Oil it up - Argan & Jojoba Oil

Since it's Halloween, my treat to you is an "Oil it up" post with not one but two oils being put under the microscope ;-) I've decided to double up this post to include both argan and jojoba oil as these oils have been interchangeable in my hair journey. It also serves as a good opportunity for me to evaluate whether or not these oils are indeed similar and to find out why I felt that they did pretty much the same thing for my hair. Let's take a look.

Argan Oil

Argan oil, also termed "the Miracle Oil" or "liquid gold" (hmmm interesting) is a plant oil derived by pressing the pits of argan kernels. The argan tree grows in only a part of Morocco and is little known outside of that area. This oil can be used for nutritive as well as cosmetic purposes as it contains vitamin E, phenols, carotenes, squalene, and fatty acids. It is said that depending on the extraction method, argan oil may be more resistant to oxidation than olive oil.

Oil it up - Castor Oil

I am tempted to call this the king of all natural oils. After all, I've never seen a grapeseed oil or jojoba oil challenge, but there are plenty of castor oil challenges around. As a matter of fact, I think there is at least one taking place right now, check this link for more details.

So, why all the hype surrounding castor oil?

Oil it up - Grapeseed Oil

This light, non-greasy, odorless oil is loved by many in the hair care world, and who can blame them?! There's just so much to love about grapeseed oil:

• it is rich in vitamin E and linoleic acid, two ingredients capable of strengthening hair.

• It contains ceramides which fill in gaps along the cuticle, resulting in hair which is stronger and less prone to breakage.

• it has been proven to smooth the cuticles while simultaneously sealing in moisture.

• it is able to treat dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Like many other natural oils, it can be used in various ways. Here are the top 5 uses for grapeseed oil:

Oil it up - Coconut oil

This is another favorite among those on hair journeys and rightly so. Coconut oil provides many benefits to the body and the hair in particular. It too, is one of the few shaft-penetrating oils, thus lodging its nourishing properties deep into the strand. 

It is considered anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial because it contains lauric acid, a chemical that is otherwise only found in human breast milk. Thanks to the anti-fungal and healing properties of coconut oil, it can be used to treat scalp complaints.

Coconut oil contains Vitamin E (an essential nutrient for skin and hair), which along with the previously mentioned lauric acid, help to promote protein regrowth in the hair, making it stronger.

Like all other oils, it is unable to moisturize, but it is very effective at sealing in moisture and leaving hair with a shine that screams health, and it smells good too! You can't beat that with a stick!

Uses of Cocout Oil

• Prepoo
• Deep condition
• sealing 
• scalp treatments/ massages

Are you a lover of coconut oil? How do you use it? Let me know down below.

XOXO,

Abbi

Oil it up - Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil, affectionately nicknamed EVOO is one of the most popular natural oils used not only by kitchenistas, but by hairlistas as well. Extra virgin is the highest quality and most expensive olive oil classification. It should have no defects and a flavor of fresh olives. It's a nutritious oil, containing both Vitamin E and A. It is also rich in fats.

It is a carrier oil, which means it can be used as a base for essential oils without harmful effects. EVOO is used for pre-pooing, hot oil treatments, deep conditioning, making shampoos a bit more moisturizing, sealing moisturizers and so much more.