Applying oil to your hair seems to be an essential step in the care routine for Afro hair. How do you find the right oil for your hair? How do you find the best way to apply it? Can you mix oils and combine their benefits? Colorful Black reveals all in this article!
Oils and essential oils: friends or foes?
Vegetable oils are extracted from seeds, kernels, or fruits. Essential oils are concentrated extracts of plants or fruits, obtained through distillation. They must be used with caution. Most essential oils are not recommended, or even prohibited, for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for children under 6 years old. When we talk about oils for curly or frizzy hair, we are generally referring to vegetable oils. Your first step in choosing a hair oil lies in understanding the distinction between vegetable and essential oils. Once you grasp the difference, you can select the hair oil best suited to your hair type and needs.
How can I find the right oil for my hair?
It's important to determine your hair's porosity before choosing a hair oil . Hair texture also plays a role, as well as other factors such as a sensitive scalp.
- Some so-called "light" oils, such as grapeseed, jojoba, or sweet almond oil, are well-suited to low-porosity hair. They protect the hair without suffocating or weighing it down.
- On the contrary, hair with high porosity will turn to thicker oils such as avocado oil, hemp oil or Jamaican Black Castor Oil.
Another myth to debunk: oil doesn't hydrate hair! The best way to hydrate frizzy or curly hair is to drink plenty of water! But some oils help keep hair supple and shiny because they protect it from dehydration. This is the case with argan, olive, and coconut oils.
But be vigilant and use new oil sparingly to avoid damage that is sometimes difficult to repair!
Is oil a risk for my frizzy or curly hair?
It's hard to believe, but yes! An unsuitable or improperly used oil can cause real damage to your hair. Here are some of the most damaging practices involving oils:
Apply an oil to your hair before exposing it to high heat (sun, straightener, hair dryer).
This literally frys your hair, leaving it severely damaged . Reserve the use of vegetable oil for oil treatments , in small doses in your deep conditioner, or on days when you're not using heat styling tools.
Mixing incompatible oils.
There are many DIY tutorials available for hair oils. Our advice is to trust ready-made blends from reputable brands. These oil blends have been developed in laboratories and rigorously tested to guarantee their effectiveness. Mixing two oils with incompatible benefits yourself can leave hair dry, dull, or weighed down.
Use an oil to moisturize your hair.
Oil and water don't mix. Applying an oil to your hair only creates a protective film that reduces dehydration through evaporation. An oil provides vitamins and minerals to nourish the hair and scalp, but not hydration .
Copying someone else's hair care routine.
Has castor oil worked wonders on your cousin, friend, or neighbor's hair? Well, it might have no effect at best, or even disastrous results on you! Coconut oil is a perfect example. Long touted as the ultimate oil for natural hair, it's now criticized by some. Indeed , not all oils are suitable for all hair types . The best approach is to test one oil at a time, starting with a small amount, and then make your selection.
More and more naturalists say they no longer use oil on their hair. Others swear by their favorite oil. And for you, is hair oil a friend or an enemy?
