Replies To Frequent Email Questions

I reply to emails privately. I reply publicly to email questions that are frequent, to help others with similar issues.

Mineral Oil Baby Oil Use
1. Only use mineral oil baby oil on damp to wet hair if your hair is dry or lacking moisture for the best results. Use it on dry as opposed to damp or wet hair, if your hair is not lacking moisture.

2.Try to find a baby oil with as few ingredients as possible, preferably just mineral oil and fragrance or without fragrance, if you are sensitive to it. In Europe, Johnson's makes one called Natusan. Any extra additives can be sensitizers, create build-up or if they are added oils, leave hair greasy easily. Vitamin E listed is a stabilizer and is not a problem.

3. If mineral oil baby oil is not easily found there are laxative mineral oils in pharmacies and Ikea makes one for wooden cutting boards. That size bottle should last a very long time. Mineral oil has an indefinite shelf life.

4. If cosmetic or USP/BP mineral oil is used, you do not need to separately use a pre-wash oil treatment to help prevent protein loss. When the mineral oil is being washed out, it helps prevent tangles and protein loss from tangling abrasion and helps reduce the amount of water that enters the hair shaft.

5. Usually, mineral oil does not need reapplication between hair washes. However, if sections of the hair have been overlooked during the initial application, redampen or rewet the areas of the hair (misting works well for this) and add the extra amount needed, if the hair is dry (lacking moisture). If the hair has a great moisture level, just apply the extra needed amount to those areas on dry hair.

Coconut Oil
1. Most fractionated coconut oils contain no to almost no lauric acid, making them unsuitable for treatments and oil shampoo, where deep penetration of the hair shaft is the goal. I have added this information as a "Note" in the appropriate posts.

2. Both refined and virgin coconut oils can be used for deep treatments and oil shampoo. It depends on the degree of refining as to the quality of the oil but expensive coconut oil is not necessary. It just needs to be pure coconut oil and food grade is perfectly fine to use. All coconut oil is processed and with a degree of heat, whether it is virgin coconut oil or not.

3. The lauric acid in coconut oil cannot penetrate through barrier ingredients that include: many polymers, waxy ingredients, natural butters and other oils used in any quantity. I do not recommend using mineral oil and oil shampoo at the same time. To get the best results from both, use them separately.

Protein Treatments And Hair Dryness
I learned these facts about protein and how added protein affects hair moisture levels from Redken research, when I worked in the cosmetic industry. Protein binds water. When protein treatments or products are used on hair, whether they are a surface coating only, or penetrating, the added protein acts like hair protein, to bind the water that is in the hair, including in the upper levels of the hair, like the cuticles. If the water content of your hair is low, it is thus further reduced. That is why moisture treatments are recommended and most often needed, after the use of protein products. Protein products and treatments in general are drying. 

The answer to "protein overload" is to add moisture to hair. That moisture is simply water. The fastest, easiest and most efficient way to do that is to use mineral oil alone on damp to wet hair. Mineral oil holds needed water in hair longer than other products, natural sebum, vegetable oils or silicones and can rehydrate hair. See Also this post.