Rancid oil?

**Eireann** · November 28th, 2020, 06:11 AM

I have some grape seed oil that’s gone off. Can I still use it in my hair?

**lapushka** · November 28th, 2020, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by Eireann

I have some grape seed oil that’s gone off. Can I still use it in my hair?

Does it smell bad? If it does: don't. If it doesn't, go for it.

**MusicalSpoons** · November 28th, 2020, 08:03 AM

Rancid simply means it's oxidised; I don't know how exactly that affects any beneficial properties, if at all. Yes you can use it, it's up to you whether you want to. (Most of the oils I use have gone off but don't smell *terrible*, and they don't smell at all in my hair.)

**Obsidian** · November 28th, 2020, 08:05 AM

Well, you can, it won't hurt your hair but it will stink to high heaven.
I used old walnut oil once and it took a couple washes to get the rancid smell out. The oil didn't smell that bad in the bottle but once on the hair and exposed to air, the smell went off fast.

**sapphire-o** · November 28th, 2020, 11:09 AM

Before you dump it, test it. Pour a bit out into a clean spoon or saucer, sniff it. Sometimes the oil around the container and near the top surface have gone off, but most of the oil inside is OK. In that case you just need to transfer it to another container.

**lapushka** · November 28th, 2020, 11:38 AM

I had a bottle (100ml) of "neem" oil by Dr Hauschka and I had it for literally years (over 5), so technically was that still good? I... don't... think so.

But I used it up. Did it smell? No. It had a nice scent, so I used it all up. And that took me over a year as is as well!!!

I am with the suggestion of pouring it into a different container!

My oil was a mixed oil, so a lot of different oils in that jar.

Are you going by the date to say it's "rancid" or the smell. If smell, just throw it out. It's not worth it.
But the date? Pfffff, don't mind that so much.

**lapushka** · November 29th, 2020, 03:48 AM

Actually, I just had this happen. Totally out of the blue.

My lavender massage oil (sealed with a pump), that I always use for an oil rinse, suddenly no longer smelled heavily of lavender (and boy that reeked). No. It smelled "nutty". That's the best way I can describe it. No lavender scent anymore just a "nutty" smell.

Realized it when it was already in my ends.

Oh well, it's not noticeable in my hair now, but I'm no longer going to use it. Don't want to smell like a bunch of hazelnuts (not even fresh ones).

This oil (okay hide). This oil was 10+ years old. So yep, no wonder.

I replaced it with my almond body oil (also sealed & with a pump), which is about a year old and that I got from my local discounter ("Action"). Sometimes they have oils, not all the time. Worth checking out if you're looking for one.

**ChloeDharma** · November 29th, 2020, 05:45 AM

Personally I wouldn't use rancid oil at all however if it's just going on the length and ends of your hair it shouldn't do much harm. If it's going on the skin (scalp) then I'd avoid it completely.
That said, I'll echo the suggestion to judge the oil by smell rather than by the date on the bottle. I had a tub of coconut oil years ago that I kept using after the expiry date and it smelled as fresh and lovely as ever so I didn't worry about it. Some oils do go rancid quickly though like hemp seed oil whereas coconut oil has a long shelf life. Also, refined oils tend to last longer than unrefined.

**sapphire-o** · December 3rd, 2020, 09:35 AM

I just noticed it's grapeseed oil. That's cheap stuff available everywhere. Just dump it then.

**MusicalSpoons** · December 4th, 2020, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by sapphire-o

Before you dump it, test it. Pour a bit out into a clean spoon or saucer, sniff it. Sometimes the oil around the container and near the top surface have gone off, but most of the oil inside is OK. In that case you just need to transfer it to another container.

That is an excellent point! That happens fairly frequently with opened oils for me, thinking about it.