Choosing a hair oil

Is your hair frizzy, dry, split ends and look unkempt and dull? So, you need to replenish the arsenal of care with oil for the ends of the hair. How to choose it?

Why do you need hair oils?

The ends of the hair require special attention. Even if in general everything is fine with the hair, at the ends they often become dry and brittle, split.

This problem is especially well known to girls with long, curly hair, owners of dry scalp (and dry hair). The fact is that such skin does not produce enough sebum to “oil” the hair from the roots to the tips. As a result, the ends of the hair, deprived of natural protection, begin to dry, fluff, lose their shine and presentable appearance, or even break off completely.

We have to save them by creating artificial protection, and oils do an excellent job with this role.

Oil benefits for dry and split ends

For centuries, women have used vegetable oils as the main beauty product for hair care. And not in vain: they create a protective layer on the surface of the hair, which, on the one hand, protects the strands from aggressive environmental factors, and on the other hand, “glues” the ends of the hair, preventing them from splitting and breaking off, giving the hair smoothness, grooming and shine.

Nowadays, special cosmetic oils are produced for the tips of the hair. The composition may include natural vegetable oils, fatty fractions of oils, as well as silicones. These formulas have a light texture, perfectly lubricate the hair, give it shine without creating a greasy effect. In addition, many compounds have a thermal protective effect.

Find out what extra care your hair needs – answer the questions of the test.

Is it possible to replace the cosmetic product with vegetable oils?

The easiest way to care for the ends of your hair is to use a ready-made composition, but if you wish, you can also use pure vegetable oil (or a mixture of oils), especially if you are fond of folk cosmetic recipes.

You can smear the ends of your hair with any oil – protection, shine, softening are provided. Only when using natural oils there is a risk of getting the effect of greasy hair, you just have to overdo it a little. However, if we are talking about thoughtful care that combines efficiency, pleasure and convenience, then it makes sense to study the issue in more detail. We decided to find out which oil is best for hair ends.

Let’s figure out how the natural oils that are most popular in hair care differ, and which oil can be safely applied to the ends of the hair.

Olive

Rich in oleic acid, olive oil is great for scalp and hair care. It gives the strands shine, plasticity, softens, but it is better to apply it to the hair (including the tips) before washing your hair. The use of olive oil as a leave-in treatment is acceptable, but the dosage is difficult to calculate: if you apply too little, there will be no effect, if you overdo it, the hair will become greasy. You will have to experiment and select the dose by trial and error.

Coconut

The king of hair care oils, coconut oil perfectly nourishes the scalp, smoothes the hair, gives it elasticity, and prevents split ends. This oil has very good penetrating power. But to achieve all these effects, it must be kept on the hair for several hours (or all night). To protect the ends during the day, natural coconut oil is not suitable – it is too heavy and also has a characteristic aroma that can irritate.

We recommend leaving it for masks, intensive care, oil wraps, and it is better to entrust the protection of the ends of the hair to a lighter oil.

Avocado

Another natural oil for the ends of the hair, characterized by a rich composition with saturated and unsaturated acids, as well as an easy texture, thanks to which the oil falls on the strands in a thin layer without the effect of greasy.

Burdock

Burdock and castor oils have long been used in hair care, their main feature is the ability to stimulate hair growth. These oils are traditionally rubbed into the scalp and left for a while. But for the care of the ends of the hair, burdock oil is not the best solution, since it is quite heavy and can create a greasy effect (it is uncomfortable to wear it during the day).

Apricot

Apricot oil boasts a whole range of unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, palmitic, stearic, palmito-oleic and linolenic). In addition, it has a fairly liquid, flowing texture, as well as a very pleasant subtle aroma. It can be successfully used as a moisturizing and nourishing oil for dry ends of hair – alone or in combination with other oils.

Jojoba

In fact, this is not an oil, but a liquid wax that changes texture depending on temperature – it freezes in the cold and melts when heated. On the basis of jojoba oil, cosmetic essential oil mixtures for hair are created, which is quite understandable – it is light, odorless and perfectly manifests itself in care. If you are looking for a good natural hair oil against split ends, give jojoba oil a try.

How to use hair oil

There are several ways to use hair oil at home. The options depend on what goals you want to achieve. Here’s what it says creative expert Garnier Evgeny Sedoy.

“If you have fine hair and want to treat it while maintaining volume, then it is best to use a tip oil immediately after washing your hair while it is still damp. If the hair is dense, voluminous, and you want to “instill discipline in it”, then it is better to use hair oil at the end of the styling procedure – in this case, the care will be more concentrated, since the oil is applied to dry hair, not diluted with water. You can also apply oil before styling to damp hair. If you feel that care is not enough, then add a little oil to the ends of your hair immediately after styling.

Let’s summarize. Cosmetic oil for hair ends is applied:

  1. on wet hair after shampooing (recommended for thin hair);

  2. on dry hair before styling – the oil will protect the hair from the drying effect of the hair dryer;

  3. after styling as a final touch (recommended for thick unruly hair);

  4. during the day if you feel that the ends of your hair need additional protection.

Why is it necessary to apply oil only to the ends of the hair?

As mentioned above, the ends of the hair are deprived of natural protection in the form of sebum, they are the oldest, “experienced” part of the hair shaft, therefore they are extremely vulnerable, prone to dryness, and can exfoliate under the influence of heat or cold. Especially goes to the tips of long, curly, as well as naturally dry hair. If the areas of the hair that are farthest from the roots require protection, there is no better candidate than oil for this role.

Cosmetics for hair ends with oils

What oil should be applied to the ends of the hair? In our review, we have collected cosmetic oils, as well as leave-in treatment alternatives with oils, which we consider effective in protecting split ends.

Strengthening hair serum Fructis “SOS-Recovery”, Garnier

This hair repair serum seals split ends, making them shiny, silky and thermally protective. The main action is provided by a special molecule of karafil and restorative amla oil.

Oil for damaged hair “Extraordinary” Elseve, L’Oréal Paris

This oil is great for moisturizing the ends of your hair when applied after shampooing while it’s damp, and for thermal protection before styling.

Oil Elixir Fructis “Triple Recovery”, Garnier

Oil-elixir with triglyceride, fruit oils and plant extracts is quickly absorbed, creating a shiny protective coating on the surface of the hair, which also nourishes and makes it smooth.

Botanic Therapy “Royal Jelly and Propolis” Revitalizing Cream-Oil, Garnier

Nourishing cream with royal jelly, honey, propolis and mineral oil is addressed to split ends. It will soften them and protect them from traumatic factors, including the thermal effects of styling appliances.

No Scissors Care Cream Elseve Dream Length, L’Oréal Paris

Leave-in cream for damaged hair will be a useful purchase for long-haired girls. It protects the hair from damage during heat styling and provides the effect of sealing split ends. As the name implies, this cream is ready to refute the established opinion that the only way to deal with split ends is to cut them off.

Leave-in nourishing care with olive oil for dry hair Strengthening and Hydrating Hair Oil-in-Cream, Kiehl’s

Cream care with avocado and olive oils is designed for dry hair, helps prevent breakage, frizz, dullness and protects the ends.

Summary results

Why do you need hair oils?

The ends of hair, especially long and curly hair, are prone to dryness, as there is not enough sebum to create a protective coating along the entire length of the hair. Oils (cosmetics or natural vegetable oils) compensate for this lack by covering the tips with a kind of film that prevents dehydration, split ends, and also nourishes, softens the hair and gives it shine.

What vegetable oils are suitable for hair ends?

Topping our list of natural oils for hair ends are avocado, jojoba, and apricot kernel oils, which are the lightest natural oils. But coconut oil is best left for regenerating masks and oil wraps.

Which is better – ready-made cosmetic oils for hair ends or natural vegetable oils?

When choosing oils for hair from split ends, it is perhaps better to give preference to ready-made formulas, they usually have a richer and more balanced composition, do an excellent job of their functions and at the same time have a light, non-greasy texture, they are pleasant to use.

How to use hair oil?

There are several ways to use end-of-hair oils – you can use the product on wet or dry hair, before or after washing. The choice depends not only on personal preferences, but also on the characteristics of the hair. For thin hair, it will be more correct to apply the oil to damp hair after washing. To discipline the hair, it is used after styling as a finish.

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