Possible way to protect hair from conventional peroxide damage

**ktani** · October 6th, 2008, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by FrannyG

Yes, I did apply the hair colour over top of the olive oil. The colour still penetrated and performed as always, but I didn't feel any conditioning benefit. I tried this more than once, before this thread was started.

There was a definite improvement in conditioning when applying colour over top of the coconut oil.

I'll try to be more specific in future.

Thank you for the quick reply.

I have never used conventional colour but I have always read that the hair should bot be conditioned before colouring, to allow the colour to take more effectively.

I did not know that people did use pre treatments as part of their hair colouring routine, colouring over them, as opposed to washing them out first.

I had thought that what I suggested here was out of the ordinary, in terms of a routine before colouring. I am very glad to hear that it is not and that the colour works over coconut oil and olive oil.

I find it very interesting that coconut oil works better for the hair's condition with conventional colour but as I said, that may have to do with the amount of gallic acid in it.

**missy60** · October 6th, 2008, 08:04 AM

I have also been using coconut oil before coloring. I have been doing it for a while now. Im not sure if anyone remembers my color mishap with bleach. I have been using coconut oil before coloring ever since I returned to my natural color (well what I think it is any way).

I continued to color over breaking hair and it didnt cause any more damage at all to it. In fact I was able to continue coloring during the process of restoring my hair by using coconut oil. I never put it on my roots though because I was afraid it might effect the coloring on my greys. I could tell a difference in the hair that didnt have coconut oil on it after rinsing out the color. The root hair was more matted and drier feeling then the bottom hair that had coconut oil applied to it.

I visited another site a while back that recommends ARGAN oil to be used before color or 1 tsp applied to color. I wonder if Argan oil has the same properties as coconut oil.

**ktani** · October 6th, 2008, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by missy60

I have also been using coconut oil before coloring. I have been doing it for a while now. Im not sure if anyone remembers my color mishap with bleach. I have been using coconut oil before coloring ever since I returned to my natural color (well what I think it is any way).

I continued to color over breaking hair and it didnt cause any more damage at all to it. In fact I was able to continue coloring during the process of restoring my hair by using coconut oil. I never put it on my roots though because I was afraid it might effect the coloring on my greys. I could tell a difference in the hair that didnt have coconut oil on it after rinsing out the color. The root hair was more matted and drier feeling then the bottom hair that had coconut oil applied to it.

I visited another site a while back that recommends ARGAN oil to be used before color or 1 tsp applied to color. I wonder if Argan oil has the same properties as coconut oil.

Thank you so much for posting your results with coconut oil and conventional hair colouring.

Coconut oil does make a difference in terms of protecting hair from conventional hair colour damage, according to reports, used a a pre treatment with the colour applied over it.

Most oils contain some antioxidants. However I do not think that most oils contain the antioxidant/chelants researched or mentioned here.

I will definitely check out argan oil. I have posted about it before but not with regard to this.

In the research, the chelants are not added to the conventional colour. They are either used as a pre treatment, with the colour applied over it, or formulated into the peroxide/bleach product itself. That is significant IMO.

**ktani** · October 6th, 2008, 09:21 AM

I think that argan oil chelates more copper than iron and it is the free iron that causes the problem with a peroxide reaction, causing the process that releases damaging free radicals. See first paragraph of text.
http://pages.usherbrooke.ca/cspino/P...85-918-927.pdf

Argan oil phenolic amounts can be low and dependent on the method of preparation used prior to processing.
"this study confirms that argan oils contain low concentrations of phenolic compounds, whatever .... geographical origin and .... extraction process used. However, these concentrations .... enhanced when the argan nuts are roasted prior pressing ...."
http://www.arganoils.com/articles/en...rgan%20Oil.pdf

Argan oil has a number of benefits.
".... argan oil, extracted from argan-tree fruits .... known for its various pharmacological properties and used as a natural remedy ....
Conclusion: Argan oil reduces cardiovascular risk .... "
http://www.sidiyassine.com/documents...ardio_2006.pdf

Argan oil has also been reported to be excellent on skin and hair as a conditioning oil.

Here is the Argan oil thread
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...ead.php?t=4796

**ktani** · October 6th, 2008, 10:20 AM

There have now been 3 reports of coconut oil used as a pre treatment with conventional colour applied over it, yielding positive results, and not interfering with the colour's effectiveness. This was done before this thread was started.

It looks like coconut oil is the best choice so far, for helping to prevent damage from conventional hair colour.

**ktani** · October 6th, 2008, 10:31 AM

Originally posted by missy60
"I have also been using coconut oil before coloring. I have been doing it for a while now. Im not sure if anyone remembers my color mishap with bleach. I have been using coconut oil before coloring ever since I returned to my natural color (well what I think it is any way).

I continued to color over breaking hair and it didnt cause any more damage at all to it. In fact I was able to continue coloring during the process of restoring my hair by using coconut oil. I never put it on my roots though because I was afraid it might effect the coloring on my greys. I could tell a difference in the hair that didnt have coconut oil on it after rinsing out the color. The root hair was more matted and drier feeling then the bottom hair that had coconut oil applied to it."

I find the sentences I put in bold most encouraging. 2 reports are consistent with the P&G research, on antioxidant/chelants helping to protect hair from peroxide/bleach damage, used as a pre treatment with colour applied over it, the 3rd is pending.

**ktani** · October 6th, 2008, 01:39 PM

Has anyone else used coconut oil as a pre treatment, applying conventional hair colour over it?

I would love more feedback on the condition of the hair following the hair colour being rinsed out.

**ktani** · October 7th, 2008, 08:09 AM

The advantage of using coconut oil as the pre treatment and colouring over it, is that solid coconut oil is usually white, adding no colour to the hair of its own. That can be most important for lighter hair colours.

Coconut oil has also so far, been reported to be successful as a pre treatment in helping to prevent damage from conventional hair colouring, even when a higher level peroxide hair colour is used.

**thankyousir74** · October 13th, 2008, 03:07 PM

I used to lighten my hair using hydrogen peroxide, as in the liquid kind used for cuts, back in my pre-LHC days and I'd get a slightly lighter golden brown where I put it (like subtle highlighting). I was just wondering, because I have never used the creamy peroxide used especially for lightening hair, do you think that coconut oil could also work with the liquid hydrogen peroxide? And does anyone know the difference between using the two?

**ktani** · October 13th, 2008, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by thankyousir74

I used to lighten my hair using hydrogen peroxide, as in the liquid kind used for cuts, back in my pre-LHC days and I'd get a slightly lighter golden brown where I put it (like subtle highlighting). I was just wondering, because I have never used the creamy peroxide used especially for lightening hair, do you think that coconut oil could also work with the liquid hydrogen peroxide? And does anyone know the difference between using the two?

The peroxide off the shelf for cuts is 3 % or 10 volume peroxide.

The hydrogen peroxides sold for lightening hair are from 10 volume up and come in different forms. There is even a 40 volume peroxide.

10 volume is the weakest.

".... Developer is Peroxide. .... not the kind you .... have at home. This .... causes the cuticle to open, allowing hair color pigment to enter the cuticle.
.... higher the volume, the stronger it is. Generally you .... use 20 vol when coloring .... hair. .... Developer Volumes go by tens in levels. .... lightening 1 level. .... use 10 volume. .... 3 levels lighter. .... use 30 volume. Covering grey use 10 or 20 volume. Staying .... same level but changing the tone .... brown .... going red .... use 10 volume.
http://styles101.homestead.com/haircolor7.html

"Hydrogen peroxide is a weak acid" but it is altered for lightening hair to make it alkaline (ammonia or another alkaline chemical is added to it), so that it opens the cuticle of the hair and lightening is accelerated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide

The coconut oil pre treatment was reported to work with 20 volume peroxide in a conventional hair colour, left on the hair for 30 minutes (applied over the coconut oil).