If you read this blog regularly, you probably know that I developed an aversion to oils in hair products last spring. When I use a product that contains an oil that I don't agree with, I have very soft hair on day one, followed by very dry hair each subsequent day until I wash again. The soft hair is very much like overconditioning; my hair doesn't really hold a curl and it feels gross. It takes a sulfate to get my hair back to normal. Needless to say, I don't do oils.Except for coconut oil, that is. Coconut oil is the one oil I have been able to use regularly. It easily penetrates the cuticle, so it doesn't build up easily. It leaves my hair soft, but that's it. Curl formation is intact and there aren't any subsequent dry days following a coconut oil treatment.
During my most recent hair crisis, I reread some articles and thoughts on different oils. This article from the Curl Chemist does a great job at explaining the structures of various oils and how we can use them successfully.
At that point I knew I needed more moisture. I decided to experiment Jessicurl's Weekly Deep Treatment, which contains avocado oil. Structurally, avocado oil is very different than coconut oil. Coconut oil is comprised primarily of saturated fatty acids. Avocado oil has some saturated fatty acids, but is mostly unsaturated. It even contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, which cannot penetrate the cuticle at all. I'm not sure why this seemed to be ok for me. Perhaps because it is close to the bottom of the ingredients list. Or maybe my hair didn't absorb as much since it was applied to wet hair. I also "sealed" in the WDT with some coconut oil. Maybe that helped? I have no idea.
I don't plan to use much of anything with avocado oil or any other polyunsaturated fatty acids in the future. But I do want to start incorporating products with oils back into my routine. It's been really hard to not use oils, especially when I'm already not using protein (although that isn't true at the moment; I'm really like SalonCare's Honey & Almond Conditioner).
My next experiment with oils will be in the form of Karen's Body Beautiful Super Silky conditioner. In the fall of 2008, KBB was all the rage at nc.com. Of course, I had to try. And at that point I was handling oils and protein just fine. My favorite scent is Jasmine Lily. I just found a bottle that's almost full and it smells sooo good! It does have jojoba oil, but it's farther down the ingredients list. And it contains more coconut oil. I have second-day hair today, courtesy of pink boots and more KCCC than I usually use, but I will try this out tomorrow!
2 comments:
I love using coconut oil, but my hair can't take a whole lot of it, about 1 tablespoon at the most. I do love it mixed with jojoba oil though, it's awesome! With the two combined I can really load it on without worrying about any oily hair. Have you tried Tropical Traditions' coconut oil? It's the best, highest quality stuff out there. I recently went back to using the coconut oil soap bars too, and don't know why I ever stopped, lol. My hair LOVES it and it gives me amazing ringlets.
-Sarah.j.s.
I'll have to see what kind I have. I got it at Whole Foods like a year ago and they didn't have that great a selection. I have learned to be careful in reading the jars though. I got expeller-pressed once and it was a disaster! My hair immediately soaked it up and left it tangled and dry. It was gross.
I've never heard of coconut oil shampoo bars! Sounds interesting! Though the pH is usually too much for my porous hair.
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