Do I need to oil my hair?

**Flossiebell** · October 15th, 2014, 11:30 AM

Hi everyone

i have a dilemma. I have a sensitive scalp and I recently bought some natural shampoo and conditioner from oakwood aromatics. This is the only stuff I have used in years that doesn't irritate my head. However it feels heavy and greasy after a week (wash twice weekly) and if I oil my hair it turns into a gunky mess and my comb was full of hair (eek) and I have to use sulphate shampoo to get rid of it. I don't know what to do. I've been oiling my hair for so long I think by not doing it I am doing something bad to my hair. I also need to be careful with oils as they increase shedding at the root

does anyone have any suggestions? My hair feels a bit dry/brittle so went for poo/con for dry scalp and hair, I'm seriously wondering whether to put up with the itchies and use sulphates so I can use oil?? What is annoying is that I used to use any shampoo years ago and had no problems, I don't know why it's changed? I'm really worried that my hair will not be in good enough condition to grow nice and long (it's just at apl now). Help!

The shampoo ingredients:
sodium olivate (olive oil), sodium castorate (castor oil), sodium cocoate (coconut oil), jojoba seed oil, avocado oil, shea butter, lavender oil, tea tree oil, patchouli oil, linalool, limonene.

Conditioner ingredients:
aqua, cetearyl alcohol betaine, coco-glucoside, Shea butter, olive oil, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, jojoba seed oil, aloe vera leaf juice powder, xantham gum, phenoxyethanol, lactic acid, citric acid, benzoic acid, dehydroacetic acid, tocopherol, lavender oil, tea tree oil, patchouli oil, linalool, limonene.

**melusine963** · October 15th, 2014, 11:48 AM

If the shampoo is great for your scalp, keep using it. I would slather my length in conditioner to protect it before shampooing just my scalp. As long as you're cone free, the conditioner alone should be enough to clean your length.

ETA: Now that I look more closely at the ingredients list, your conditioner seems to be quite heavy. I would look for a lighter one.

**Anje** · October 15th, 2014, 11:49 AM

I'm thinking that your conditioner looks weird in terms of ingredients, honestly -- very heavy, with a non-ionic surfactant in it that in my opinion belongs in a shampoo. I don't think you necessarily have to oil in addition to it; oiling isn't something that everyone finds critical and your conditioner already has a lot of oil in it.

Honestly, I'd be trying different conditioners, see if something else works better for you. You shouldn't have hair that feels heavy and greasy after washing. Experiment a bit, try different things, and consider keeping both oils and conditioners off your scalp. Many people have trouble with them on their scalps, so you wouldn't be unusual at all in that regard.

ETA: Have you ever tried diluting a sulfate shampoo? Some people find that helps substantially with the harshness, while still giving them the cleaning power they need.

**Flossiebell** · October 15th, 2014, 12:31 PM

Thanks, I will have a look around.

Sorry forgot to add quote Melusine963.

**Flossiebell** · October 15th, 2014, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Anje

I'm thinking that your conditioner looks weird in terms of ingredients, honestly -- very heavy, with a non-ionic surfactant in it that in my opinion belongs in a shampoo. I don't think you necessarily have to oil in addition to it; oiling isn't something that everyone finds critical and your conditioner already has a lot of oil in it.

Honestly, I'd be trying different conditioners, see if something else works better for you. You shouldn't have hair that feels heavy and greasy after washing. Experiment a bit, try different things, and consider keeping both oils and conditioners off your scalp. Many people have trouble with them on their scalps, so you wouldn't be unusual at all in that regard.

ETA: Have you ever tried diluting a sulfate shampoo? Some people find that helps substantially with the harshness, while still giving them the cleaning power they need.

I have used lush shampoo bars which I guess will be diluted by the time the foam gets on my head. I still react to those, not as bad as some others I have tried though. I will have a look for a different conditioner. Thanks for the reply :-)

**Anje** · October 15th, 2014, 12:43 PM

Lush is pretty harsh stuff, from what I've heard. (Can't get it here without ordering online, and I don't like their ingredients lists at all, so I can't speak personally.) Try a more simple shampoo using sodium laureth sulfate some time, see what you think. It might not be for you, but I would not judge SLS shampoos based on Lush.

**Flossiebell** · October 15th, 2014, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Anje

Lush is pretty harsh stuff, from what I've heard. (Can't get it here without ordering online, and I don't like their ingredients lists at all, so I can't speak personally.) Try a more simple shampoo using sodium laureth sulfate some time, see what you think. It might not be for you, but I would not judge SLS shampoos based on Lush.

I will bear that in mind, thanks for your help :-)

**hennalonghair** · October 15th, 2014, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Anje

I'm thinking that your conditioner looks weird in terms of ingredients, honestly -- very heavy, with a non-ionic surfactant in it that in my opinion belongs in a shampoo. I don't think you necessarily have to oil in addition to it; oiling isn't something that everyone finds critical and your conditioner already has a lot of oil in it.

Honestly, I'd be trying different conditioners, see if something else works better for you. You shouldn't have hair that feels heavy and greasy after washing. Experiment a bit, try different things, and consider keeping both oils and conditioners off your scalp. Many people have trouble with them on their scalps, so you wouldn't be unusual at all in that regard.

ETA: Have you ever tried diluting a sulfate shampoo? Some people find that helps substantially with the harshness, while still giving them the cleaning power they need.

I completely agree. There are far too many oils in there' and you are using conditioner on top of that and now want to oil z9over that? That just far too much oil. You might want to clarify your hair using these members suggestions. Strip your hair clean without drying it out and start all over

**Madora** · October 15th, 2014, 03:54 PM

I'd definitely keep all oil away from your scalp. Just oil the length..or ends, and use the oil very sparingly. You do not want to put anything on your scalp that would upset its delicate balance. Have you see Heidi W's oiling tutorial on You
Tube?

link to Heidi W's tut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjVwPKMQDYk

**Flossiebell** · October 16th, 2014, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Madora

I'd definitely keep all oil away from your scalp. Just oil the length..or ends, and use the oil very sparingly. You do not want to put anything on your scalp that would upset its delicate balance. Have you see Heidi W's oiling tutorial on You
Tube?

link to Heidi W's tut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjVwPKMQDYk

Thank you so much for that link Madora, I have been using way too much oil. I will have to take care to use less in future :-)