Carrier Oils
19:29
In South Africa, our natural hair
movement is still in its infancy, so most of the products used by international
bloggers are not available to us. We don't have the options of walking into a
super market and buying the likes of Shea Moisture or Carol's Daughter, so most
of us opt for mixing oils and other kitchen ingredients. There are many
different oils, each with different properties. It is therefore important to
first understand what your hair needs before buying every and any 'miracle oil'
There are many oil groups, but there are two main
oils for hair; carrier and essential oils. These oils are normally used in
together in order to get the best results.
Carrier Oils
Carrier oils are also known as base oil and are derived
seeds or nuts. Carrier oils are great from moisturising, strengthening and
nourishing hair. They are also used to 'carry' or dilute essential oils as
essentials oils are sometimes concentrated and can cause skin irritation when
used alone.
Below I have listed a few popular oils, but there
are a lot more out there so if you have a particular problem that none the oils
below seem to address, feel free to ask in the comments section (I’m not an
expert, but we can definitely try help each other out)
Argan oil
- Great for
coarse, dry, or chemically-processed hair
- Nourishes
damaged strands and reduces split ends.
- Contain
Vitamin E therefore is great for treating hair that has been damaged by
over styling.
- It’s rather pricey, (costs
me R169 for a 50ml bottle) so only use a few drops at a time. I literally add a few drops in my daily
spritz, a few drops in shea butter mix as well mix a few drops with my
sweet almond oil and use that to base my scalp
Avocado Oil
- Contains vitamins
A, E, D and potassium.
- Great
moisturizer as it readily penetrates into the hair strand.
- Easily
absorbed by the skin so will not leave hair (and scalp) feeling greasy.
This is why it’s my oil of choice in my daily spritz
- Add it to
you deep conditioner, use it as a pre-poo treatment or use it as a sealant
(thin layer of oil applied after moisturising).
Castor Oil
- Thickens hair
- Contains Omega-6 fatty acids which helps nourish and soften hair. It therefore best to apply oil at the end of the moisturising process.
- Reduce frizz and split ends. This can be done by mixing castor oil with a light oil and combing hair just before wash.
- Castor oil is a thick oil so it is best to combine it with other oils or just to apply it to your problem areas e.g. on your edges/ hairline just before bed
** I
personally don’t like the smell of castor oil as it bring up horrific childhood
memories of my mom forcing me to drink it after I had over-indulged during the
holidays( Castor oil is also a laxative). I therefore only ever use it as part
of my hot oil treatment. I add lavender to cover the smell **
Coconut Oil (Contender
#1 for the “King of the Carrier Oils” title)
- Can be used to treat dandruff when applied directly to scalp just before washing hair
- Considered to one of the best moisturizers
- Able to bind to natural protein structure of hair fibre, helping retain moisture and therefore making it stronger.
- Natural sunscreen, so if planning to spend the day at the beach or by the pool, apply coconut oil as a leave-in conditioner before stepping out.
- Rich in proteins, Vitamin E, lauric acid and saturated fats that help keep hair soft, shiny and manageable
- Coconut oil can be used at any point in your regime, depending on what you want to achieve: Add it to your deep conditioner, use it as a daily detangler or as part of your hot oil treatment.
***Remember it solidifies, so you
need to melt it first before using it***
Hazelnut
- Softens hair
- Makes hair colour shinier and sharper so great if you have recently couloured your hair.
Hempseed Oil
- Is a ceramide oil which is a polar lipid which means it not only protects hair by creating a barrier but also limits the loss of proteins,
- It reinforces cuticle cohesion which strengthens hair.
- Natural anti-oxidant.
- Protects against moisture loss and is therefore great to use in winter as the cold weather outside and heaters indoors dry hair.
***So while doing
research for this post, I found out that Hempseed oil is oil from the seeds of hemp
plant which is actually cannabis aka weed *claps once*. I don’t know if you can
dip a rizzla in it and smoke it, but it’s really good for your hair. Please use
it responsibly***
Jojoba Oil
(Contender #2 for the “King of the Carrier Oils” title)
- Penetrates down into the scalp and hair shaft, dissolving build-up of sebum that clogs hair follicles
- Has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and is therefore great for treating dandruff.
- Adds shine, elasticity and softens hair when used as part of conditioner
- Best used by mixing it shampoo and conditioner. You can also apply it on wet hair after washing it, but it is a heavy oil so it can leave hair looking greasy. I personally prefer applying it to my scalp the night before wash day and allowing to work while I sleep, only to wash it off the next day
Neem Oil
- High levels of antioxidants which protect scalp and therefore encourage hair growth.
- Natural head lice remedy
- It is antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic and an anti-inflammatory so not only will it help get rid of dandruff causing fungi, its anti-inflammatory properties will help soothe any redness and scalp irritation.
***It really STINKS. There are
retailers that have tried to mask the smell of Neem oil, but the chemical
manipulation could affect how effective it is. It’s best to mix it with lavender
as well as other carrier oils before applying it to scalp. Leave on hair for as
long as you can stand the smell (an hour or so) and wash***
Olive Oil
- Natural conditioner which makes it a great oil to treat a dry scalp.
- Makes hair soft and shiny
- Antibacterial and antifungal
- Cheap compared to most of the oils on this list
- Can be used in your hot oil treatment, add it to your deep conditioner or applied to hair just before shampooing it.
- Extra Virgin Olive oil is the best one to buy and use
Sweet Almond Oil
- Fast absorbing carrier oil that is non-greasy
- Rich in magnesium, calcium and zinc. A deficiency of these minerals can lead to hair loss and poor growth.
- Best oil for hair that is dry and great for those with irritated, sensitive or dry scalp problems. It is soothing and nourishing to the skin.
***Currently mix it with a few drops of
argan oil and base my scalp with it***
1 comments
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