Questions about Brushes & Oils
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Long Hair Happenings
Forum Name: Long Hair Support
Forum Description: Growing it long takes commitment and support.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=840
Printed Date: October 25 2025 at 7:42pm
Topic: Questions about Brushes & Oils
Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Subject: Questions about Brushes & Oils
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 3:24pm
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I've been growing my hair out for almost a year now, and I've started to get more serious about it in the last few weeks. It isn't very long, just an inch or two short of BSL, and I consider it normal thickness with straight texture. My long-term goal is to grow it waist-length and hopefully beyond. I've been looking at getting a boar hair bristle brush because I've heard that that is the only thing that will really distribute my scalp oils through my hair. Is this correct? The brushes I'm looking at are Mason Pearson, but I want to make sure that I'm getting the right one before I invest $124 into something that's non-returnable. They make a pure boar bristle and a boar/nylon mix. Does anyone have either? Are you happy with it? Is there a similar brush maker that's of the same quality? Also, I've been using olive oil in my hair to treat my dry ends, but I heard about Monoi Oil, which is coconut oil infused with a gardenia-type flower. Has anybody tried this? I always thought coconut oil was drying, so it did more harm that good. Any help is greatly appreciated! |
Replies:
Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 5:41pm
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Hello Page Welcome to the Long Hair Support board. A boar bristle brush (BBB) is not the only thing that will distribute oils through your hair. Your fingers will also do this and are probably the most gentle thing you can use on your hair (and they are free, of course). A BBB will wear out the cuticle of the hair shaft over a period of time and cause tiny scratches to the scalp that permit the penetration of chemicals in hair products into the dermal layer causing itching, tightness and possibly allergies. I have 2 BBBs. A Mason Pearson and a Kent. I also have a MP nylon/bristle mix. If you live in Europe, I would be happy to send you any of the above free of charge– let me know. You mention distibution of scalp oils. If you use a conditioner, you really do not need to drag sebum from your roots through the length of your hair. The appropriate conditioner for your hair type will provide sufficient oil and moisture. Olive oil is slightly drying to the hair due to its low acidity. Monoi oils are lovely (pitate is wonderful) but heavily fragranced which also irritates some scalps. Virgin coconut oil is very rich and deeply moisturising to the hair. Not drying at all, but if your hair lacks moisture i.e water, applying any oil will make it “crunchy”. Best to apply on well-conditioned, damp hair in that case. In my experience, most folks here recommend Jojoba oil, which is reputedly the oil that is closest in composition to human sebum (your natural scalp oil). It doesn’t suit me – I prefer Avocado oil with Sandalwood and Spikenard essential oils). But you really have to experiment with a number of oils and different ways of applying them (dry hair, damp hair, mixed into conditioner, pre-wash, etc) to find what suits you best. I wish you well on your long hair journey, and hope you will participate in our discussions here. Besr regards, ------------- Uzi |
Posted By: 3katz
Date Posted: November 26 2003 at 10:40pm
Yes; growing long hair and traveling long journeys are best undertaken in good company. Indeed, they are one and the same.  Jean |
Posted By: DaveDecker
Date Posted: November 30 2003 at 4:30pm
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While growing long hair is always a long journey, only some long journeys traveled are long-hair growth missions. ------------- |