drying one - depending on how much is used. It was easily removed from my hair completely with the shampoo I use that while a sulfate shampoo is not a clarifying one.

I had more diffuculty in the past removing a silicone serum. ETA:2 I did not have to use more shampoo than I normally use to remove the baby oil and I shampooed once only.

[pepperminttea]

Georgies, I had no idea mineral oil came from crude oil, though now I feel sure I should have done. Thanks for your post, that was an education in itself.


I've had mixed results so far. The first time my hair was drier and more tangled than usual, the second time it was like any other light oil; not bad, but not super fantastic either. Third time lucky, my hair's still damp. I'll cross my fingers.

[ktani]

Members here would have to be very young to see oil running out in their lifetime.

OPEC - Colour added by me.
http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/press_room/179.htm
"Oil is a limited resource, so it may eventually run out, although not for many years to come. At the rate of production in 2010, OPEC's oil reserves are sufficient to last for more than 112 years, while non-OPEC oil producers' reserves might last less than 19 years. The worldwide demand for oil is rising and OPEC is expected to be an increasingly important source of that oil.
If we manage our resources well, use oil efficiently and develop new fields, then our oil reserves should last for generations to come."

Drops of baby oil to me is managing a resource well.

ETA: How mineral oil is processed, (distilled) and the fact that it is a petrochemical is in the article I wrote, and blog post links and has been discussed here. I have not shied away from the topic. The facts are that many ingredients, including those in almost all conditioners, like cetearyl alcohol, ceteareth-20 and preservatives like potassium sorbate are processed with petrochemicals and petrochemicals come from crude oil too.

[victoria stiles]

Mineral oil does nothing but coat the hair leaving it shiny but dry. For those using mineral oil to moisturize, it makes an excellent alternative to use jojoba oil.

[ktani]

Mineral oil does nothing but coat the hair leaving it shiny but dry. For those using mineral oil to moisturize, it makes an excellent alternative to use jojoba oil.

Mineral oil has done the exact opposite for my hair and others too. It can help rehydrate hair and maintain a good moisture level in the hair.

It depends on how it is used. If the hair is dry and mineral oil is applied to it, just like any oil, the hair will remain dry.

However it should not get any drier, unlike applying another oil like jojoba oil, a vegetable oil wax, that cannot stop moisture in hair from evaporating, like mineral oil can.

[Long_hair_bear]

Mineral oil does nothing but coat the hair leaving it shiny but dry. For those using mineral oil to moisturize, it makes an excellent alternative to use jojoba oil.

I dunno. Mineral oil saved my dry ends from the scissors, and while I wouldn't use it alot, i will if my ends threaten dryness and a trim.

[Siiri]

I have a few concerns:
1. The biggest change in my routine since joining LHC, has been stretching washes and staying away from harsh cleansers. I'm worried washing regularly with a shampoo( which is what seems necessary to remove the mineral oil ) will set me back, I'm rather proud of the thickness I've gained since joining LHC. From 2.5 to 3 inches.
Perhaps I could lightly pre shampoo around the roots with coconut oil since I only place mineral oil on my length....?


Ktani already answered this, but I just wanted to say, being a co-washer myself, that conditioner seems to wash out mineral oil just fine, so I expect any sulfate free shampoo will too. When I WO-wash my hair, it feels sort of waxy/oily, but after co-wash it feels just normal, so I think it does wash atleast most of the oil out. I haven't used MO for a long time, but it doesn't seem to build up any faster than coconut oil did for me, even when I do apply small amounts of it basically every or every other day (after washing).

[jojo]

I purchased mineral oil last week and coated my lenght with two drops after clarifying. The results were wonderful. My hair was again bouncy and oh so shiny....reminded me of why I missed cones somewhat.

I was unsuccesful in washing the oil out with co, so I clarified again this week ( neutrogena anti residue). I only wash every four or five days, so experiment is taking a while...

I have a few concerns:
1. The biggest change in my routine since joining LHC, has been stretching washes and staying away from harsh cleansers. I'm worried washing regularly with a shampoo( which is what seems necessary to remove the mineral oil ) will set me back, I'm rather proud of the thickness I've gained since joining LHC. From 2.5 to 3 inches.
Perhaps I could lightly pre shampoo around the roots with coconut oil since I only place mineral oil on my length....?

2. How to know I've washed it all out? It scares me that I could just seal my hair off for a month of time considering I wash about weekly.

..MO in my experience and others is the easiest of oils to wash out, I just shampoo once and condition, I have no problem. with other oils I needed to put conditioner on dry hair first, plus I was coconut oiling the ends daily as I thought i was doing good, but it built up over time and despite clarifying I was fooled into thinking my ends were damaged, so id trim. The same thing kept happening and for the life of me i couldnt work it out, i just put it down to having fragile, fine hair however, since using MO my ends are fuller and no longer look dull and weak, this is evident in my before photos, the last inch does look scraggly and straighter this was build up! I also find my hair can go longer between washes, plus its easier to use because i no longer apply daily now i just wash, oil and thats it until the next wash!!!


Georgies, I had no idea mineral oil came from crude oil, though now I feel sure I should have done. Thanks for your post, that was an education in itself.


I've had mixed results so far. The first time my hair was drier and more tangled than usual, the second time it was like any other light oil; not bad, but not super fantastic either. Third time lucky, my hair's still damp. I'll cross my fingers. hope its 3rd time lucky, try teeny amounts on DAMP not wet hair! good luck!


Mineral oil does nothing but coat the hair leaving it shiny but dry. For those using mineral oil to moisturize, it makes an excellent alternative to use jojoba oil. I have experienced great moisturising properties from MO and definitely no dry hair, my ends have been saved from the scissors since using this!


I dunno. Mineral oil saved my dry ends from the scissors, and while I wouldn't use it alot, i will if my ends threaten dryness and a trim. same here, nothing but good things! 2012 will be our best growth year thanks to MO..hurray!!!


Ktani already answered this, but I just wanted to say, being a co-washer myself, that conditioner seems to wash out mineral oil just fine, so I expect any sulfate free shampoo will too. When I WO-wash my hair, it feels sort of waxy/oily, but after co-wash it feels just normal, so I think it does wash atleast most of the oil out. I haven't used MO for a long time, but it doesn't seem to build up any faster than coconut oil did for me, even when I do apply small amounts of it basically every or every other day (after washing).

its so easy, theres really no need to change your washing routine, its such an easy oil to wash out. So many people are loving this oil, my hair certainly is!

[Sinnamon]

Wich mineral oil do most of you use? I still have some Johnsons baby oil that never gets used... is it OK to try this? I have tailbone length hair, will 4 drops do? Damp hair?

[ktani]

Wich mineral oil do most of you use? I still have some Johnsons baby oil that never gets used... is it OK to try this? I have tailbone length hair, will 4 drops do? Damp hair?

I used that one and so does jojo. It does not have to be that brand though.

ETA: That is why I did not mention it before. It can and has caused an allergic reaction. That is down to the fragrance from reports online. I had no problem with it and jojo obvioulsly does not either.

ETA:2 The number of drops will vary with hair length and thickness - try to use as few as possible because so few are needed for it to work well. To rehydrate your hair, use it on damp hair, to help hold in extra moisture (water) if your hair is dry, as in lacking moisture. If your hair already has a good moisture level and you want to maintain that in low humidty, you can use the mineral oil on dry hair, as in not damp.

[lapushka]

Wich mineral oil do most of you use? I still have some Johnsons baby oil that never gets used... is it OK to try this? I have tailbone length hair, will 4 drops do? Damp hair?

It's fine. Try going slower first, maybe? I mean, 2 drops were more than enough for me, but of course YMMV (and my hair's between BSL & WL).

[Cloelia]

Another success story chiming in. I have to admit, I was super skeptical of this, but ktani does her homework, and the science of it had me intrigued. Well, I've used MO for about a week now, after using coconut oil for approx. 6 months, and the proof is in my hair. No stringy ends like with silicone, but better moisture in the ends than I ever got with coconut oil.
I'll add that MO has done the impossible and made my hair virtually tangle-free, in a manner that I was told by hairdressers that I'd never have with my hair type.
I went skiing this past weekend and lost my hair clip, meaning that I spent 4 hours flying down a mountain at 15 mph with my hair unprotected. When I got home, I expected to lose a literal handful of hair (as I usually would) from detangling. But it only took about 10 minutes and I lost a grand total of 3 hairs!!! And the ends were STILL glossy and healthy-feeling!

Ktani, you're a genius, and thanks a million. :)

[ktani]

Another success story chiming in. I have to admit, I was super skeptical of this, but ktani does her homework, and the science of it had me intrigued. Well, I've used MO for about a week now, after using coconut oil for approx. 6 months, and the proof is in my hair. No stringy ends like with silicone, but better moisture in the ends than I ever got with coconut oil.
I'll add that MO has done the impossible and made my hair virtually tangle-free, in a manner that I was told by hairdressers that I'd never have with my hair type.
I went skiing this past weekend and lost my hair clip, meaning that I spent 4 hours flying down a mountain at 15 mph with my hair unprotected. When I got home, I expected to lose a literal handful of hair (as I usually would) from detangling. But it only took about 10 minutes and I lost a grand total of 3 hairs!!! And the ends were STILL glossy and healthy-feeling!

Ktani, you're a genius, and thanks a million. :)

That is one heck of a test of a hair oil and detangling, lol. And then there is the moisturizing.

I am so glad that you had such success. The mineral oil/baby oil amazed me too and the research was and is fascinating to me as well.

And you are very welcome. Thank you. ETA: for the compliments.