by
Christina Patrice
A few weeks ago, I had the absolute amazing opportunity to participate as a panelist in the Ouidad #FRIZZ101 hangout. I got some great information on managing frizz in dry climates, deep conditioning, and more. If you’re interested in the whole hour, go right ahead and watch. But if you want to hear Ouidad say something that *might* make you believe your entire natural hair journey has been a lie (of course I’m being dramatic), fast forward to 34:09 when Renee of In Her Shoes mentions using oils to seal in moisture and add shine:
Ouidad cuts in and says, “Oil does not seal in moisture.”
WHAT?! What do you mean, oil doesn’t seal in moisture? Ouidad goes on to explain,
Oil coats the hair and repeals natural moisture [from the environment]. It causes dehydration, dullness, and frizziness. Our hair is like us, it needs to breathe. If we suffocate it [with oils], it dries out.
Ouidad did go on to mention that there are water soluble oils, as well as oils like coconut oil that are very beneficial for natural hair — but that they should not be applied directly to the hair. They should be included as ingredients in products that you feed your hair. Does that mean everything we’ve learned about natural oils as sealants is a lie? Do oils seal the hair or suffocate it? For further clarification, I reached out to Jennifer Rose (@jenniferrosenyc on Instagram) of Bellissimo Hair Spa in NYC. She had this to say on the matter:
Applying a light oil to hair after styling or before bed for daily moisture is great. But it is the IDEA of ‘sealing’ that I have an issue with. You SHOULD have to apply your oil or spray-on moisturizer daily, that means it is truly being absorbed. If you put oil in your hair Sunday and it is still there Wednesday, your hair is lubricated, NOT moisturized. Oil does not “seal” moisture into the hair. If you have to L.O.C., that means your L is a crap product.
Apparently, these two textured hair professionals are on the same page. Although some may discredit Ouidad because her client base is not exclusively Black women, Rose’s specialty is caring for, maintaining, and growing natural hair. Despite their differences in clientele, they are both leaning toward the same idea: chill on the overzealous use of oils and butters. You aren’t doing your hair any favors.
So are we suffocating, sealing, smothering, or spot-on?
I find their choice of words interesting. Suffocating. Lubricating. Suffocating means to literally kill by preventing the access of air. Lubricating is the action of applying an oily or greasy substance to diminish friction. Sealing, of course involves creating an inpenetrible barrier that allows nothing to escape, but also nothing to enter. Semantics aside, oils and butters have always been touted to help lock moisture within the hair, helping it remain hydrated longer. But by that same token, oils and butters (with the exception of coconut oil) are never touted as moisturizers by any blogger or vlogger worth their weight in conditioner. Because by that same function of sealing moisture in, moisture is also kept out — and to an extent, repelled from the hair. So technically speaking, hair can be both sealed and suffocated (while being lubricated, haha) with oils and butters.
My opinion on the matter? I think it boils down to three main points:
While I can’t speak to what works for others, I can definitely share what works for me. Truthfully, I’ve never been a huge fan of sealing. Partially because I’m super heavy-handed with product and would turn my hair into one big greasy curl, and partially because I prefer to focus on incorporating moisture into my hair through the right product combinations. For me, there is some truth to what Jennifer Rose said in terms of “crap products”, and what Ouidad emphasized in terms of oils and butters being ingredients in the products used to nourish the hair. But first, let’s address the elephant in the room first: there are some crap products out there. Some products, by ingredient choice or formulation (or by manufacturers taking shortcuts to save money), are absolute crap. No name-dropping here, but we can all probably name at least 3 products that are junk in a bottle.
On the other hand, even though a product may not be crap in and of itself, it may indeed be crap for my hair…or make my hair feel like crap. Even though I’m a product junkie with no recovery in sight, I refuse to hold on to products that don’t work for my hair. There is absolutely no point in wasting my time (or money) on a product that doesn’t work to meet my hair’s needs. Supporting Ouidad’s point about oils included in products, for the bulk of my hair, hydration, nourishment, oils, and everything else under the sun comes from my leave-in and moisturizer.
There are two exceptions to this of course: my scalp and my ends. Because I have psoriasis, my scalp can get itchy and dry at the drop of a hat. To help quell this issue, I lightly apply oil to my scalp (mixed with a little peppermint or rosemary essential oil) and massage it in for a few minutes. The second exception is for my ends. They tend to dry out easily (more than likely because I never protectively style and wear wash and go’s 96.8% of the time), so I have to be diligent about keeping them moisturized. Every other day, I apply water-based moisture (via spray, lotion, or Q-Redew) first, then follow up with a ceramide-rich oil or butter blend lightly applied and worked into the ends. But again, this works well for me. Every glorious head of hair is different, and has different needs.
So in the end, what say you, naturalistas?
Did we all jump on the butter bandwagon too quickly, or are we just doing what’s right for our hair? Does this information convince you to not use oils or butters at all (except for in products), in moderation, or will you continue your regimen as usual?
For more transitioning and natural hair tips from Christina, check out her blog, The Mane Objective. You can also find her on YouTube,Instagram and Facebook.
147 Responses
I don’t like too much product even water based creams because it end up as a sticky knot magnet unless you shampoo twice a week minimum.
I am coming up on 2 years comb-free natural hair and I have experimented with half a dozen techniques. My best routine is a simple go to oil, shampoo often, and spritz moisture/steam daily.
I believe her, long before there was no such thing has moisturzing and sealing and folks hair was thriving and growing.. i think in these modern times why many of us our hair is so dry we are using too many products in the hair,, I used moisturize and seal for a year,, all it did was make my hair greasier, where i needed to wash it more frequent, which made it more drier, and mess my pillowcases up… so no thanks i went back to using a water based moisturizer alone ( ableit) a good quality one, and my hair is thriving,.
I was looking for information on beeswax as a sealant when I came across this site. Good source of pros and cons on oils.
I am changing my hair grooming routine using steam instead of product to detangle. It works really well but I noticed that coconut oil and castor oil were leaving my hair dry. Perhaps they were being absorbed but the end result was dry looking hair and ends. I decided to try lighter oils (avocado and almond mixed)and used a beeswax cream product to seal and it was amazing how it changed the look and feel of my hair. I am concerned about the beeswax though, whether or not it is good in the long run. I set my 4A natural hair with rollers or use 2-strand twists. So far, I am pleased. Just wondering if anyone has experience over time using beeswax. Pros or cons.
I think they are right i just stopped sealing moisture with oils and (fingers crossed) these past 9 weeks been a bliss,, i admit iam heavy handed with products,,, but now that i stopped sealing my hair feels softer, easier to style and just better lol.. and i find i don’t have to wash my hair more than once a week since stopping sealing, now its once a week or sometimes once every 10 days. my hair type a mix of 3b and 3c.
I think the bottom line is to do what works for your hair. I can relate to some of the things said in this article. Whether she is trying to sell her products or not I think there is some truth to the fact that sealing hair may not work for everyone. If I use a leave in or add water to my hair then proceed to seal with a butter or oil my hair may sometimes feel good but then feel dry or hard or brittle on the ends within the same day. I have tried so many different oils and products. I have seen the benefits that sealing with oils and butters has done for naturals but I wish it would work for me because I want soft moisturized and manageable hair. At first I thought I was the only one but others have a similar experience. For example the youtuber ClassyAshli has had a similar experience to myself. FYI I have 4C low porosity hair. I’m gonna try a few other things but I may just go back to using a petroleum based oil product. And also I wouldn’t try Ouidad as I’m sure it wouldn’t work for my hair seems like a brand for people with curls and not kinkier textures.
I’ve been natural for many years now but had never heard of sealing with oil and butter until a few months ago via naptural85. I always used to use leave-in conditioners to moisturize my hair. When I would style my hair I would notice a lot of hair coming out but I figured that was normal because everyone else that I knew also lost a lot of their hair while styling and detangling. Naptural85 introduced me to unrefined coconut oil and shea butter and my hair has done a complete 180. I have 4A hair and before coconut oil and shea butter it was always tangled. Now, my hair is so detangled I don’t even have to detangle it. I just loosen it with my fingers and there are no tangles. My hair has grown without shea butter but not to the lengths it could have because I did not realize that all that breakage was not normal. I even have a friend with 3A hair who uses oils to moisturize her hair. My hair routine has completely changed and my hair no longer has tangles thanks to God, naptural85, coconut oil, shea butter, Taliah Waajid’s monoi oil, Shea Moisture’s African Black Soap Shampoo, Shea Moisture conditioner and water. I went from using every product I could get my hands on to barely any. I still like natural products like those from Shea Moisture, Aunt Jackie, Taliah Waajid, Olive Oil, African Pride, etc., for maintaining wash and go’s but for everything else, they are unnecessary when using natural85’s shea butter recipe. God put everything we need on this Earth and natural shea butter is fantastic for our natural hair.
I believe they right when this whole moisture and SEAL with oil stuff came along… people hair was thriving and growing and yes staying moisturized just fine w/o sealing with oils…another stylist more recent said the same thing,, she never mositurizes and seals and her hair stays hydrated from the conditner she uses.
I think a lot of people are missing the point. Oils don’t help with moisture. I don’t even believe they seal on moisture. I tried coconut oil, olive oil, Argan oil, jojoba oil, and other oils but they always left my hair very dry and brittle then when I just use water, organic apple cider vinegar, and few drops of eucalyptus, tea tree oil, and Tamanu oil to make a nice smelling product that lubricates the hair. I think it allows the water glide through the hair better like when you add oil to an engine to help it work better and not burn out, but it doesn’t give moisture to the hair like many people believe. I personally believe everyone hair is different but what every hair needs is water and I feel that people cut out water out of their hair,vans use oil instead and I do believecounterproductive and prevents water from absorbing in the hair since water and oils don’t mix, instead the oil just lays there on your hair which, prevents your scalp from getting moisture and messes up some people pillows. I remember people swearing that castor oil was great for hair, but I found it bet his thick oil that suffocated my hair, it just left it greasy and dry and that’s when I applies as little as possible to a section of hair. I find that moisturing hair daily and taking the time to deranged my strands with my fingers every other day especially on wash day, has allowed my hair to stay soft and conditioned rather than oiling my strands after each wash, I leave my hair out and gently stretch it out as I deranged and I just let it air dry and I find my hair is left moisturizer when I just let it dry on it’s own and just keep my routine simple.
After co washing, i seperate into sections for twists and I use a leave in conditioner and seal with an olive oil & coconut oil mix on twists.. Keeps my hair moisturized for up to 3 days and then i just repeat it until wash day which is once a week.. Works for me.. Sealing with oil has always helped me, but i cant speak for everyone else.. Depending on the hair and technique you use, their opinions are neither right nor wrong..
I love Jennifer–I think she really knows her stuff so I’d love to know what product(s) she recommends.
I call BS! Hair is dead protein it cannot breathe, moreover she wants us to trade in the natural oils for silicones which are notorious for dehydrating the hair and blocking moisture….Huh?? I am not going to take the word of a non-black woman whose hair and that of her clientele is of the silky persuasion over the word of my fellow sistas in the struggle. Its easy to be contrary when you’re trying to sell a product but reality speaks for itself; my hair started to thrive when I learnt about sealing in moisture with oil/butter. In the 4 years since I’ve been natural my regimen has been verrry simple and a large part of it has been moisturizing with water and sealing with my shea butter/oil mix. Four years later my hair is thick healthy and past waist length. I hardly get split ends and I’ve never had major issues with my hair. Ouidad can kick rocks, oils/butter shall remain a staple of mine.
I agree with you. I’ve been natural for many years now but had never heard of sealing with oil and butter until a few months ago via naptural85. I always used to use leave-in conditioners to moisturize my hair. When I would style my hair I would notice a lot of hair coming out but I figured that was normal because everyone else that I knew also lost a lot of their hair while styling and detangling. Naptural85 introduced me to coconut oil and shea butter and my hair has done a complete 180. I have 4A hair and before coconut oil and shea butter it was always tangled. Now, my hair is so detangled I don’t even have to detangle it. I just loosen it with my fingers and there are no tangles. My hair has grown without shea butter but not to the lengths it could have because I did not realize that all that breakage was not normal. I even have a friend with 3A hair who uses oils to moisturize her hair. My hair routine has completely changed and my hair no longer has tangles thanks to God, naptural85, coconut oil, shea butter, Taliah Waajid’s monoi oil, Shea Moisture’s African Black Soap Shampoo, Shea Moisture conditioner and water. I went from using every product I could get my hands on to barely any. I still like natural products like those from Shea Moisture, Aunt Jackie, Taliah Waajid, Olive Oil, African Pride, etc., for maintaining wash and go’s but for everything else, they are unnecessary when using natural85’s shea butter recipe. God put everything we need on this Earth and natural shea butter is fantastic for our natural hair.
I find it interesting that the same people who find that those who slather their hair in butters and oils are the same people who believe they naturally don’t have a curl pattern. When Ouidad is talking about curly hair needs to breathe, and that hair has a pulse, she means that is has an affinity for moisture and it (moisture in the hair) has an exchange with the environment. Lightweight products facilitate that and the (healthy well-conditioned) curl pattern is left able to do what is does naturally, have spring, bounce and resilience without a ton of drama. A lot of naturals have a fear of shrinkage and want to stretch their hair all the time, but our hair is curly, coiled and we should respect that. Preventing the hair from doing what it does naturally, whether you are chemically relaxing it or slathering it in butters and oils on a daily basis, it’s all the same. Watch the entire Google Hangout and you’ll see that Ouidad is not selling her products, she’s selling her philosophy, which is based on science and experience. Take care of your hair and you won’t have issues. Overdo whatever it is you are doing and you will have issues. Deep condition, take care of, and respect the hair, don’t fight what you have naturally. Her salon has been open since the 80s, and just because you don’t know any black women who go to her doesn’t mean she doesn’t have hundreds of black clients. This current natural hair movement is turning into yet another manifestation of slavery by automatically dismissing an idea because it goes against what you have always thought (not based on science or experience with multiple textures) and the moment someone with common sense comes around it’s like they are speaking another language. Black hair has a tendency to be fine in texture–why would slathering it in heavy products that weigh it down and slowly cause it to break make more sense than easing up on the products, introducing a more water-based product/regimen, and treating the pandemic of the dry hair condition smarter rather than harder? I’ll never understand the direction of this movement. Desire long hair but continue to do the things that hold it back (mentally especially). Our hair really is a lot easier than most believe it to be nowadays. The video about is evidence of that, but some of y’all just can’t even see that. Kudos to the writer for opening the discussion. The end.
tl;dr
Your comment completely misses the point of why this movement started in the 1st place. If ladies of kinkier hair types had these amazing professionals that were so knowledgeable about natural hair we wouldn’t have went out of our way to DIY! Most of them jumped/are jumping on the bandwagon!! They didn’t know nor promote jack about healthy & long natural kinky hair. They permed, pressed, and fried our hair. I went natural before the movement and hairdressers didn’t want to get anywhere near my hair unless I wanted it straightened. You also are wrong about our hair being held back and not growing due to ignoring professionals. On the contrary natural kinky haired ladies are growing hair longer than ever following advice of non-professionals. Sorry but you are wrong and the natural hair movement is proving it every day! Not everything promoted is good for everyone but this has opened so many ladies up to truly getting to know their hair and finding what works best for them. Not to trivialize the Ouidad lady but she would need proven experience with growing long kinky-haired clients for her to be taken seriously by women who (for the 1st time) are achieving amazing hair health and length.
The trick with our hair is timing. Oil on dry hair results in greasy, drier hair. Oil on soaking wet hair results in moisture locked into the shaft and healthy defined curls. The panelists got one thing right though. Coconut and shea oils are great conditioners, lousy sealants. If you want to coat the hair shaft to lock in moisture you need to use (wait for it) petroleum jelly.
Petroleum jelly! That stuff is a dust magnet for my hair! I avoid it like the plague bc it picks up every damn piece of lent that blows my way.i go for lighter sealants, smaller molecules that actually penetration the hair shaft a little and give me lasting moisture & allows moisture IN more easily.
Petroleum weighs my hair down in a bad way!Sooo bad! Other oil sealants don’t weigh my hair down as much & can be reapplied when needed. It took me forever to eliminate “dust & lint magnet” ingredients like petroleum & mineral oil from my staple hair products.
It’s interesting to learn what works for others on this site! I love it!
I agree petroleum is a good sealant, but I WON’T put it on my hair. Shea butter works great as a sealant for me. Oil only makes my hair shiny, then hours later it’s dry again. I’ve tried every oil. No matter how much oil I apply to dripping wet hair after my leave in, the result is promising upon application, but dry, oily hair hours later as stated. Castor, shea butter and jojoba oil are the best sealants because they have thick consistencies, but aren’t as trash as petroleum. Jojoba oil is a wax by the way.
I have fine textured hair, high density, low porosity, 3C (Rachel True) curls.
well the only thing I can take away from this is that Ouidad is charming & trying sell her products by being down to earth. Good for her, but to state an absolute like seems a bit arbitrary. Sell away, but I wouldn’t disparage something that works & has been working for thousands of men & women… maybe she meant *mineral* oil, or something else not so absorbent — who knows. Olive & Coconut oils especially continue to work absolutely brilliantly for me, and I’m not going back! lol if I get some kind of gift basket situation for mi berfday 😉 or from Santa or Hanukkah Harry, I won’t say no, but they won’t see a penny from me! 😀
I don’t believe this company.
Interesting points, but I can’t help but feel like this conveniently points us to ouidad products! I tried their leave ins and those were “crap” for my hair! Hard and dry *shudder*. I think if your hair feels nice and is retaining length at a reasonable pace then it is healthy enough to keep doing what you’re doing. Hair doesn’t have pores so comparing it to the rest of the body needing to “breathe” isn’t a great analogy even if you’re talking figuratively.
I don’t listen to people who have products they need to sell. Ouidad, is trying to sell products. And this notion about hair “breathing” is nonsense! Hair is “dead” when it leaves the scalp.
Oil works fine as a sealant when I deep condition. The end result is shiny, soft, silky curls, probably better than the end result of her products. Stop listening to everything you hear and follow what works for you ladies!!!!!
I agree. She didjt mention her profucts have silcons which is much much harder to get out if your hair then oils, which anyone who stioped using SLS & chemical shampoos knows about. It takes months to a year to get silcones out of your hair. So much for letting hair “breathe”.
Curly hair is only dry because sebum doesnt reach our ends from the scalp because of the curl pattern. Straight hair people get an oil spill of sebum and sebum is a sealant(I’m hiping as effective as joboba oil) so techically their hair isnt breathing either.
This is of course assuming sebum, coconut oil(a weak sealant) or even the good known ones like shea butter, joboba oil, aragorn oil, macadamia nut oil, petrolum jelly are 100% sealants. Which they aren’t. With perhaps the exception of petrolum jelly.
Sebum keeps too much hair from getting out but allows some exchange of moisture with the air. I think it’s the same with macadamia nut oil, aragorn oil, & joboba oil(its ‘a wax but sebum is also waxy).
Curly hair is delicate because it doesn’t get moisture so it’s dry and prone to damage(breaking, etc.). This happens naturally without using oils for sealants and it’s not healthy for hair. If it is weak while moisturized it is possiboy only because it has a lack of protein. Moisture doesn’t damage hair. Unless it saturates hair and you comb it.
But there is nothing wrong I can see with moisturizng hair and sealing it. Unless it’s necesary for hair to “breathe” by exchanging air with the environment. Or hair has to naturally exchsnge enough moisture with hair, which I doubt. I believe hair has to not be saturated all the time & exchange a little bit of moisture with the environment.
Otherwise I dont see anything wrong with ouls. I think if Ouidad truly thinks sealing hair with oils is oh so bad she needs to give us examples of the science behind it. And explain why naturally curly hair without oil sealants that are rpinento damange because they’re so dry is the healthier option. And of course why her products with silcones are considered ok but oil sealants aren’t.
Otherwise I’m not going to blindly believe someoen who has a product to sell. I donr have any reason to.
Also i dont know about white petrolum jelly but PJ clogs the pores and doesn’t come out. Except perhaps with bentonite clay. I am using Petrolum jelly for now until i get joboba oil or enough sebum but I avoid my scalp.
The Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian women in my part of the world have used coconut oil for a very, very long time, applying it to damp hair to “seal” the moisture in, and didn’t seem to have much problem retaining long, healthy looking hair. All that by applying it directly to the hair and without any of the other ingredients you find in commercial hair products on shelves.
Hair is like nails, their composition is the same, saying that oil suffocates the hair is like saying oil suffocates your nails, its ridiculous, the only thing that actually need to breathe is our scalp, the rest is total non-sense.
Honestly they can say what they want to but what really works? If it was a case where persons who used oils for sealing were experiencing issues with their hair then we could say OK there might e something to their argument but since sealing in moisture I have experienced length retention beyond belief. It works and thus I will not stop using it. Our hair is not like other hair and it needs the sealant.
Don’t silicones coat your hair shaft? Don’t they prevent moisture from entering and leaving the hair? Ouidad uses silicones in her products. Why are silicones okay and oils not?
yes, they do. but she won’t talk about that.
The less product period the better MY hair reacts. Finally found two oils that agree with my hair. Hemp seed & Sweet Almond oil – hemp for my scalp and the almond on my ends on wet hair. Good to go! I’ve tried every natural, ethnic, curl product on the market and there is always something wrong with formulations that my hair feels suffocated, greasy and trapped lol. My strands are complicated at least 6 different textures and curl patterns…. I guess simplicity is where it’s at for me.
3b – 4i lol
I just discovered hemp oil, and it is the truth for my hair! I like its price point too… $6 for 16 oz is wayyy better than $20 for 2.5 😀
My hair LIKES butter very much, thank you. It is the one go to product I have that works to keep my hair (yes!) lubricated so that I can style (along with water, the best moisturizer ever!) without experiencing breakage.
I’ve been at this for three years, and know what works for me. If lubrication and retaining water rather than allowing my hair to frizz up badly by NOT having butter on my hair and just taking the water in from the air, works for me, than that is all that matters!
I tTOTALLY agree that oil doesn’t seal moisture in the hair, well at least my own hair.. Here’s the gist.. My hair was feeling dry at some point even after I has spritz it with water and used coconut oil and olive oil to seal, it would still remain DRY! I was sad and confused. I created a homemade moisture/protein deep conditioner, my hair felt better just for that day and went back to being dry. One night while I was done with my wash day routine, I decided to put my hair in twists and I grabbed my Shea butter just passively and used it.. My hair felt great and moisturizer the following day.. I FIGURED out that bcos I was just using oils, my hair wasn’t retaining moisture, and I needed the butter to seal it in 😉 . I’m a big fan of LOC but I can’t explain why I stopped using my Shea butter.. That’s not happening anymore.. It’s my best friend now. So YES! Oil don’t seal moisture in the hair!
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My understanding is Shea butter is an all natural product. It is a creamy-colored fatty oil substance made from the nuts of karite nut trees. It can be in oil or butter form.
Perhaps that the oil butter that works best to loc your moisture in best.
Could it just be the the coconut oil maybe? I experienced the same thing for a while and I noticed the protein(overload) in frequently used coconut oil made my hair dry. From then on I used a mix of olive oil and shea butter.
I’ve experienced a similar problem. My hair drinks the coconut all up so at the end of the day my hair is dry again. I have to apply it much more frequently if I skip adding a butter.
In my experience, shea butter is too thick so my hair ends up feeling waxy and sometimes drier. Argan oil mixed in with a bit of castor oil is what works for me. Everyone should just listen to their hair.
how can we suffocate something that is already dead? Hair. If they would’ve said it suffocates the scalp, maybe. But like all others on this blog I will stick to my regular routine. #NEXT!! Happy growing everyone.
They act as if we’re drowning our natural tresses with globs of oil and butters. My hair loves olive oil and coconut oil, as well as shea butter products. Ever since returning natural, my hair has been in the most healthiest state it’s ever been, and I use oils daily(not a lot of course). Try again;)
Oil has never done my hair wrong. I oil my hair once every 2-3 days after water and/or moisturizer and my hair always come out soft, shiny, moisturized and fluffy, especially after the oil sinks into the shaft. This may work well for others but I’ll continue to use my oils to seal.
Whoa!?! It’s $21 for a 2.5oz baby bottle of the Shine Glaze! *shivers* I think I’ll stick with my oils for less than $10 for a 16oz bottle.
This all comes down to dollars and cents. Ten years ago there wasn’t much interest (in the haircare market) in providing products for those that decided to break free from relaxers (and those that never relaxed, for that matter). DIY products became the way to fill that void. Imagine, the numbers of relaxers being purchased decreasing, along with the amount of other products typically purchased by those that relax. That made a huge dent in their profits. What better way to sway the masses than to begin a campaign against what has been working for naturals? The media believes that you say it enough (whether right or wrong) it becomes truth to those that don’t investigate for themselves. Do what works for you!!!
Don’t believe the hype…they are worried about their profit margin since many naturals have become mixologists and starting making natural products with raw ingredients in their own kitchens! It makes me laugh to hear Ouidad the “curl experts” (who mostly catered to non-black curlies) tell us what works for OUR hair! Just like Dark and Lovely (a premier producer of creamy crack) suddenly making products for natural hair!! Laughable at its best!
Don’t believe the hype…these companies see that their profit margin is being threatened by natural haired women embracing natural, raw products and are becoming mixologists in their own kitchens. Do what works for your hair…I find it funny when brands like Dark and Lovely (a premier producer of creamy crack) start making natural hair care products! Completely laughable..SMH!
ya know the natural hair community/movement is causing these big-time hair companies to lose much $$$$…they review blogs, websites and youtube that dedicate to natural hair growth and regimens to throw in negativity so we can 2nd guess ourselves…on how we treat our hair…the terms we use ‘co-wash’ ‘reversion’ ‘pre-poo’ when MAJOR hair companies start using these terms on products to sell to us…their pockets are truly hurting…now this…oil and butters are suffocating our hair?! really?? Sorry Pantene and Ouidad
FUNNY! Funny people! Well, my hair must be masochistic
Like someone else mentioned, these folks are pushing their products and services. they realize that a lot of us are not relying on products as much and are using raw ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera and oils. The LOC method works well for me.
That’s why I make my own products. I don’t buy anything! And to top it off I’ve been natural my whole life. I’ve never had a problem with my hair growing, in fact people tell me that my hair grows very fast. No one cared for years and years when petrolatum, mineral oil, and those products that have in parabens were pushed on people – in fact many people are still using them at the expense of their health. I guess that now people are seeing that the gravy train is kinda low they are looking for ways to keep it coming their way. I have seen many naturals that don’t even buy their products, make their own oils and concoctions and their just loves it. Case in point naptural85. Since when did they care so much about our hair. All they care about is their profits – if it goes down you better be sure they are going to intercept that and so something about it.
I have disagreed with several of Ouidad’s principles- however this one is just WRONG.
In the video she says to use her Shine Glaze rather than oil because she is **PROMOTING** her Shine Glaze. The first ingredients in shine glaze are: Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol. Link: https://www.ouidad.com/Shine-Glaze-Serum.
SO, these ingredients don’t repel moisture and natural elements??? THEY DO. Silicones- which I love- would play the same role as large molecule oils and super large molecule butters in sealing smaller moleculed water (and other small molecule conditioners and moisturizers).
When sealing, oils are MORE beneficial because not only do they have the ability to seal, they have the augmented ability to fortify the hair with its naturally occurring elements; ceramides, lipids et cetera. SILICONES cannot do this! So… silicones seal, oil seal, only oil replenishes.
She should have ONLY played up the Glaze being a sheen accessory instead of playing down oils and butters and discrediting herself.
And the doctor has spoken and left the building! Brilliant!!
Gotta love the marketing strategy regarding “suffacating”. Nevertheless, since I’ve being natural for almost 3 years the one thing I’ve learned is that there are no rules except one…know thy hair. As some posted already…I’ve seen exceptionally long hair on women who use oils and some who only use a small amount to none. It depends on your own individual strands, porosity, thickness or thinness of hair. Personally, my hair loves grapeseed oil. I have low porosity hair with thin strands so my hair can’t handle real thick oils like castor or olive oil. But, I do need something to retain my moisture.
Stylist really aren’t the best resources for natural hair in my humble opinion. They tend to approach natural hair as something that needs to be fixed or altered in some way. Take the advice in this article with a grain of salt. History and your own personal experience reveals something totally different then what the article is suggesting.
As soon as I saw the word “suffocate” I knew this was just a sales pitch. Hair doesn’t have pores so to suffocate the hair strand would be impossible. Not to mention the scalp itself produces sebum, an oily substance.
Well they are entitled to their “opinions” but there are way too many beautiful sista’s walking around with gorgeous, shiny, thick, long hair to prove them otherwise. Plus if they feel like that then why do they sell the Shine Glaze? They tryna “suffocate” folks hair? lol If you are a fan of butters and ain’t worried bout suffocating something that’s already dead check out my site and help a young sista reach for the stars. http://www.shop.kinksandall.com
I appreciate it :C)
Water spritz, leave-in conditioner, seal w/ olive oil, rock my midback length natural hair and go. Haven’t stepped into a salon in 2 years and have longer hair than I’ve ever had with my supposedly “suffocation” method.
Say that, sista! They are just trying to get us to come to the salon because they see a lot of black women are embracing their natural hair! Ha ha Ha!!!
Well my hair must be in to some kinky stuff because it loves being “suffocated” by oils.
I think to each its own my hair loves oils and butters and its not suffocated I think to make such a huge general statement that no one should use oils is ignorant especially when the majority of long healthy haired naturals use them and get great results and I know there is nothing wrong w naptural85 alicia james and several other naturalistas manes so im not gonna let 2 people convince me to drop what works. Maybe some people dont like or benefit from them but to each its own but that sounds like terrible advice for the majority
Wow, I actually enjoyed the comments more than the article, and that bible scripture, so on point. Well I live in Arizona, so moisture is every thang we have little to no humidity, so Ima do what it do, my fro is growing and thriving with help from butters and oils.
I too am loving the comments more than the article hehe
Oh please, save it. I love natural, aromatherapy and essential oils. Will never stop using them on my skin and hair.
You can promote your products/services but don’t go knocking others down while at it.
Hair suffocation must be an awesome thing since millions of people have healthy long hair as a result of it.
When I read this article, I thought it was a huge contradiction of what I KNOW works for me, and many others. Let’s remember, these folks are trying to sell you a product. Take it with a grain of salt and do what you know has worked for you.
One thing about oils I will say, is that based on whether your hair is thick or thin, you may need to experiment with oils to see which will work best for you. Thick oils aren’t for some people because it will weigh their hair down. Castor oil is a staple for me, but my friends w/ hair that isn’t as thick as mine can’t handle it. Again, natural hair is all about doing what works for you.
Whatever…
I’m not coming to the salon or buying those products. So there.
LOL! I love it!
I am in sales and have been for 10 years- SUCCESSFULY- and being one sided and disingenuous is not the way to do it.
All marketing drivel. We already know that too much oil is not beneficial for your hair, just like how too much moisture weakens the strands. Oil itself does not moisturize bar a few that have have penetrating properties that I personally use before I shampoo. Sealing in moisture is imperative for hair growth, some people may have hair that hangs onto moisture better than others and may not need as much. But trust Mr without oil even if ur only oil is the sebum that your scalp produces your hair would not be as moisturised. Oils have been used for centuries for sealing and for general hair maintenance, the Spanish in Spain still run a bit of olive oil through their hair, Indians have used oils for centuries, Africans etc. They really should have spoken about the quantity as opposed to making oil the enemy. Hair is dead, it is not going to suffocate, however it does need moisture before sealing. I oil my skin as I prefer oils to moisturisers and unlike my hair my skin does need to breathe, it is the body’s largest organ. If my skin does not suffocate because I oil it, why would my hair? They come off looking like salespeople which I guess they are, but they seem to not have their information together nor is it fully correct. Before one makes such strong statements they should really do their research. What have women centuries before us done without conditioners or products that have everything mixed in??? Using an organic oil is perfectly fine, just adjust the quantities to suit your needs, you may find you only need a drop of oil. I personally would rather use an oil to seal in moisture from lets say water/AVJ rather than a preservative laden artificial product with low quantities of the actual actives sold to me at a markup price…Rant over lol
^^^ THIS.
One thing I am sure of is this: No oil is soluble in water. None on earth. If it dissolves in water, it definitely can’t be called an oil
I have to say that oiling my hair daily works for me because I noticed that my hair isn’t limp or greasy on a daily basis. I remember my white college roomate being fasinated by the fact I only washed my hair weekly.she said if she goes more than 2 days without washing it,it gets greasy& limp. There were times during my perm years when id slap a liitle too much moisturizers (like pink oil, etc) on my hair & grease my scalp& end up with limp straggly hair. I now look back & think my hair was coated! It wasn’t being moisturized! Plus back in the day, most of “our” hair products were full of mainly mineral oil & petroleum jelly so no wonder I had limp hair. I think he right oils do penetrate the hair shaft & r beneficial. when I really thought about it the other day I looked at my pillow case to see if I had a tell tale grease spot& there was none. clearly my hair is using oil its not just coating it & sitting on top. I use my multioil concotion every night to do my nightly bantu knots and never have I had limp or hair overly greasy to the touch so it must be doing the right thing for MY HAIR. maybe it doesn’t work for everyone but to each its own.every head of hair is different.id never slam a whole concept as a stylist unless id done every type of hair & had decades of research to back up such a claim.
The only hair rules I believe in are eating a nutrient dense diet, taking extra good care of your ends, and deep conditioning at least once a week to keep the scalp clean and healthy. . Everything else means nothing to me. If oiling your hair works for you, do it. if it’s not working, then don’t do it. The moment I started to do what was right for my hair and let go of all these natural rules and regulations, I started to maintain length like crazy. I don’t use any oils, I use heat every week, I wear my hair out, I don’t finger comb or pre-poo, etc. None of that. And it works for me. Just do what works for you.
I meant to say “deep conditioning and washing at least once a week to keep the hair moisturized and the scalp clean and healthy.”
Well…most stylists have never been a big fan of natural hair and it seems that they are now getting on the band wagon. Its a little disturbing to think that once we have embraced both our natural hair and methods that work for us, including the LOC method..that they are deemed not good enough. I’m sticking to what I know…using some good old castor oil as a sealant.
Interesting that a lot of naturals mix things up in their kitchen instead of buying a lot of products and now suddenly its being said that this isn’t good for hair. What makes their product different from something I mix in my kitchen other than the products added in a lab? If its an all natural product that they are selling then what’s to stop that from damaging my hair?
This all comes down to dollars and cents. Ten years ago there wasn’t much interest (in the haircare market) in providing products for those that decided to break free from relaxers (and those that never relaxed, for that matter). DIY products became the way to fill that void. Imagine, the numbers of relaxers being purchased decreasing, along with the amount of other products typically purchased by those that relax. That made a huge dent in their profits. What better way to sway the masses than to begin a campaign against what has been working for naturals? The media believes that you say it enough (whether right or wrong) it becomes truth to those that don’t investigate for themselves. Do what works for you!!!
i may have to take the advice of these so called “professionals” with a grain of salt. Woman are growing and nuturing their own natural hair to new heights—in ways that the “professionals” never did. Not speaking against all salons or for all women, but the methods used by the salons were just not working. I have not been to a salon in close to two years. cant find one. i am looking looking; but would they use the quality products that I use? would they use extreme caution with heat like I would? i just dont know???
I have 4b hair. I am a former product junky. I have yet to find a stand alone product to just use on my hair without oil or shea butter (unless I’m just twisting my hair for a week or two). I use water and/or a moisturizing product and seal it with shea butter or castor oil and my hair loves it. When I was doing twist outs on a regular basic using the LOC method, that is when my hair had the most growth AND minimized breakage.. just saying. But we should all just do what works best for us all 🙂
I never seal my hair…it makes it dry stuff, greasy, crunchy and brittle and the styles last to short. Therefor i prever misting it with jojoba oil and water 2x a day…..
To Each Its Own….do what works best for your hair:)
wow, CONTROVERSIAL, PROVOCATIVE, downright- shall i name it????! HERESY!!!!!
but i actually agree with her, based off my own experience. i found that just putting standalone oil on my hair made it dry and crispy, even if i’d added all the other stuff like butters and liquids, and creams etc. well, my hair doesn’t tend to like product (at least, not a lot of it) anyway, but i found that it tolerates oils when they’re already in some kind of product. ORS moisturizing lotion and my hair are like this- *crossed index and middle finger*
even though it has that dreaded ingredient “mineral oil” or “petroleum” or whatever. no other product comes close to the effect it gives my hair.
but when i used olive oil, grapeseed oil and coconut oil all by themselves, my hair was so crispy it was ridic, even when i paired them with other products. so now i leave the standalones alone and stick with the tried and true products that are formulated with oil ADDED.
otherwise me and oils do not gel well, and thus, i do not seal my hair. i never have, and my hair is thriving. with that said, i can’t speak for whether oil is or is not technically a sealant, as this stylist contends that it’s not. apparently a lot of ladies seem to think it is an appropriate sealant, so it all goes right back to doing what works for your hair. i break a lotta the natural hair rules because when i tried them my hair suffered for it. now, i couldn’t be more pleased. *cheese*
I’m very unlikely to believe what any company representative says about products other than their own. It sounds like she’s saying “Your oils and oil mixtures will not work unless it’s in our products”. To be honest, my hair feels better off with pure extra virgin olive oil than a product with Olive Oil as a minor ingredient among a crowd of questionable chemicals.
Hi Jo! I mentioned ^^ up there somewhere about this being an Ouidad hangout, and expecting some degree of product pushing (it just goes like that sometimes lol). What I took from her statement of oils included in products was that it aligned with how I look for my own products compatible with my hair. It made me think of brands like Camille Rose, Oyin Handmade, Shea Moisture, and tgin who all make water-based moisturizers that include oils and butters 🙂
I’d love to hear JC of the Natural Haven(i.e. a scientist) weigh in on this. Not that I distrust (all) stylists but…I’d prefer to hear more about this from someone who is unbiased.
While I can appreciate bringing the “opinions” of stylists to our attention (even though I am generally mistrustful of stylists as a whole), I am disappointed that this article did not include any research articles to support or dispute these claims. Part of embarking on an HHJ is learning to be responsible for your own hair, so to tout stylists “opinions” seems counter-intuitive on a natural hair website. I use the word “opinions” with quotes because that’s exactly what those stylists have given us. Certainly nothing based in fact. Just their own personal theories. If you’ve been on a hair journey any length of time, I’m sure you have some of your own opinions. Here’s mine: I find that my hair doesn’t necessarily need to be sealed with oil every single day. But it does need moisture daily. Sometimes adding moisture to hair that’s been moisturized and sealed the previous day seems to re-activate existing oil already in my hair. Oiling my hair every day tends to coat the hair leaving my hair susceptible to breakage because moisture isn’t really getting in due to layers and layers of oils, if it has been 5-7 days worth of oil on it already (I wash no more often than once a week). While I would never totally eliminate the step of sealing my hair, I do feel it’s probably not necessary on an every day basis (only my opinion here). So no, I don’t entirely disagree with the stylists. I just wish that in 2014, we’d stop holding stylists opinions as something more than what they are: opinions. As health hair journeyers, we are sometimes more knowledgeable than a lot of stylists out there!
BTW, I second the notion that hair is dead and can therefore not be suffocated. Moreover, because hair is dead, it needs preservation, which oils can provide, especially for hair prone to dryness.
dont get me wrong i LOVE this website buut…it seems to be that somewhat a week after posting an article it swears its kinks on, another article is posted contradicting that last.
i dont know what to believe anymore!
Hi Koiya! This is a debate article, not meant to be taken as gospel 🙂 JenniD a few comments up summarized it perfectly.
Yes, there are articles that contradict each other and this could be most confusing to a newer natural.
Because different products work for different hair I believe that most of it is worth reading. The more information we can obtain the better.
At the end of the day, it depends on whether your hair is flourishing or not with what you’re doing to it. Is it growing? Are you retaining length? How does your hair feel?
If all of the above answers are positive, I say don’t change a thing.
I get the point that some heavier oils and butters can be too much for the hair. For example, I can’t use shea butter often or castor oil on my strands. My hair is fine, and both those things will weigh my hair down, make it sticky and cause build up. If I do use those, (i.e. in extremely cold weather), I make sure to clarify on a regular basis.
On the other hand, my hair loves EVOO, coconut oil and jojoba oil. It also likes argan oil and a few other lighter oils. When I put these oils on my moisturized hair, they make it soft and gives it some sheen.
My .02 cents
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Even in the bible oil is said to be used for hair along with many other things. Oil works for me i will continue to use my oil.
Wauw…this i will remember….good stuff..the Bible never lies! (my opinion)
I would have to say I agree with their points. I mainly use my jojoba oil to add shine to my hair and on my scalp to massage and promote growth.
Through my own experience, I agree as well.
i agree to:D
I can only partially agree with the two stylists. I have fine hair and too much of oil or butters will weigh my hair down and is just too much for my hair and scalp, it just sits there. On the other hand, saturating my hair and scalp with a great conditioner and lightly using a leave-in, oil, or butter works great. I think it depends on what your hair can handle, the climate, and the products you use. But I would never go outside with nothing on my hair or just a leave-in it would evaporate in seconds.
Oil is natural, it comes from the earth. I highly doubt it’s detrimental to my hair’s health.
I noticed that the author of this article changed the title. At first the title made it look like the author agreed, but she/he then switched it over to shift blame completely on the stylist after reading comments I presume.
I absolutely love this website, it has allowed me to connect with many other naturals and wonderful black women. However, this website spews a lot of crap. They repeat the same things over and over again, they just simply slap a different name on it.
They tell you what you should and shouldn’t do with your hair, I have only heard them say once, “Do what works for you.”
They keep saying you shouldn’t leave your protective style in for longer than 3 or 4 weeks, as if that is a rule you have to follow.
I have seen many things from this website that I do not agree with. If someone has anything negative to say about a section in they’re article, they immediately delete the part of the article without giving an explanation. Namely when they had said it was ridiculous to eat better and exercise because it had no effect on your hair’s health. A few people pointed it out and the author was embarrassed and deleted it.
A lot of the things this website says is unfounded. It often feels as if they do not do proper research.
This is the straw that broke the camel’s back, hence why I’m suddenly ranting unrelated things on this unrelated post. Every time someone disagrees they turn tail and run.
I love this website a whole bunch, but it has a lot of things that need improvement.
their*
Hi Janaowayo!
Just wanted to clarify a few things. One, I didn’t change the title. When I originally wrote the article, I had it as For Discussion: Do Oils and Butters Suffocate Our Hair? And if you visit my blog (maneobjective.com), it has retained that title. BGLH has editors who’s jobs are to make titles more search-friendly, as well as catch the eyes of readers. With that being said, I don’t directly agree or disagree with the stylist statements 100%. There are aspects of what they both said that I agree with (Rose’s commentary on crap products and Ouidad’s notion that butters and oils should be in products), and I mentioned both of them in the article. I also shared that I do use oils, in a very specific capacity tailored to my hair and scalp needs. At the end of the day, this was a piece written to spark discussion. I don’t know who/what you’re referring to in terms of turning tail and running, but I don’t roll like that 🙂 If I messed up, I messed up. But in this case, I didn’t claim to be the authority on anything, and I didn’t even attempt to offer up advice because I 100% stand by the fact that every head of hair is different. I hope this assuages some of your concerns…at least about this particular article. Thank you for your feedback 🙂
Not to be snarky but welcome to the Internet! It is extremely important that you don’t take everything you read here or else where on the internet, especially blogs, at face value. When an article such as this is posted it is not the author’s intention to see things THEIR WAY but usually is used to promote discussion on different hair care practices products etc. I don’t know why people keep saying this website says to do this then the next week they say do that or this other thing that contradictions itself. No one should be so gullible as to try everything that is written on natural hair care blogs, forums, and other websites. Its like enjoying a nice buffet. Take what you need or can use and leave the rest. The only “rules” you should be following concerning your hair are your own. Nobody should have to always keep saying the tired “do what works for you” mantra before every article.
No snark! Thank you JenniD. I couldn’t have said it any better myself!!!
Hi, coming from an unbiased opinion, and technical communicator by trade, I feel the need to defend the authors. I’m not completely aware of the different situations with authors deleting items. However, in regards to removing false information, I don’t think you or any other person should feel offended by them removing the false information. From the perspective of a professional writer, it is truly embarrassing to write-up a document that contains even one error. At least, I feel terrible, like I have failed and disappointed the intended audience. However, I too go back and remove the false information, and update the document to reflect the correct info, because it would be a disservice if I didn’t. This site has a lot of great info, and a lot of things I have to pass by, because everything is not for everybody. That said, it is not an entirely credible resource, a good resource, but not the end all be all. I respect your opinion, but I had to be devil’s advocate and provide an unbiased perspective.
All you said can be applied to almost every (big) natural hair website out there. I’m not saying it’s right but it’s a very widespread practice in the natural hair community.
I think these representatives of hair styling product companies and salon professionals are simply trying to get people back into the “consumer” side of natural hair care. The Ouidad rep is saying you shouldn’t apply any one product directly to your hair, but a blend of it mixed with other products (i.e. THEIR products) and the salon professional just wants everybody to stop doing their own hair and make an appointment! Sounds like a load of crap to me.
Hi Rocky! Just to clarify, that was Ouidad herself who said that…if that makes any difference lol. I do agree that many salons are feeling the pinch, but I’ve always been of the mind that there are certain things you shouldn’t do on your own — like major cuts or color. As it was an Ouidad-centric hangout, you definitely have to 100% take into account that along with dispensing advice, she was going to “product push” 🙂 You kinda just gotta take what you need, and leave the rest lol!
I think it’s bull. If I put nothing but water or a moisturizer on my hair, you better believe in a couple hours it will be dry all over again. There is nothing wrong with using butters or oils to hold in moisture when our hair is too kinky to let the sebum properly travel down the strand. It’s supposed to be the job of sebum to seal in moisture, but if it isn’t making it down the strand, then it’s time to supplement.
Someone made a comment about not needing oils when relaxed. Relaxed hair is straight and therefore easier for natural oils to coat.
If supplementing the natural oils from my scalp is allegedly “suffocating” my DEAD hair, then so be it because it works for me. Maybe we should stop saying “sealing” and use the word “preserving” because that is what it’s really doing. Hair is dead and dead hair doesn’t breathe. If we were talking about the scalp, then they would have a valid argument.
Hey CherishBomb! Thanks for the feedback! One thing I didn’t mention that some folks tend to miss is styling products. A lot of gels, curl definers, and stylers also act as sealants on the hair — which is why many of them make the “anti frizz” claim. As someone who regularly wears w&g styling, this also plays a factor in why I only use oil on my scalp and ends. This is truly one of those things that can’t be one size fits all!
And I agree 100% on the “hair is dead” thing. I should have mentioned that in the article -___- #afterthoughts lol
Definitely a ‘to each her own’ situation IMO. I use to seal with oils but the greasiness became unbearable. I now seal with Aloe Vera and my hair loves it. However, my ends are very delicate so I HAVE to seal them with JBCO or Shea butter.
I love using Aloe Vera! As a transitioner, I’d thin out the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie with Aloe Vera Gel, and it was jussst right!
I’ve had great success applying the LOC method and not. Although I think that has a lot to do with the chemistry of my hair/genes. Lately, I have been questioning whether this whole LOC method is necessary (no shade to those who do it), and after listening to her I think a lot of what she says makes sense. She answered a lot of the questions I never knew I had. In the end, you have to find what works for you. Very informative. Thanks for the post.
Hi Ally! I think we’re on the same page. I used to do LCO, but I’ve found it to be just too much for my hair. A little oil on my scalp, and a little oil or butter on my ends suits me just fine. We always have to do what makes our hair thrive 🙂
Same here i used to LOC but i dont like the way my hair feels….(3b-4b)
would using a leave in on damp hair and then sealing with an oil count as LOC method?
Hair and nails are made up of dead cells…so can you really “soffocate” something that already dead? Just do what works best for your hair and stop listening to all these critics.
Many natural hair bloggers and vloggers have grown their hair to great lengths by moisturizing and sealing.
I think, especially for type 4 hair (unless you doing the water only method where your natural sebum will coat your strands ‘like oil’) it is imperative to seal on the moisture.
We go through a lot to get that moisture in there…..then to let it evaporate before it’s even had a chance to absorb itself (with no oil, this WILL happen), sounds like a joke to me.
Maybe for type 2 and lower type 3 hair this might work 🙂
lol this doesn’t even work for most type 3 hair. Its a joke~
Come on. Indian women have been using ayurveda herbs and oils and some in the rural areas do not use chemical conditioners. Yet they have luxurious healthy hair and they say the oil is suffocating. If so I will continue suffocating my hair
I only have two thoughts. One: Is the LOC method working for you? Two: Is what you’re doing cheaper than the products which are manufactured? I began this last stage of my natural hair journey with all of my products coming from a company who sales their products at Macys. Although the amount I spent in a month using that line, did not give me the results I now have ( 10x better results using oils and my own butters ). Likewise,the amount of money I now spend lasts for 3-4 months.
If we all go back to playing the manufacturers games, than why did we ever become free of perms.
Right? All I know is, I spent under $75 at Camden Grey on unrefined oils in March, and I’m maybe a quarter of the way through what I bought. I even have a couple bottles that haven’t been opened yet. $75 for at least 6 months of product (a bit over $12/month) or $20 for 8oz? The choice is yours, ladies.
This!!!!
Ummm…Not to be rude but have these ladies ever done a test to see how natural hair would react without oils? From someone who has, i would rather not stop using oils as they work for me and really well. Also, I’m really sorry to say this but Ouidad IS selling a product so i doubt if her advice is actually true or just to promote the sale of her products by discouraging the purchase and use of 100% organic oils. I don’t really use store bought products( except Herbal Essence Hello Hydration ), Everything else is au natural, straight from mother earth and working fantastically for me( even better than store bought products ) so why should i change the products that i use, I’ll stick to the “Tried and true”s instead of going out ob a whim.
Why is applying oil to hair before night-time great bu the idea of sealing it bad? Do we not seal moisture into our skin with moisturizers and how is that suffocating anything?
Oil does wonders for my hair, especially avocado oil and castor oil. I’m grateful to all the ladies on BGLH who have shared their experiences with it because they have helped me.
I thought the reason we use oils/butters, was because, the sebum, natural oil on our scalps, had difficulty getting to the ends, because our hair is curly?
If the sebum was doing it’s job on our hair, then the need for oils would be reduced.
As it is, I know what my hair is like without oils/butters, so I’ll just do for me, what’s best for me.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
Sometimes, it just comes down to not forgetting the basics!!!
Your hair is not like your body, it does not have lungs and therefore does not need to “breathe”. Your hair is a fiber, a dead fiber made of protein. It does not need air to “survive” because, as state before, it is not even alive lol. For me, oils, work. I feel like stylists at salons be hating on the methods natural haired girls use because it means that they lose money. Oil works for me, for some it may not.
Completely agree its a mere scare tactic to get some attention! Youtube and blogs have revolutionised how we taket care of our hair and unfortunately for stylists it hits them where it hurts…their wallets! So I will carry on suffocating ma hair! Lol
The terminology used is very negative so ignoring this article….
I have always touted oil’s lubricating qualities. Oil does not moisturize. If an oil or butter is absorbed into the hair shaft, your hair will feel great. I stopped using butters first. It has been about two years now. I have only recently stopped using oils completely. It has been about six months now. My hair is no worse for the wear . . . in fact, my hair really likes the new oilless routine. But I think one’s ability to go without oil or butters is about finding a product that provides what your hair needs, your own comfort sans oil, and the degree to which dryness is an issue for you.
This is a complete lie. I use nothing but oil (100%, natural, and organic) and my hair loves it…not grease, but oil. My hair has grown significantly because of the oils that I use on my natural hair. I don’t use products on my hair except on Wash Day. If you look at the benefits of oils, you’d think differently. Maybe on hair other than 4C down to a 1, it doesn’t work. But as for me and mine, my hair can’t live without it.
Besides, say what you want, but I think we know our hair better than others.
Congrats on the panelist opportunity! To your questions:
1. Fruit & vegetable oils are NOT occlusives like petroleum jelly. They do not form an impenetrable barrier. Moisture is able to move. What is this ‘suffocate’ nonsense from Ouidad?
2. I’ve never seen fundamental differences in ‘White hair’ and ‘Black hair’, so IMO all advice is valid. Some curly-kinks, just like straight-haired mommas, do use oils and some don’t. I don’t.
3. I agree with RedPaperLantern, these are 2 in a long line of self-taught and traditionally schooled ‘hair gurus’ SELLING PRODUCTS and their philosophies.
4. Ouidad and Rose know hair as much as the Himba women, who know as much as my grandmother, who knows as much as Sherpas. It’s a quilt of information, not a hierarchy or a pass/fail exam.
5. Also, it’s not unlikely that in 2 years they’ll completely reverse their stance the same way food ‘experts’ declared fats evil in the early 80s, and now are hawking Paleo diets.
6. What works – works! Ideology and a couple of industry-sponsored studies be damned.
Wow… Elle broke it all the way down. It is good to conduct your own research and trust your own evidence. There may be some theory behind these ladies’ words. But like Elle said, What works, WORKS. Besides, hair is DEAD anyway… how does it suffocate? IJS
You said almost everything I was going to say and did it much more succinctly. Thank you!
Some additional thoughts:
Once again I’m grateful for having gone natural at a time when experimentation was a requirement rather than an option. It was through experimentation that I learned that 1) water alone left me with dry hair, 2) oil alone left me with dry greasy hair depending on the type of oil I used, and 3) the combination of water followed by oil gave me hair that was soft, touchable, healthy, etc. That was what worked for MY particular head of mostly-4b hair.
Ouidad has a long history of catering to curly hair types, though not necessarily those in my curl range (type 4). In fact I think she may predate Lorraine Massey in this area. I respect her and other stylists’ views (when they’re based on real training and expertise, of course) but ultimately *I* am the expert on what works for MY hair. That was the whole point of my going natural in the first place…so I could learn what MY hair was all about.
In case you haven’t already figured out where I’m going with this: The individual nature of each Afro-textured person’s hair is such that you simply cannot assume ANYTHING you read online is a hard-and-fast rule for “all naturals.” Until such time as the black hair care industry catches up to this idea, some critical analysis — in the form of experimentation — is absolutely necessary.
As I keep saying: The ONLY THING all naturals have in common is that we aren’t using chemicals to permanently alter our hair texture. Beyond that, if you want to slather Dixie Peach on your hair every day, and it works for you (accordingly to whatever your definition of “works” is), go ‘head on…
RE: ultimately *I* am the expert on what works for MY hair.
I say that ALL the time…even to a ‘professionally trained stylist’
Y’all killin’ me in the best way w/ the wisdom!!
Yesssssssssss!!!! Elle, I think I love you! hahaha!!
Okay. I love your response because I learned something. I did a dash of research about occlusive before running back to this page and it seems her “Shine Glaze” may be full of them…
I’m trying to figure out just how in the hell one can “suffocate” something that is dead.
I also think that too, I can get the scalp, and yea, that isn’t good, my scalp tell me straight up if it thinks I’m doing something stupid, but the actual hair… uhh… ^_^
I use the L.O.C method but i only do it after i wash before i style and my my hair has been retaining quite a bit of length so i don’t think my hair is suffocating. However i feel that if you have to moisturize and “seal” everyday its time to rethink your situation because clearly something is not working
My first thought- She is selling a product, so it would be prudent to consider the source of this information.
Second thought- I use oils and butters on my hair and body and I must say that my skin is rarely overly dry like it used to be and when I am not being lazy, neither is my hair. I will continue to use coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera gel, avocado oil, argan nut oil, and oilve oil. I find that people get “distracted” by new products a lot, not sure why.{{shrugs}} Anyhoo, as someone above said, “if it ain’t broke…” My hair is long, about 15″ – 15.5″
Third thought- So many hair bloggers that I have learned so much from over the last year or so who have long, very long, or “Good Lord! her hair is long” hair all use butters and oils, so…
Finally, outside of being a product spokesperson, hocking her wares, what are her qualifications again? If she were a dermatologist well-schooled and knowledgeable about Naptural black hair, esp. 4a, b, or c, she might be able to get my ear. Or I can see if she has a proven track record of working with Naptural black hair or growing out her own Naptural hair over the span of years, with PROVEN results, then she might be credible, but alas, I do not believe that she has or is.
I am not a crowd follower. If I see something and it looks like it might work for me, then I will try it, but I am not a product junkie and if I buy a product, I prefer that it be from a black-owned company like Miss Jessies, Kinky-Curly, Shea Moisture and the like.
Well said!
Yesssssss!!
If the LOC method, oils, butters etc are suffocating my hair, it has suffocated it down to my bra strap. My hair is the longest ever. I must say I’m not heavy hand with product, I believe a little goes a long way. So I say, “more power to hair suffocation”. Lol
Ahahahahahaha, agreed!!!!
Nice post! Makes you think about the products we all use on a constant basis. I’m laughing at some of the conversation cause this 4b/c girl has stopped fighting frizz aka my hair’s natural way of behaving, for years.The use of oils and butters as staples is so very cultural to most men and women of the African dispora. To dismiss them because to “hair experts” say so is kinda jumping the gun a bit. My opnion is that there are good oils and bad oils out there for diffrent people. All are not created equal. Every time I’ve tried to give up oils I have found that I tend to be over handed on some other product( usually some leave in or moisture milk type product) to compensate for the lack of shine, slip and sealing properties of an actual oil. Our people have been using oils for centuries. If it ain’t broke….
Couldn’t have said it better myself. We should consider the source.
Completely agree! Ouidad has only ONE oil (which they call serum) available for people to buy, so of course they wouldn’t want you using oils, since that would cut into their profit margin. Interesting how they knock down DIY’s, and at home styling… they are so good at saying(not in this one, but other videos) that only a stylist can really take care of your hair, not YOU. Excuse me? I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you right!
I do agree that too much oil isn’t going to work, and if it’s the wrong oil, also not going to work. People all over the world have been using oils, powders, butters, and muds for 1000s of years, and they all can attain long long hair, so CLEARLY they are doing something right! (You know, beside not introducing a whole bunch of nasty chemicals and ingredients where I swear I need a PhD in chem to understand) So if it ain’t broke…
I’m not a big fan of butters as i don’t feel any difference with it beside negative. I do love to use coconut oil after washing on my damp hair.
when I (co) wash i love oil rinsing as it does wonders and helps with detangling and moisturizing my hair. I don’t use oil everyday besides a bit of coconut oil after i moisten my ends
My hair never feels greasy because i use a little and that is enough. if you’re hair feels greasy when touching it then i guess you are using too much and are suffocating it or are using the wrong oil
I do understand their point of view…oil can be an “heavy load” especially for certain types of hair…I recently big chopped after years of locs and between my 4C hair, the weather as right now is the dry season in the Caribbean and my post-partum hair changes, I feel like oil is not doing so much good to my hair. And especially the legen- you all know what I’m talking about- dary JBCO because it’s too thick. So now I use shea butter and coconut oil for prepoo or rinsing and use a very light butter to seal.
But the question is if we don’t seal with oils, how to keep the moisture in? Some hair (like mine) are very prône to dry and right now i have to moisture 3 times a day (even like that it’s not Waouh) otherwise my hair brittle and sounds like scratching nails on a black board.
With oils I think you just need to make sure you’re laying it over water or a moisturizer instead of dry hair. Then you should be fine.
Tyler
onelittleblackdress.com
Love your blog!
I love this post!
When I was relaxed, I NEVER used oil, grease, or butter. Only a good DC and leave-in. I had super healthy SL approaching APL hair. I always believed my hair did not like to be oiled or weighed down.
When I went natural, I hopped on the first oil train moving and rode that thing religiously. I co-washed every 2-3 days and LOC’d afterwards. Worked wonders for my TWA, but days later, I was still having to wipe oil/grease/product off my hands after touching my hair.
Close to a year later and I’m currently on the fence about oils/butter. I want to return to the days when I could DC, add a little leave-in and go!
This article is spot on! I had been pondering the thought for a few days now and I was/am afraid of damage caused by loss of moisture. Now, I see that with a good condish, DC, & moisturizer/detangler I’ll be good to go. I’ll still keep some Olive Oil on hand for an occasional oil rinse, but gone are the days of grabbing the oil bottle every other day!
This post was a God-send! Thank you so much!
I have been saying this on various posts – if you need to LOC every single day i believe something is wrong, whether products used, methods or general maintenancae of hair. With my fine, (what seesm to be) low porosity hair I know I can’t tack on butters or heavy oils but I did try LCO with lighter oils like coconut, grapeseed or argan oil. Recently I have been just using a water-based leave in and/or a creamier water based moisturiser and then my styler of choice and then only use one of these lighter oils to take down my style andIi find that my hair stays moisturised for the whole week. Even after 3-5 days of working out. i keep my hair out of the way while working out, I may lightly oil my scalp because I have an itchy scalp and sleep with a satin bonnet and that’s it! So I agree with what they are saying and naturally everyone’s hair is different but I think an excellent point was made about crap products. If the produc boasts about being an excellent moisturiser but cannot maintain that moisture under regular circumstances (no excessive touching, restyling, etc) then it is a crap product. Ok I’m done 🙂