How does oiling work?

[Covet]

Hi :waving:

I recently read in an LHC article that oiling the hair doesn't impart moisture into the hair, it simply keeps it in the hair. Does this mean that oiling the hair without it being wet is pointless because it's not necessarily locking in moisture/water, it's just oiling a dry hair?

So say I co washed, applied my curl cream and then put some olive oil through my hair and left it to dry. Would that be sufficient oiling for say 3-4 days? I'm guessing that the water would evaporate out of the hair and then some of the moisture would be lost and I'd have to repeat it... I know some people oil everyday but my hair really hates being oiled by pressing the palms on the hair and running them down the length of the hair. Hmm...

Thanks for any advice and if any curlies are reading this I'd love to know how you oil your hair!

[Hollyfire3]

Olive oil made my hair greasy, my hair doesn't like coconut oil...I haven't tried anything else so I'm of little to no help, sorry. I would think you could reapply olive oil, but if its moisture locking in you want, I'm gonna quote Ktani and say that baby oil applied in a few (3-4 or more or less depending on hair type) locks in moisture without needing to be reapplied between washes, and it comes out with one wash (even CO washing) also.

[Covet]

Olive oil made my hair greasy, my hair doesn't like coconut oil...I haven't tried anything else so I'm of little to no help, sorry. I would think you could reapply olive oil, but if its moisture locking in you want, I'm gonna quote Ktani and say that baby oil applied in a few (3-4 or more or less depending on hair type) locks in moisture without needing to be reapplied between washes, and it comes out with one wash (even CO washing) also.

My hair doesn't like coconut oil either :( then again, the type I tried (pre-LHC) had lots of additives and it wasn't natural at all, so I might give it another go but with a natural one this time. Would you suggest applying the baby oil on wet hair?

[florenonite]

Some oils sit on top of the hair and only lock moisture in, whereas others, such as coconut oil, penetrate through the shaft. I'm not sure if they actually moisturise, but for many people applying lots of coconut oil and leaving it on overnight the night before washing leaves their hair softer, shinier and more manageable after washing.

The first post in this (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10971) thread gives a good list of which oils penetrate and which don't. Olive oil is on the list of those that do, so if you apply it to dry hair you should still see some benefit.

[spidermom]

Essential fatty acids are part of the molecular structure of the hair. As it grows, EFAs erode away, and when you oil your hair with a penetrating oil, it replaces the lost EFAs.

A lot of shampoos and conditioners contain oil for exactly that purpose.

[Laylah]

Oil serves multiple purposes. As people have already said, it prevents moisture from leaving the hair. Oiling dry hair is not pointless, though, as it still has moisture in it that can be prevented from escaping so quickly. Usually sebum and the hair cuticle serve to prevent moisture loss, but in whose cuticle has been damaged or is too far from the scalp for sebum to reach (this problem is worse in curly hair). Oil also decreases the friction between hairs, preventing tangles, frizz, and static.

I oil my hair everyday with either coconut oil or EVOO. I just run my fingers through and comb the oil into the ends. Usually when I braid my hair I add some oil to the tassle. I prefer to spray my hair with a bit of water before oiling because it helps bring back my wavy/curly texture as well as make my hair softer and more moisturized when I oil it. If I don't oil my hair for 3 or 4 days, it becomes fuzzy and dry at the ends... but I have extremely dry hair naturally - it isn't greasy at the scalp after 1 week of not washing - and it is partly curly in texture. I oil more heavily before washing my hair.

For more curly hair like yours, if you want to preserve the curl you can spray it with water and scrunch in the oil at the ends. Just rub the oil between your hands and grasp the ends of your hair in sections without running your palms down the length of your hair. This will keep the curl from separating.