Why do our hair and scalp like oils?
1) Hair needs lipids
Both hair and scalp are covered on the surface by a hydro-lipidic film. This protective film is a sebum-rich emulsion that also contains water and organic and mineral compounds. It is responsible for hair's hydration and resistance to external aggression. Maintaining this hydro-lipidic film is therefore crucial to keeping hair well hydrated.
Hair is made up of 3 parts: the medulla, the internal structure of the hair; the cortex, composed of melanin and keratin; and the cuticle. The Cuticle is made up of Keratin scales superimposed one on top of the other and sealed by a lipid layer, essential for preserving the hair's barrier function. When hair is attacked, the cuticle becomes more fragile, and when the scales open up, they allow water and lipids to pass through, resulting in dry, brittle hair.
Lipids are therefore essential for hair and scalp. Hence the importance of oils to nourish and moisturize hair.
2) What is a good hair oil?
Oils have become essential products for our hair. They are fatty substances that are liquid at room temperature.
Oils belong to the lipid family, which is made up of fatty acid molecules. They contain vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids, and generally nourish the hair and scalp. However, some oils are more interesting than others, depending on the hair's specific needs.
There are several types of oil :
- Animal oils: you can find oil from crustaceans or cetaceans, for example.
- Mineral oils: generally derived from petroleum, such as kerosene or silicones. Many products labelled as hair oils are not oils at all, but products with a high silicone concentration. You can recognize them by their characteristic texture and slippery feel. They form a film on the hair, making it impervious to the active ingredients it needs to avoid drying out.
- And finally, vegetable oils are derived from oleaginous plants, i.e. plants containing lipids. There is a wide variety of these for all hair problems. These are the most interesting.
How to choose a quality hair oil?
To benefit from the qualities of your vegetable oils for hair, it's important to choose them carefully. Always choose a non-aggressive extraction method, to preserve the integrity of their beneficial properties.
Check that your oils are virgin, i.e. from a single cold-pressing process, untreated and free of additives.
A "first cold pressing" is considered to be an oil obtained at a temperature not exceeding 50°C, including the additional heating required during pressing. With this process, the vegetable oil retains all its properties.
When oils are obtained by refining, i.e. physical processes involving heating (100°C to 200°C), the composition of the oil is altered and, in particular, the unsaturated fats present in the plant become saturated under the effect of heat and lose their biological effectiveness.
Also avoid solvent-extracted oils and hydrogenated oils, i.e. oils to which hydrogen has been added either to increase their shelf life or to improve their stability. They are easy to recognize because they are always accompanied by the prefix "hydrogenated vegetable oil" in the INCI names. When you see hydrogenated oil in the composition of a product, it means that the oil has lost its original properties and is no longer used as a carrier.
Choose an organic oil free from pesticides and contaminants. As with food, organic is good for your hair and skin! And above all, store them away from light and heat. If your oil smells rancid, it has oxidized and its properties have deteriorated.
What are the differences between butter and oil?
Many of us use butters or waxes for our hair on a daily basis. Beyond their liquid presentation for oils and solid presentation for butters, butters solidify at room temperature and can become liquid again depending on temperature. Shea butter will melt between 28°C and 35°C, mango butter will need a little more heat to melt, and cocoa butter, for example, is the texture that needs the highest temperatures (35°C) to melt.
Coconut oil from fresh coconut pulp solidifies below 20°C and begins to soften and melt between 20°C and 28°C.
In fact, it's not uncommon to find blends of oils and butter to obtain softer textures at room temperature.
Did you know? Jojoba oil is a wax!
Jojoba oil, which is actually a vegetable wax, has unique virtues. Its composition is similar to that of skin and scalp sebum. It is extremely rich in waxy esters (97% of its composition) and unsaponifiable matter. Native to the deserts of South America, it is renowned for its softening and sebum-regulating properties.
Essential oils for beautiful, supple, shiny hair
There are many varieties to choose from, and we've selected just a few. Don't hesitate to try them:
1) Jojoba oil
This oil has truly unique properties for hair: It rebalances oily hair by normalizing sebum production. Restores vitality to dry, brittle hair. It enhances shine and suppleness, making hair more beautiful. It also prevents hair loss, nourishes hair and can be used for both dry and oily hair. It softens hair and adds shine. Lightweight and non-occlusive, it's also good for curly hair.
2) Castor oil
It has a unique unsaturated fatty chain structure and a very high level of unsaturation. It tones the hair fiber and promotes hair regrowth. It moisturizes and protects the hair fiber (silky effect). It promotes scalp microcirculation, stimulating hair growth and slowing hair loss. This slightly viscous gel-like oil does not penetrate the hair, but coats and protects it. It strengthens and repairs hair. Its protective layer on the hair's surface makes it shine. It's a real hair tonic.
3) Coconut oil
It's the only one with a very high level of saturated fats, and a short C12, C14 and C16.
It has an exceptional affinity with hair, strengthening it and making it shine. It nourishes and smoothes the hair fiber, leaving hair shiny and vigorous. Coconut oil quickly penetrates the fiber to instantly repair your lengths. Rich in lauric acid, similar to the hair's natural proteins, it strengthens your strands and perfumes them with its gourmand scent.
ATTENTION : Coconut oil doesn't work on all hair types. This is most certainly due to its unique composition of saturated fatty acids, which means it penetrates the hair rather easily. If you use too much and/or if your hair is very damaged, you may end up with a rough feel and a wood effect.
4) Hemp oil
It is very low in saturated fatty acids and, above all, the richest in omega-3s on this list.
Hemp oil is an excellent natural partner for dry, brittle or unmanageable hair. It nourishes the hair, while keeping it well hydrated. Useful for fine hair, Hemp oil is perfect for restoring volume and shine. It has a light leafy scent and an attractive green color.
5) Moringa oil
It has the same saturated/unsaturated ratio, moringa being particular in that it contains practically only omega 9 as unsaturated.
Moringa oil intensely moisturizes and nourishes dry scalps. It also protects hair from pollution, restoring its radiance. It moisturizes the scalp, repairs damaged or weakened hair and fights split ends. It also stimulates blood circulation in the scalp. Adds shine, silkiness and softness.
6) Shea butter
This oil is ideal for very dry hair, such as curly or frizzy hair. It can be used pure, heated in the hands, or as a "homemade chantilly". It can also be used in hair care products.
7) Argan oil
This oil, which comes from Morocco, is highly nourishing and particularly interesting for its high antioxidant content. Perfect for dry hair, but also for color-treated hair or to protect hair in summer. Perfect as a day treatment for the ends. Be sure to choose an oil without a strong odor, as it is fragile and easily goes rancid.
Be careful with deodorized oils: the deodorization process must not be carried out by overheating the oil, otherwise it will lose all its qualities.
8) The essential almond oil
If you're not allergic to almonds, this is the oil of childhood. Very gentle, it protects sensitive scalps, nourishes hair and leaves it shiny.
This short selection is by no means exhaustive. We also love black cumin oil, rich in Omega 6 for its soothing and stimulating properties, or hazelnut oil, with its very fine, soft texture.
What vegetable oil do you use that your hair loves?
The hair oil bath: a good treatment to moisturize and nourish the scalp
There's nothing like a natural treatment to nourish your hair and scalp. The oil bath is a fabulous treatment to use regularly. It is applied to dry hair before shampooing. It's called a bath, but it doesn't mean coating your hair with oil. On the contrary, it's best to use sparingly, because what counts is choosing the right oil and massaging it into the scalp and down the lengths. Take care to pour the oil into your hands to warm it up, for a more pleasant massage.
Once you've applied the oil to your hair, leave it in as long as you can, then shampoo!
Oil scrub to detoxify the scalp
If your hair feels dull, limp and weak, it could be that your scalp needs to be stimulated and detoxified. Here's a quick and magical recipe: choose an organic vegetable oil or vegetable butter and mix equal quantities of vegetable oil and coffee grounds in a bowl (don't hesitate to use the grounds left over from your coffee).
Apply to scalp and massage in. You can also use castor oil mixed with aloe vera and coffee grounds for a more liquid texture. This quick treatment will remove all impurities and the massage will also be very beneficial for your scalp. Coffee is also a good microcirculation stimulant, and the beans make a gentle, natural mechanical scrub.
Organic vegetable oils in powders?
It's magic, and Yodi has done it with its 2 powder shampoos with vegetable oils and prebiotic.
Discover Yodi, and its 2 water- and preservative-free prebiotic powder shampoos. They contain fewer than 11 ingredients of natural origin, and their powder texture transforms into abundant, generous foam in the shower.
The magic of formulation: these very soft powder textures have been enriched with organic plant oils. The result: a soft touch and healthy, supple, shiny hair.
Nutritive Argan shampoo is enriched with organic argan oil, rich in antioxidants and highly nourishing. It is ideal for sensitive scalps and dry, color-treated and damaged hair.
Douceur de lait d'amande shampoo is enriched with softening organic almond extract. It is ideal for sensitive scalps and fine or oily hair.