HAIR: OILS THAT PENETRATE VS. OILS THAT SEAL THE HAIR

The use of plant oils on the hair has been common practise for centuries. Oils not only add shine but can also offer lubricating properties and tons of benefits to nourish the hair.

We classify oils on the hair in two groups: Penetrating – those oils that "feed" the hair nourishing farther into the cortex – and Sealing oils – those that "sit on top" of the hair strand, on the outside of it, making it shiny and protecting it.

Healthy hair is naturally hydrophobic, meaning, it hates water because healthy hair has the cuticle closed so it prevents water from penetrating it – while dry, treated, more damaged hair (which is most of us, honestly) will allow water to penetrate it easier as the cuticles are lifted and sticking up which is what we don't want, as hair can swell and look "poofy", then shrink it again when it's dry. Repeat this process over and over again and you can be causing hygral fatigue (essentially waterlogging it) and breakage. So how do we prevent this from happening? Oils.

The hair strand is made up of about 10-15% water, but the challenge is finding the perfect balance for your specific hair type.

olive oil is often used in herbal oil infusions because it provides many benefits to hair

Different oils naturally offer different benefits to the hair. Although most oils will help repel water by sitting on top like a film, some oils are able to penetrate deeper into the hair strand than others, and as such, will offer added benefits to the hair – especially if you have dry, coarse, sun-damaged or styling-damaged hair. This doesn't mean you're going to run out and dunk a whole container of oil on your head (gosh, don't do it!) because you'll end up with a greasy head of hair that'll be tough to wash off.

Using any oil from the kitchen cupboard may also not be the best choice, because some oils can make your hair incredibly heavy and oily for your specific hair type, Plus there are proper ways of applying oil to your hair, depending on the type of hair you have and the oil you choose for it, so we'll look at that a bit later on.

Hair loves oil use much more than water. Too much water causes hygral fatigue.

Oil use on hair is not a one-size-fits-all solution, by any means. I've tried the most renowned and researched penetrating oil (ie: coconut) on my hair and it just felt terrible after: It was super greasy, it felt crunchy, and I couldn't easily wash it out – even though I used it pre-poo, which means before washing, which is how it's best recommended. I had to use loads of shampoo to wash it out and I ended up completely drying out my hair from so many repeated washes, having to start from scratch (so frustrating!).

Have you used coconut oil on your hair and had a difficult time washing it out?
Coconut oil is wonderful for the hair – when used moderately and in combination with other oils.

Despite this bad rap, coconut oil is amazing on both hair and skin, and one of the most researched oils for use on hair. It has been proven that coconut oil can penetrate the hair, nourishing it deeper. However, using coconut oil requires a balance of ingredients that will provide its benefits in combination with other lighter oils and esters.

My best advice: Experiment with a couple of different ones and see what your hair prefers.

A note about hair porosity: If you search for "hair porosity" online you'll find loads of DIY tutorials and guides on how to figure out whether your hair is low or high porosity. This method basically suggests that you pull out one single hair strand and carefully place it inside a cup of water to see whether it sinks (high porosity) or floats on top (low porosity). I mean, really??

In my research and extensive education on hair and scalp, I have found that no adult can typically have one single type of hair porosity and have discussed this on many occasions on various Instagram reels. Unless you have a baby's brand-new beautifully virgin hair, your hair has likely been damaged in some form or another – whether by the drying effects of the sun, overuse of styling tools, chlorine water, colouring, hormonal changes, etc etc.

Hair is typically lower porosity closest to the scalp, where it can feel smoother as cuticles are tightly wound together, and won't need as much moisturizing because it has easier access to the scalp's production of sebum, the natural oils produced by the sebaceous glands (which are both moisturizing, protecting, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal!). As it grows along, it's more likely to turn into higher porosity, as the sebum has a tougher time reaching aaaaall the way down to it. The longer the hair, the more you can benefit from adding some beautiful oils to your hair.

Hair is porous by nature. And everyone has different porosities on their hair, and much of it will be affected by how much damage the hair has, and on your hair type. Take the time to research which hair type you have and you will be closer to demistifying your hair needs.

A QUICK chemistry chit-chat you WILL FIND HELPFUL

It would be difficult to talk about oils and hair penetration without touching on the chemistry aspect and understanding how it works, and why it matters. The most important thing you must figure out is the triglyceride composition of an oil, to determine whether it will penetrate or seal the hair.

"Triglycerides are esters in all oils, and they're made up of glycerol and 3 fatty acids – either saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated triglycerides."

Fatty acids (whether saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated triglycerides) are the building blocks of all oils. Fatty acids are made up of long chains of varying numbers of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached to it (I know what you're saying, "bla bla bla chemistry hate it bla bla - but it matters!). These chains and patterns are what make up the different qualities in the many different types of oils you can choose to work with:

• Short-chain fatty acids – Will penetrate the hair strand.

• Medium-chain fatty acids – "May" (or not) penetrate the hair strand.

• Long-chain fatty acids – Will not penetrate the hair strand, or barely, and will instead sit on top, or coat the hair.

As you can see, it's not as easy as saying "Ooh, I like this oil because it smells nice. Let's use it in the hair!" Lipids (or oils) are much more complicated a topic for one single blog post, and of course, we would have to consider unsaturated fatty acids, super or polyunsaturated fatty acids, and a whole list of carbon chains but let's get down to hair business:

Why would we want an oil to penetrate the hair strand?

Oils with short carbon chains have been shown to penetrate better than those with longer carbon chains, bonding with proteins inside the cortex. This means that the benefits of that particular oil – the vitamins/nutrients/benefits it contains – can have an effect on the health of your hair! Exciting, isn't it? Now imagine what happens when that particular oil has been infused with beautiful herbs? Ooh-la-la!

Oils that are made up of saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids are best for penetrating the hair strand. These penetrating oils are best for dry, porous, rough-feeling, coarse hair; if you want your hair to retain moisture, or improve its elasticity, these oils can make the hair more hydrophobic (another science-y word for "water-repelling") because they would penetrate and then, in turn, repel water from going inside the hair strand to soak in with it. Imagine rubbing oil on your hand and then pouring water on top. These oils can cover hair gaps that friction and damage have caused over time, rather than water covering those gaps. Get it? ;)

Why choose a sealing oil for your hair?

Some hair type responds better to oil that doesn't necessarily penetrate as much, but instead it seals the hair strand: If you want to reduce friction between hairs, as they rub together from dryness and if you want to retain moisture as it seals the hair from preventing water penetration. And most importantly, sealing oils can improve slip (that gorgeous silky feel), and combing, and make hair glossy and shiny. If your hair is thin or fine, sealing oils are more likely what you need.

Remember, any oil will repel water, 
but it can either sit on your hair filming over it 
or by penetrating deeper into the hair shaft. 

So the oil you choose matters. Don't just grab your kitchen's cooking oil and go crazy, nooo no gosh no... Many of these kitchen/cooking oils have been highly processed for consumption, so they aren't meant for use on the hair or skin – plus they would be missing many of the beneficial properties of the plant itself. For hair care, choose an organic, UNrefined oil whenever possible because these oils have not been treated with heat and processing as much, and offer many more benefits.

See our Instagram reel on cooking oils for hair.

PENETRATING CARRIER OILS

Typically, these will be oils with saturated or monounsaturated fatty acid compositions, with a compact molecular structure and slight positive charge. These oils also work best when they're slightly heated (even warmed up slightly between the palms of your hands as you rub them quickly together), and used pre-poo (before washing your hair) to prevent too much water from penetrating the hair strand. These types of penetrating oils include:

• Coconut oil

• Avocado oil

• Olive oil

• Rosehip oil

• Marula oil

• Raspberry seed oil

• Shea butter

SEALING CARRIER OILS

These oils are typically high in polyunsaturated fatty acid compositions, with a short (less than 18 carbon chains) molecular structure.

• Castor oil or Jamaican castor oil

• Jojoba oil

• Argan oil

• Hemp oil

• Grapeseed oil

• Rice bran oil

• Sesame oil

• Broccoli seed oil

Can you choose a combination of the two?

Sure you can! Again, it really depends on your hair type and what you're looking for in a carrier oil and its benefits to your particular hair.

We like to use a combination of both penetrating and sealing oils in our products. For example, our Hair Elixir – which is our version of a lovely silicone-free oil for hair – uses both types of carrier oils, as well as esters for that lovely silicone-like feel without using these types of synthetic ingredients.

Our OBLOOM Hair Elixir is a lovely, light, silicone-free hair oil.

What about butters? Are they good for hair use?

Butters, like shea butter or mango butter, work pretty much the same as liquid oils, they just have a higher amount of saturated fatty acids, like stearic acid, which contributes to how solid the butter is. Butters have a more difficult time penetrating the hair strand. To penetrate the hair strand, a fatty acid has to have a pretty small molecular chain to penetrate.

Organic ingredients will provide the most beneficial properties to the hair.

Some butters may penetrate slightly because of their low content of lauric acid, and they will protect the hair, soften it, add shine and manageability. For low-porosity areas of the hair and for thinner hair types, we recommend using light oils like jojoba, argan or grapeseed oils, while for high-porosity areas of the hair and for thicker hair you could use some mango, cupuaçu or shea butter – which we all love so much!

These butters are best used on dry hair so they work well to seal the hair strand rather than on wet hair which can make it draggier and more difficult to comb.

There are hundreds of varieties of oils that you can use on your hair. We love adding oils that act as natural silicone alternatives to our hair products, for that very reason! With all the added benefits plant-based oils provide – why would you choose silicones anyway?

In our OBLOOM hair products, we love using plant-based carrier oils because of the many benefits they provide. Have a look at our shampoo bars, leave-in conditioner, hair mask and oil treatments for starters – for us it's about more than using nature-derived products that help prevent scalp issues and hair dryness: It's also about creating eco-toxic-free products that are kind to the earth.

Check it out! You'll never try an eco-friendly shampoo bar like this one! :)

If you have been disappointed at using shampoo bars or nature-derived products before, give ours a try! (subscribe to our newsletter for 15% discount!)

Bi-Phase Shampoo Bar

Buy Now

Which oils are you most curious to try? Which ones have you tried already? Are there oils that you'd like to learn more about? Comment below and let us know.