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.

The "Skinny" (details) On Mineral Oil Baby Oil

My condolences to any and all who have lost love ones and property in the devastation caused by tropical storm Sandy. Its effects hit here in Canada too and have had lasting repercussions.

I use Johnson's Original Baby Oil and I have also sometimes used a generic, unfragranced store brand baby oil. The generic brand is somewhat heavier. I have also tried a sample of a laxative "heavy" mineral oil on my hair. Results from all three compare equally, in terms of lasting moisturization or in my case, maintenance of the good level of moisture in my hair and slip or detangling. All three have washed out of my hair easily. My hair is mostly fine, wavy and thin.

However, the Johnson's washes out the easiest. The shampoo I always use is a little different this new batch that I bought the end of last year and I have found that I now need less than I normally used, to clean my hair and scalp and remove enough catnip not to have it build-up. I am not sure what has changed. My hair and scalp are not dry or reacting differently to account for it. The shampoo does not appear to have any different ingredients and I checked that out to be sure. It is a bit thicker than it used to be but not by much. When I used the other mineral oils, I did need to use my previous normal amount, which is not a lot of shampoo at all and I needed no extra amount in addition to that. With the Johnson's, I can use less shampoo to remove it completely. Johnson's is the most lightweight of the mineral oils I have tried.

The more lightweight a non-drying oil is in consistency, the easier it can be removed from hair with shampoo. I have had no problems with any of the mineral oils tried but I do prefer the lightest weight version. So, for those of you with finer hair, the more lightweight a mineral oil baby oil is in consistency, the easier it can be to remove completely, when the hair is next washed. Not all mineral oil baby oils are equally lightweight, even without extra ingredients.

I recently needed to be out in very humid weather and while I prefer to use baby oil and catnip separately, I tried something different. I used less than one small drop of the Johnson's in total, to "polish" my catnipped hair, used on the length and top and canopy or the top layer of the back of my hair. It worked perfectly to give my hair just that extra bit of style. I used it on mostly dry hair.

See Also
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/10/hair-and-build-up-and-moisture.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/understanding-drying-capacity-of-oils.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/10/how-to-avoid-winter-hair-blues.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/10/some-types-of-hair-damage-are.html
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2011/12/mineral-oil-and-hair-care-and-skin.html
and
http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/04/tips-for-applying-cosmetic-mineral-oil.html

Cosmetic Or USP/BP Mineral Oil Updates

I am still updated by friends on their mineral oil or baby oil for the most part use on hair and the results. Their results are consistent with mine. While I still use catnip more often on my hair than cosmetic mineral oil because it is also my hair colour, when I do use baby oil, I have not seen an increase in hair breakage, the appearance of frizz which rarely happens for me with catnip, or the sudden appearance of split ends, which I no longer have to deal with otherwise, thanks to catnip use.

In fact, the consensus from them is clear, whether the person uses conditioner and baby oil or baby oil alone after shampooing, or conditioner only washing. There is a reduction in frizz to almost or nil, reduced hair breakage and a definite reduction in split ends. No other major hair care routine changes have been made.

One of my friends continues to do heat styling and baby oil alone has performed admirably as a thermal protectant and hair conditioner for her for quite a while now. Her chemically damaged hair continues to grow out stronger, while being very easy to comb and style and appears to be much healthier. It shines. She only needs to apply the baby oil to her hair once after each wash for these effects, not in between washes.That was also clear in the consensus. Baby oil only needs to be applied once after hair washing to be effective, not continuously.

One friend swears baby oil use has contributed to her hair growth spurt and protected her hair from sun damage and chlorinated pools. While I have no scientific research links to back any of that up, I think the baby oil has helped offset UV damage and helped shield her hair from access to it by chlorine. As to the growth spurt, I think less breakage from baby oil use can result in more visible growth.

For those who still use conditioner and shampoos that cause build-up, they clarify their hair when needed, which is every so often, not often, to eliminate residue. They have found they need to use much less conditioner than before trying cosmetic mineral oil on their hair, to get fabulous results.

All of this makes perfect sense to me.

Note: Some baby oils with added fragrance have been reported online to cause skin breakouts. In those same reports, switching to a different brand of baby oil with fragrance or baby oil without fragrance, resolved the issue. It was not the mineral oil in the baby oil that was the problem. 
 
See Also
 http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/04/mineral-oil-as-thermal-protectant.html
 http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/04/how-mineral-oil-can-help-even-damaged.html

 http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2012/03/dry-skin-dry-scalp-and-dandruff.html

Cosmetic Mineral Oil Or Baby Oil Summary

Conditioners are not without their uses. The coatings and waxes most contain fill in the gaps in cuticles from damage and help smooth the hair and make it easy to comb. That is what catnip steeped for 4.75 hours does for my hair when I use it as a treatment. Catnip also moisturizes my hair very well.

Without mineral oil in them, conditioners are not great moisturizers for hair. Other oils, butters or silicone cannot outperform mineral oil for that or its detangling effects.

My hair is not damaged. I can use baby oil drops on my hair without catnip. Friends of mine can go without conditioning and use baby oil drops too.

For those with damaged hair using a light conditioner first may be helpful.

It is not an either or proposition to get great hair. There is no reason to me why you cannot mix it up and add the mineral oil to conditioner (drops) or use a conditioner lightly and the drops over that one time and go without conditioning first another time, whatever works best.

You can use a protein treatment if desired and use the drops as a moisturizing treatment afterward on damp hair or use a moisturizing conditioner lightly after the protein treatment and use the drops after that on damp hair for extra moisturizing.

Using mineral oil drops as a pre-treatment before washing with shampoo may be helpful but not necessary. Less drops would be needed afterward for detangling I would bet.

For those who clarify anyway because of conditioner and conditioning shampoo or styling aids, the above are options to try. Cosmetic mineral oil or lightweight mineral oil baby oil otherwise is very easy to completely shampoo or conditoner only wash remove from hair.

For those like me who do not want build-up or to clarify and if your hair is not damaged, clarify the hair first and try the drops alone on damp hair and switch to a shampoo that does not cause build-up. I had no build-up on my hair when I used the baby oil without anything else on my hair after washing and I got 0 tangles. It may be, that that if someone does not want to use conditioner following clarifying, that a well diluted vinegar rinse can be substituted for conditioner. A well diluted vinegar or lemon juice, or citric acid rinse is no doubt more acidic than the shampoo used and that may be enough to reduce tangling, before the oil is applied. My shampoo, although not a clarifying one is more acidic than others I have used in the past.

If the hair has a great moisture level, the drops can be used on dry hair (as opposed to damp or very damp hair). It may also be, that by continuous use of the oil, dry hair can be moisturized enough, to no longer require the oil being used on damp hair and using it on dry hair can be done to maintain the new, moisturized level.

The key is less is more with cosmetic mineral oil. Use and think small drops.

It spreads so easily, that much less than you would ever think necessary can give fantastic results without the downsides of vegetable oils or butters - heavy, greasy, stringy, sticky hair. To top it off, it is antistatic and helps control frizz.

More On Cosmetic Mineral Oil Or Baby Oil

The idea of using drops only of mineral oil was the key in the research study for me that led to this blog post.

I had tried small amounts of other oils before. Drops were less intimidating and worked for me without waste, aside from being incredibly economical, although the price of mineral oil is low to start with, especially for baby oil.

They also reduced the possibility of using too much and my having to rewash my hair because it would look and feel bad.

I had no reason to worry. Mineral oil spreadability is another commonly known factor in the cosmetic industry that sets it apart from vegetable oils and silicone, in addition to its superior moisturization abilities and it not being as potentially greasy. It goes further and better than other oils can using an equivalent amount.

See "Emolliency" Pages 5 and 6, as well as the "Synopsis" on Page 1 and "Slip, Shine and Safety" on Pages 6 and 7. As I reported here, I had no tangles with mineral oil because it reduced friction and that means less hair stress, which in turn means less potential hair damage.

Dow Corning has come up with a silicone product to enhance vegetable oils.

That would not be necessary if vegetable oils did not need enhancing to deliver the same qualities mineral oil can on its own.

Going back to sustainability, mineral oil is already widely available, especially baby oil, which is what I used. Applications of drops only, means much less is needed. Producing the product to enhance vegetable oils requires power and that power comes from non renewable resources.

Every vegetable oil out there used for cosmetics or food is processed, even the unrefined ones. Heat is used in processing virgin coconut oil for example, more power generation from non renewable resources.

To me, mineral oil is a win win product. Mineral oil cannot replace all vegetable oil cosmetic applications but it can replace oiling hair as a grooming aid and with better results.

Cosmetic mineral oil (USP/BP) comes in different grades unfragranced, for laxative use; and in lightweight grades fragranced and unfragranced, as baby oil and unfragranced, to help keep wooden cutting boards and utensils from drying out and it is considered to be vegan.