Expert Explains Whether You Should Use Oils in Your Hair
Growing up, you probably heard a multitude of beliefs regarding oils when it comes to your beauty routine.
We're told that having oily skin isn't good, but we're expected to use facial oils. It's understood that oily hair means it's dirty, so why do people use oils in their locks? With so many questions in mind, we decided to speak to expert Love White, who owns her own hair and scalp serum brand, Love & Snow.
Love breaks down all you need all about oils, and whether or not we should be putting them in our hair. Keep scrolling for the full interview!
Sweety High: Who should be putting oils in their hair?
Love White: Everyone should include oil application into their regular hair care routine. The key is finding the right oil for you. Think of the benefit of moisturizing our hair the same way we think of moisturizing our face. If we don't moisturize our skin, it will get dry, dull and irritated. These are the same issues that occur when the hair and scalp are dry.
SH: What are the main benefits of putting oils in your hair?
LW: With regular hydration, you're able to reduce splitting, breaking, damage and color retention. Also, some oils are nourishing and support strengthening, length retention and growth.
SH: Are there any cons of putting oils in your hair?
LW: When oils are too thick or heavy, they can leave a residue behind, which isn't good. Heavier oils are a challenge for the hair and scalp to absorb, reducing the ability to receive all the ingredient benefits promised. A hair hack I recommend is whenever you're trying a new oil, place it on the back of your hand. Your skin and hair are very similar in how they absorb product, so the test lets you see how an oil will feel before putting it in your hair and potentially being disappointed.
SH: What is the best method for putting oils in your hair?
LW: There are a lot of great options. An optimal oil that's absorbent can be used on wet or dry hair. Absorbent overnight treatments (think nighttime face moisturizer) deeply repair hair while you sleep and make your AM routine a lot easier. Leave-in conditioning treatments boost nourishment of hair after washing and further conditions hair to improve strength.
SH: How often should you put oil in your hair?
LW: An absorbent oil (one that doesn't leave residue behind when you apply) can be used daily to get the most benefits.
SH: Can you use any type of oil?
LW: All oils function differently in terms of how they absorb and the benefits they offer. An oil I'm a fan of is jojoba oil. However, not every jojoba is the same, so, use the "back of the hand" hack to test out how well a new jojoba you are looking into absorbs.
SH: What ingredients should you look for in a hair oil, and why?
LW: Look for natural and organic ingredients that absorb well. Synthetic and alcohol additions to hair oils can do more harm than good in the journey to improve hair health. Hair oils that don't absorb well reduce the ability of the hair oil to provide promised benefits.
SH: What ingredients should you avoid in a hair oil, and why?
LW: Avoid alcohols, synthetics, the ingredient listed as "fragrance" and ingredients you can't pronounce that don't have the common name in parentheses. Alcohols and synthetic ingredients can often dry out hair, which is counterproductive of the results we're looking to achieve by applying the hair oil. "Fragrance" as a stand-alone ingredient listing can be up to 3,000 unidentified chemical composition that can be harmful to your well being and damaging to your hair.
SH: What's your favorite hair oil that you'd recommend for teen girls?
LW: I'd recommend Love & Snow's Restorative Hair and Scalp Serum ($35) and Be Kekoa Pure Tamanu Oil ($24.95) for coils and curls.
Now that you've got the hair down, let's move onto the face! Click HERE to learn all about facial serums.