Advantages Of Coconut And Argan Oils Over Other Natural Oils And Cosmetic Products

Coconut and argan oils are the best products to use (the pure oils) to protect hair from dye containing conventional peroxide, conventional peroxide, and bleach. They are best used on hair with limited to no residue, or a limited amount of a lightweight conditioner used. They can work even better when no conditioner has been used after washing hair, a day or so before processing. Details are in this blog. Argan oil has been noted to make skin sun or photosensitive, if it is used on skin during the day.

See

The 6 Discoveries I Developed That You Can Benefit From Through This Blog

And 

Consensus On Favorite Hair Oils, From Emails I Received

The 6 Discoveries I Developed That You Can Benefit From Through This Blog

2005 Catnip can prevent split ends, as well as stain grey or white hair with a light or pale blonde colour, and replace the need for conventional hair conditioner. I discovered that first previously unknown property, through my own experimentation with cut and dried catnip leaves and buds, used as a hair treatment. My catnip cosmetic journey began in September 2004. I still tweak my method. I started out looking for a natural hair colour and found much, much more from the plant. Research I read told me catnip can produce a light yellow dye. What it did not tell me was how, or whether it would work on hair. It can as I found out. Its constituents work in harmony to produce all of the effects, which do not come from one single part of it, although the colour is from its tannins.

2008 I created new honey lightening recipes that work faster and better than previous recipes used, following research I did on on the topic. I provide you with explanations of how and why the recipes can work based on that research. I created the term "honey lightening boosters" after researching the added ingredients used in the recipes.

2008 I developed a method for using coconut and argan oils, that can protect hair from damage by: conventional hair colour that contains peroxide, bleach, and other peroxide levels. It is about the ability of both oils to chelate iron and copper, which react with hydrogen peroxide, forming damaging free radicals. That directly followed my research on honey lightening. Honey chelates iron too.

2010 I created a method to use coconut and other oils in shampoo, that can replace the need for using conditioner and styling aids, based on research I read, my own experience with catnip, and product knowledge. I also created a treatment method using the oils. The latest shampoo method version, I created from doing more research, enhances the method, makes it more user friendly, and eliminates method issues that were difficult for some people. It is not available here at this time.

2010 Based on research on club soda, I recommended that it be used as a rinse to remove hard water mineral deposits on hair, and it can be as effective as vinegar rinses for that purpose, without the need for dilution. It can also be used as a rinse to reacidify the hair and scalp, following the use of an alkaline product. It is not the same product as soda water.

2011 I realized cosmetic mineral oil can be better used specific ways, outside of just as an addition to cosmetic products, and not as other people have been using, and recommended it be used previously. I created methods of use based on that information. It is about recognizing what it can do and why, from research on its known properties and results, including my own. Cosmetic mineral oil has been incorrectly categorized as synthetic, toxic, and a strain on ecological resources. Mineral oil is a by-product of petroleum production and is a natural oil. Cosmetic mineral oil has been purified and is safe to use. It is in direct competition with more expensive cosmetic products, which cannot do for hair and skin what it can, keep either hydrated for a longer period of time, and provide other benefits as well.

The information, recipes, methods, except for the advanced oil shampoo method are all here in detail for you to try, if you so desire. All can work extremely well. There are always variables with results. No cosmetic recipe, method, product or ingredient is a miracle. It is how they are all used and applied. With products and ingredients, there will be variations that include: quality, additives, species, or type with honey for example. My work is copyright protected.

See
Catnip
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-3-of-4-on-innovative-approaches-to.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/06/catnip-safety-review-2012.html
Honey Lightening
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-4-of-4-on-innovativee-approaches.html
How to protect hair from dye/peroxide/bleach
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-1-of-3-part-series-on-innovative.html
Oil Shampoo and treatment
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2010/10/hair-care-of-movie-stars-from-past.html
Cosmetic mineral oil
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/mineral-oil-and-hair-care-and-skin.html
See Also
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2013/03/misting-hair-and-reapplying-oil-as.html
Information on club soda
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-2-of-4-on-innovative-approaches-to.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/when-to-clarify-hair-and-with-what.html

Consensus On Favorite Hair Oils, From Emails I Received

I get feedback on products used in hair care and how they are used. Here are results from the emails I received, on the top 2 favorite hair oils. Both of the following oils are natural, cost-effective and are preferred for different reasons and applications.

Coconut Oil
1. Works best on well clarified hair as a treatment (fractionated coconut oil did not work nearly as well and most contain no lauric acid for hair penetration)
2. Works best added to shampoo that does not cause build-up, after the hair has been well clarified, with no need of conditioner to follow
3. Works best for hair more frequently washed, as it cannot hold moisture in hair too long, without reapplication between washes, just like any other vegetable oil
4. Not the best detangler, or used over a lot of residue (it causes "crunchy" or dry hair) and not the oil to use when there are certain scalp conditions, like real dandruff, or in conditions of high or low humidity, or under conditions that can cause it to break down on the hair or skin (no vegetable oil is recommended under those conditions), See this post
5. Very little needs to be used as a grooming oil, or the hair can become heavy, greasy, sticky and stringy.
6. Works superbly as a pre-treatment before dyeing with a dye that contains peroxide, or lightening with peroxide alone, or bleach, to help with dye uptake and help prevent hair damage
7. Can work well  used as a pre-wash oil, or added to any shampoo as a surface oil, or used over conditioner, as a surface grooming oil
8. Although it is a honey lightening recipe booster oil, it has not been reported to lighten hair used on its own, in the applications listed above.

Cosmetic Mineral Oil (USP/BP)
1. It is the best oil for moisturizing, or keeping hair moisturized, detangling and preventing static hands down, compared to any other oil, or silicone. It can hold moisture in hair longer than other oils, silicone, natural sebum, or other detangling products, without causing build-up.
2. No need for reapplication between hair washes, if small drops of it are distributed well throughout the hair
3. It is the easiest oil to use. You do not need to use it as a pre-wash oil to prevent hair from getting too much water in it while washing. It is already on the hair coating and protecting it used post washing.
4. Can work very well used with other products, like conditioner, if too much conditioner or other product is not used, or residue present
5. It is lightweight enough as baby oil to prevent hair becoming heavy, greasy or stringy, when not too much is used. It spreads most easily to do that. It is never sticky. It is very easy to wash out. No need to clarify or use a sulfate shampoo to remove it
6. The best oil to help hair recover from any type of damage, by reducing mechanical friction, keeping needed water in hair longer than any other oil, or product and help protect hair from further abrasion, split ends and breakage
7. Can replace the need for conditioner, treatments and thermal protectants
8. Works well when there is real dandruff, or other scalp conditions present, without issues and works well under all atmospheric conditions, especially high and low humidity to help prevent frizz
9. I received several more reports of it helping protect hair from UV damage and helping protect hair from swimming in pools and sea water. I still believe the best protection to prevent UV damage to hair is covering it with a tight weave hat, scarf or using an umbrella. Regarding using it before swimming, very little of it is needed to coat the hair.

For those who do not want to pollute swimming waters, as any amount of oil, added conditioner or product can be seen as too much, rinsing hair with club soda following swimming and using it to saturate hair or help saturate hair, prior to swimming is a hair and environmentally friendly option. Club soda neutralizes chlorine and needs no dilution, as its pH is about 5 and it helps remove sea water minerals from hair, that can cause hair to become very dry. Club soda is different than plain soda water. A typical example of its ingredients can be found here. The sodium bicarbonate in it is used as a buffering agent, to keep the pH stable. Potassuim sulfate information can be found here.

The 3rd and 4th favorite oils are argan and camellia, respectively. Both are classified as vegetable oils and coconut oil is too. Argan oil is great as a pre-treatment before dyeing and lightening, used on top of coconut oil because it cannot penetrate hair as deeply to saturate it, or instead of coconut oil. Camellia oil is fairly lightweight and can help with tangles. The only issues with those oils are price and quality. The best quality pure oils, yielding the best results, tend to be expensive but definitely worth it, compared to lower priced versions. All 4 oils are safe to use. The only caution with argan oil is that it can make skin photosensitive (the link to that text no longer works) and it is best used at night for that reason.

Part 1 of a 4 Part Series on Innovative Approaches to Hair Care: How to save money and help save your hair from damage caused by hair dye or bleach

Many of us deal with the image we present to clients and employers. For increasing numbers of men and women in today’s economy, that may mean starting over in the job market at an advanced age. For some people that may include using hair dye. Others like to colour their hair for a change or for fun.

I am going to tell you how you can save money and more, if you do use hair dye or bleach.

Almost all hair dyes that can cover grey hair and all that can lighten hair colour, contain hydrogen peroxide. A peroxide developer is used to activate hair bleach. When hydrogen peroxide is applied to hair it produces free radicals that are damaging. The result can be hair that is dry, or breaks easily, and grey coverage can be unsuccessful. The free radicals are generated primarily by the iron and copper, absorbed into hair from tap water and some hair care products.

Chelants are chemicals that occur naturally or can be synthesized, that bind metals and can be used to keep iron and copper from reacting with peroxide. Proctor and Gamble (P&G) has found that their synthesized copper chelant can minimize hair damage more than 95% and better dye uptake is achieved with it. One of the ways to use it is in a pre-treatment. Chelants can be used that way naturally and hair can be conditioned too. Both coconut and argan oils contain chelants that chelate iron and copper. Argan oil chelates more copper than iron. You just need the pure oils. They can be used separately or in combination.

TAM
Timing
At least 1 hour is recommended, to let the oils saturate the hair before dye or bleach is applied directly over them.

Access to hair
The hair should be free of any residue and conditioner.

Amount
Heavy oiling has been reported to give the best results. Update 3/4/13 - the linked information is why a heavy oiling works better. See "in a level higher" in the linked text, "[0058]".

On a forum I (updated) belonged to, there have been over 51 no damage reports so far using these oils. Heavy oiling has been reported to yield the best dye uptake, lightening and conditioning results. These oils saturate and can penetrate well clarified hair and have not been reported to interfere with hair dye uptake or lightening in any way. They have been reported separately and in combination, to increase dye uptake, colour intensity and yield great lightening results, with no hair damage from the chemical processes used on top of the oils being reported, in the overwhelming majority of cases.

Nothing can return hair to its pre-damaged state. These oils help prevent damage and can make buying products to deal with hair dye problems unnecessary. They can help save your cosmetic budget and help save your hair.

Results reported by forum member Dolly, after pre-treatment with a heavy coconut oiling: Great grey root coverage, soft shiny hair with no damage reported and intense colour that lasts, shown here after using permanent hair colour. Far right: 1 week after hair colouring with her latest pre-treatment.

 

Photos courtesy of Dolly

Bianca's results: A heavy coconut oil  pre-treatment before using bleach to lighten henna and then another heavy coconut oil pre-treatment before applying hair dye to adjust the colour. No hair damage was reported after the double processing.

  

Photo courtesy of Bianca