Long Hair Care // Oiling

When I first heard about oiling I was clueless to what it meant, how you did it, etc. When I looked into it more I was a bit overwhelmed on how varied the term oiling was! There was coconut oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, among others. Some people oiled there hair when it was wet right after a shower, some oiled it when it was dry, some did light oiling, some deed deep oil treatments, some mixed essential oils in with their base/carrier oil, the possibilities were endless! I didn't know where to start so I just dove into it and experimented with a few different methods.

First off, what is oiling supposed to do for your hair? Basically it seals moister in the hair, protecting the fragile dry ends and making it feel wonderfully smooth. It also helps tame flyaway hairs and frizz. It's like leave-in conditioner -- only better!

My favorite method:  Light Oiling
I use this method every few days as needed, especially after a wash when hair tends to be drier. I have tried coconut oil, and though it smells wonderful, my hair doesn't like it very much. So I have switched over to jojoba oil. I LOVE this oil. I use it for my face washes, and my hair, and a few drops in a bath makes my skin so soft. Jojoba oil technically isn't even an oil at all, it's a liquid wax. Don't ask me to get into the technical aspect of that, because I don't know much about the difference between waxes and oils.

Jojoba oil is the closest of the oils to sebum, the natural oil your scalp produces. That is what first sold me on jojoba oil, since it mimics your natural oil so well. It doesn't seep into your hair strands like coconut oil does, but instead stays on the outside of the cuticles, providing a barrier between the hair strands and the elements it comes against (wind, dirt, etc).

To apply a light oiling, I stoop over bending at the waist, and let all my hair fall over in front of my face. After I comb it out with either my fingers or my trusty wooden comb, I pour only a drop or two of the oil onto my hands, rub them together so that all I can see is a light gleam of the oil on my palms. Then focusing mostly at the ends of my hair, I proceed to gently rub my palms over the length, until it is well soaked in. Then I usually take my bristle boar brush and gently brush through it several times.

Your hair should feel soft, but not wet or stringy. If it's oily looking you probably put too much oil on to begin with. Less is more in this case.

There are other methods to oil your hair, including heavy oil treatments, but I have not yet experimented with them that much, so I will post more about them when I have tried them more fully.

Stay tuned for more long hair care. I have a whole plethora of information I am eager to share with any of you who may be trying to grow long healthy hair!