all the oils for hair

Hello again TG

I used Jojoba oil for a while (I paid $7 for a 10oz bottle by Natural by Nature oils) but I really didn`t like it. It made my hair stiff & dry. I even tried blending it with rosemary essential oil in order to make it more usable but it still didn`t suit me.

About 6 months ago I went on a monoi binge!!!
I bought Monoi Pitate (Jasmine scent) and Tipane (Pulmeria scent). I used it on my (damp) hair and body - good stuff, especially when your hair is exposed to the sun. Then I got a little carried away and concocted a very strong and sweet hair oil with 6 bottles of Monoi Pitate, cinnamon sticks, crushed cardamon seeds and a few chopped vanilla pods. I poured the heated oil onto the spices, added various essential oils I had lying around and let the mixture blend for a few days. After about a week I was really pleased with this heady, exotic oil. It has a mysterious scent and feels really good on my head. I am loathe to use it too much though, because I cannot remember the proportions of spice ingredients or which exact EOs I used in the mix.

Anyway, it`s fun experimenting and concocting your own stuff. If you do have a go, I suggest you carefully note what you include, the amount, etc.

I also have a bad (as in expensive and no doubt inadvisable) habit of using neat EOs to perfume my hair. Its great when your updo comes undone and your lover is enticed by a hypnotic fragrance that drives him........o dear...I`m getting carried away.

Yeah, oils are great.
Enjoy.

Love

Uzma

thanks so much uzma! i tried the olive oil as a pre shampoo conditioner and although i probably put on about twice as much as was necessary, it worked quite well. have you tried jojoba or monoi? if so- like or dislike? how is your uncut hair thing going? hopefully well. how long is your hair now? thanks again!:)

I originally got the info from various books (I own stacks on aromatherapy, etc).
However, I have only listed stuff that I use regularly and that works for me and my friends & family.
Actually, after I posted, I picked up another couple of books that are specifically hair-related and contain lots of info on the uses/effects of various oils. I won`t quote from them because of copyright laws, but I do recommend them to you if you are really getting into this subject.

They are:
Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair - by Dina Falconi
Naturally Healthy Hair - by Mary Beth Janssen
(You can get both from Amazon.com and If I remember correctly, the first title has been reviewed on HairBoutique).

Hope that helps.

PS: I have thick, coarse, dry hair and my all-time favorite oil combo for condition & shine is Avocado + Sandalwood eo in a 1:10 ratio.

Happy experimenting!!!

Uzma

First the BASE OILS:

Olive oil is good as a pre-wash conditioner
Apricot kernal oil with Castor oil (3:1 ratio) as a deep conditioner
Coconut oil as a leave-in dressing (in the sun, in the sea)
Sesame oil (the raw cold-pressed type) is excellent for coloured or damaged oil - cover with a plastic cap and add heat

Now for the ESSENTIAL OILS:

Sandalwood for imparting a rich, long-lasting shine
Rosemary for stimulating growth (use on scalp)
Thyme and Sage for intensifying the colour of naturally dark hair
Patchouli for conditioning and a heady, exotic scent
Mandarin and lemon as scalp tonics, sebum controllers and dandruff prevention
Cardamom for perking up dull, lifeless hair
...and if you can afford it, Neroli for cherishing baby fine hair and making it (and you) smell like a feminine flower.