pre-oiling + bleaching

[dainaleeo2]

I've been reading a lot about the idea of pre-oiling with coconut oil before the use of bleach or any sort of color, & since my hair is in desperate need of a touch up (even perhaps some lightening since the color is getting drab), I've decided that today is the day to do it! :)

I did have a few questions, though, for those of you who have done this method or tried it with success.
I currently have the coconut oil sitting in my hair, enough of it in there to feel greasy to the touch but not super soaked to the point of dripping in oil, if you know what I mean :p
Is this enough oil? I erred on the side of using a bit more rather than not enough, & it's spread from roots to tips. The last time that my hair was touched up with highlights & a semi-permanent over the rest (to get rid of some brass, which my hair is prone to) was about 2 months ago, so I do have a bit of new regrowth. I'd estimate around 1 inch to 1.5 inches.

I also know that you're supposed to let it sit for roughly an hour, which I intend to do, if not longer.
Does letting it sit longer produce better results?
The dye that I'm using is Garnier Nutrisse #111 White Chocolate (which is the extra light ash blonde shade, gorgeous in my opinion & also has rave reviews). I'm hoping that this will allow my hair to lighten with minimal damage, since my hair is pretty healthy at the moment, maybe in need of a trim, so I'm crossing my fingers :)

Here are some before pictures as well (forgive the strange pose in the first. I was caught mid-action XD)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/tHeo2BiZ/DSCN03561.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/tHeo2BiZ/DSCN03601.jpg

I'll update with after pictures once I'm done. :)

[LaFlor]

I haven't done this before, but I'm interested in seeing the results. I've been planning on trying it when I go to get my next batch of highlights!

[FrannyG]

I swear by using coconut oil before dyeing my hair or touching up my roots. It's made a huge difference for me, and I have a great deal of new thickness since using it for the past three years or so. Of course, that's my experience, and I can't say that everyone will have the same results.

The hair should definitely feel saturated, but not necessarily dripping. Also, the oil will not interfere with the dye in any way.

I would suggest that you leave the dye on you hair for exactly as long as suggested in the instructions. Don't leave it on longer than you have to.

Good luck, and I look forward to the photos! :blossom:

[Clytemnestra]

I use Revlon's Colosilk no ammonia Light Blonde every four months or so to touch up and I get pretty good results with minimal damage using a pre-coconut oil soak. I actually start the night before by leaving some in and scarfing my hair then put more in for a couple hours before coloring. Then I'll leave some in afterwards with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose condish as a leave in.

I can usually get the color out with about three Suave Naturals CO'ings and a lot of water rinsing, because at that point I don't like to strip it with shampoo. Generally the next day I'll do an SMT with coconut oil/suave/honey and leave it in as long as I can, usually just bun, scarf and go. I use about as much as you describe, and it does not affect the color process whatsoever, and I second FrannyG with keeping an eye on the timing.

[dainaleeo2]

I swear by using coconut oil before dyeing my hair or touching up my roots. It's made a huge difference for me, and I have a great deal of new thickness since using it for the past three years or so. Of course, that's my experience, and I can't say that everyone will have the same results.

The hair should definitely feel saturated, but not necessarily dripping. Also, the oil will not interfere with the dye in any way.

I would suggest that you leave the dye on you hair for exactly as long as suggested in the instructions. Don't leave it on longer than you have to.

Good luck, and I look forward to the photos! :blossom:

Oh I think I saw your post in Ktani's thread when she had that oiling thread up. So thanks for sharing all of the info! :)

Ok, then an hour it is. Though, I may have to leave it on for about 90 minutes, since I'm currently pet sitting for a few people so that may end up taking up some extra time. But I think it should be ok :)
I'm excited! I've always used coconut oil for a pre-shampoo treatment or in some of my deep conditioning treatments, but never before bleaching. Probably would have saved me so much heartache in the past :p
Again, thanks for your input! It's great to hear it from someone who's been doing it for quite some time!

[dainaleeo2]

@Clytemnestra: Thanks! I actually used to use Revlon Colorsilk all the time but since my roots are a few shades darker than my highlights (a medium blonde to the more light, ashy highlights) I went with Garnier this time for a bit of extra lifting power. Revlon & Garnier are the only brands I trust. Though, I did get a free box of John Frieda in that foam color...but I'm too nervous to try it.
Anyway, thanks for your input as well! :) Much appreciated.

@LaFlor: I will try to update with pictures later to show the results :) I normally flat iron my hair since it has some strange, partially wavy texture that doesn't really make sense, but I'll attempt to make it presentable & snap a quick picture :) Crossing my fingers for a good turnout! I guess I could always do it again if it doesn't turn out precisely how I want.

[afu]

I've been using coconut oil for all my lightening this year and it seriously makes a HUGE difference. I would say that you are using enough oil, I put on enough to make it glossy but not enough that it looks wet (don't worry about putting on too much though, i don't think thats possible). I apply it like that to my roots (I just get highlights root touch ups) and then just a bit through the lengths to protect it while the bleach is being rinsed off. I don't think it really matters how long it is on there as long as it's minimum 1 hour.

I've not noticed any damage at all since using this method, it really is amazing! The top 3-4 inches of my hair feels like virgin hair, you can definitly feel the texture difference between that and the 'normally' highlighted lengths.

[RedheadMistress]

- Whenever I do it, I use tonnes of coconut oil .
But to be fair, I always over oil, my curly hair looves it !

I don't know if letting it sit longer is better or not but I can imagine it being so, putting a bag and then hat on your head so your hair and oil heats up from your natural heat, which is what I normally do when I bleach anyways !

I've been bleaching my hair for a decade and WOW did the coconut do a huge difference ! I was expecting to lose a lot of length when I bleached my entire head a couple of months ago, speaking from experience, but my hair came out fine o.o

Once I rinsed out the bleach, I put an SMT in my hair, sat with that for an hour or so, then put in the red hairdye I wanted (one component, makes my hair feel nice and soft) . .

Good luck !! cant wait to see how you end up once it's done :)

[dainaleeo2]

@afu: ah ok, i was worried about a) not having enough/too little oil, & leaving it on too long, but I couldn't see it hurting either. I'll be on an hour minimum, I think nearing almost 2 hours now, so I think it'll be ok if you say it doesn't affect the dye uptake. I think some of it is absorbing into my hair since it doesn't feel as greasy as before, but still quite enough :)
That's amazing that you've had such good results from it! I'm hoping for the same :) my hair is in such good condition (for some reason the pictures never do it justice) that I want it to stay that way for sure.

@redhead: I'm thinking of doing an SMT as well afterwards too, just for added moisture. I've stayed away from bleach for so long since I've been nervous of having a horrible outcome as well. Ever since my first bleaching accident almost 3 years ago, I've just been terrified. This is a god send for me :) I love the platinum, or at least very light blonde look, so at least this will help nullify some of that damage. Fingers crossed!

[dainaleeo2]

I just realized that my hair color, the Garnier one, has those 'nourishing fruit oils' that you add into the developer bottle. I think it's like avocado, olive, & shea oils, plus some filler most likely along with mineral oil...I'm debating even putting them in there. I don't want it to counteract with the coconut oil in my hair. Plus, I don't think they do much as it is. Eh. To err on the side of caution...I don't think I'll add them. I'm really not sure :\

[justgreen]

I don't use oils any more. My hairdresser slathers heavy conditioner on each foil, and then thinly brushes bleach on my roots.

[dainaleeo2]

I don't use oils any more. My hairdresser slathers heavy conditioner on each foil, and then thinly brushes bleach on my roots.

Oh, so just conditions the part that they aren't going to touch up? Interesting. I'm doing my hair at home this time around, since I don't have the funds for a hair dresser at the moment, but maybe the next time I get highlights or a touch up I'll have them do that.

[dainaleeo2]

Well...just finished with the whole shebang.
My hair didn't feel bad as I was rinsing, though it still felt as if a lot of the coconut oil was there, & in my worry that I never rinse all of the lightener out, I did use a wee bit of a very, very mild shampoo, SLS free as well. It made my hair feel a bit less nice, slightly more matted, but not that tangly.
So I rinsed & then wanted to apply my DT after the shower, & I just hate looking in the mirror nervously after lightening :\ It never seems to get easier. My roots came out rather light, & pretty, but the length of my hair...it seems to have a bit of a warm tint, which oddly it does when it's wet but then look wonderful when dry. So I'm saving my screams of horror for later haha. We shall see. If anything I can just touch up the length tomorrow or Sunday. I work Monday & if it's bad I don't want to look like bozo at work :\ But, we shall see!

[arabian_princes]

I've been reading a lot about the idea of pre-oiling with coconut oil before the use of bleach or any sort of color, & since my hair is in desperate need of a touch up (even perhaps some lightening since the color is getting drab), I've decided that today is the day to do it! :)

I did have a few questions, though, for those of you who have done this method or tried it with success.
I currently have the coconut oil sitting in my hair, enough of it in there to feel greasy to the touch but not super soaked to the point of dripping in oil, if you know what I mean :p
Is this enough oil? I erred on the side of using a bit more rather than not enough, & it's spread from roots to tips. The last time that my hair was touched up with highlights & a semi-permanent over the rest (to get rid of some brass, which my hair is prone to) was about 2 months ago, so I do have a bit of new regrowth. I'd estimate around 1 inch to 1.5 inches.

I also know that you're supposed to let it sit for roughly an hour, which I intend to do, if not longer.
Does letting it sit longer produce better results?
The dye that I'm using is Garnier Nutrisse #111 White Chocolate (which is the extra light ash blonde shade, gorgeous in my opinion & also has rave reviews). I'm hoping that this will allow my hair to lighten with minimal damage, since my hair is pretty healthy at the moment, maybe in need of a trim, so I'm crossing my fingers :)

Here are some before pictures as well (forgive the strange pose in the first. I was caught mid-action XD)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/tHeo2BiZ/DSCN03561.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v316/tHeo2BiZ/DSCN03601.jpg

I'll update with after pictures once I'm done. :)



I've noticed the longer the better, but don't leave the coconut oil sitting on for more than overnight or a day 12 hours as this will result in hair loss. When the oil enters the socket it loosens the hair shaft and you will notice increased shedding so instead of it helping it actually hinders hair growth!:p

[dainaleeo2]

@arabian_princes: Oh, I didn't know that. Well, most times I leave it on only for a few hours, or overnight at best, so thankfully I don't do that too often. Definitely never an entire day haha.


As for the damage after my entire lightening session...well, there was still some, since my hair is a tad frizzier than it was beforehand, but I'm sure that without the oil it would have been much, much worse. My hair is pretty fragile, which is why I waited the 2 months to do this as it was, but thankfully it has also seen worse days. So this wasn't too bad.
Did it negate all damage? No, but I think it would take a miracle for my hair to do that haha. Definitely helps & it's an added plus, but there's no way I could dye my hair again tomorrow like I thought I may have to.

It actually didn't turn out too bad. There is a very, very faint hint of orangey-ness towards the scalp, since my head just gets so dang hot & thus the roots are always way lighter, but this time they blend quite evenly. Some of the warmer parts of my hair from before probably are the result of the warmer pieces now, but the blonde highlights got lighter & it's much more even overall. Not platinum, but that is a process I will do...very slowly haha. I have learned my lesson.
I may have to tone Sunday since that small hint of brass will drive me insane, but it should be pretty easy to get rid of.
Pretty pleased with the results :) I'll post pictures tomorrow, since I don't want to flat iron now & kill my poor hair. It's also in desperate need of a trim. But thanks for all of the advice out there! :)