By Christina (pictured above) of The Mane Objective
When looking for products to preserve moisture, add shine, seal, or treat dry scalp, we often hit the nearest Target or local beauty supply store in search of a bottle of “Random Ingredients Moisturizing Spray”, or “Miracle Oil Mix”. Often times, these products tout heavyweights like coconut, tea tree, olive, or grapeseed oil on their labels. If you’re lucky, you might even find some natural-based fruit or tree pictured on the label that leads you to believe you’re making a quality purchase, and that featured ingredient is the star of the show.
Product Deception
Turn that bottle over, scan all the way to the bottom and check out the ingredient list. Where is your fancy oil on that list? Did it make the top 5? Chances are if it didn’t, you’re wasting your time (and money). According to top science-based blogger, JC of The Natural Haven (check out the article here), the first 5 ingredients in any product are the most potent, and will have the most impact on your hair. So if you’re looking for the miracle scalp clearing qualities of tea tree oil, but your product has it listed 3rd from last, you’re probably not getting the most bang for your buck.
For example: take Organic Root Stimulator’s Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion, available at Target, Sally’s, and most major retailers for about $6 for an 8.5oz bottle. You can clearly see OLIVE OIL emblazoned across the front of the bottle. The manufacturers even give the hair lotion a green tint, to seal the deal in convincing you that this is an olive oil based product, and will therefore give you the lustrous benefits of olive oil. Then, we turn the bottle over and take a gander at the list of ingredients:
Water – Aqua, Coconut Oil – Cocos Nucifera, Sorbitol, Trimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol , Petrolatum, Cyclomethicone, Peanut Oil – Arachi Hypogaea , Castor Oil – Ricinus Communis, Cetyl Esters, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Olive Oil – Olea Europaea, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, DMDM Hydantoin, Propylene Glycol, Methyl Paraben, Propyl Paraben, Carbomer , Cetearyl Alcohol , Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, PEG-25 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Fragrance – Parfum , Benzyl Alcohol , Benzyl Salicylate , Geraniol, Hexylcinnamicaldehyde, Lillial, D’Limonene, Linalool, Lyral, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone, BHT , Blue No. 1 – CI 42090, Yellow No. 5 – CI 19140
Olive oil, olive oil…where for art thou olive oil? Oh wait, there you are! Coming in at #11 on the ingredient list is “Olive Oil – Olea Europaea“. Let’s see here, coconut oil comes in at #2…there’s even more petrolatum (which is a concern in and of itself) in this bottle than there is olive oil?! That seems a little misleading, to say the least.
What’s A Girl to Do?
In this arena, conventional wisdom often holds true: it’s cheaper to do it yourself. To save yourself some money, heartbreak, and possibly hair break, here are some commonly used oils that can be acquired for cheaper (and often in greater quantities), that will do what they’re supposed to do. You can mix and match, or use them straight (with the exception of tea tree oil) to achieve the desired effect on your hair.
COCONUT OIL
Coconut oil is brandished across many product labels, but very few list it high on the ingredient list. Instead of reaching for a coconut oil jar or bottle that has a petroleum, mineral, or other oil base, head to your nearest Whole Foods or Sprouts for a jar of Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil on the cooking aisle. A jar will run you from $7 to $10 dollars for a 16oz jar, depending upon what brand you use. At all costs, try to avoid purchasing Coconut Oil in health food stores like Vitamin Shoppe, or on the “health” aisle at other stores. These jars are often overpriced, yet they are exactly the same as the one on the cooking aisle.
OLIVE OIL
While you’re grabbing some coconut oil on the cooking aisle, you might as well swipe a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, too. Bottles of Olive Oil range from $4 to $10, depending on the size of the bottle and the brand you buy. Once again, check for “Extra Virgin” status. Natural oils are most effective and retain the most of their nutritive properties when they are cold-pressed. Stop settling for 11th-listed, and go straight to the source!
TEA TREE OIL
Tea tree oil is generally more expensive than other oils, and you tend to get a lot less of it. But fear not, tea tree oil is very potent. A few drops in a couple of ounces of carrier oil (like coconut or olive) is more than enough to treat your scalp with. When shopping for tea tree oil, be sure to read the label carefully to ensure that it is 100% tea tree oil. You can find tea tree oil at Whole Foods or Vitamin Shoppe, for $9 for a 1oz bottle. It doesn’t seem like much, but a little bit of tea tree goes a long way.
GRAPESEED OIL
Don’t leave the cooking aisle just yet! Grapeseed oil, which is high in Vitamin E and linoleic acid, sits right alongside your EVOO buddy. A bottle of cold-pressed grapeseed oil costs between $5 and $10, depending on the size and brand you select.
What’s your recession-proof oil of choice?
I’ve yet to try Grapeseed Oil. I know a lot of naturals hail it as a protectant for flat ironing but I think I’ll stick with products created just for the purpose of protecting. I believe synthetics can sometimes be more effective…depending on what it’s for.
Jojoba oil should be on this list. It’s soooo light. It’s cheap and great for naturals with fine hair because it doesn’t weigh the hair down. Plus, it seals beautifully
+1, when I run out of EVOO and Coconut oil good ‘ol jojoba oil is always there.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Coconut always #1 for Sonnie (my hair) ( =
My go to oil is evoo with a few drops of Rosemary. I went for the real thing after using a product that had rosemary and was olive oil based for months. Although this product was wonderful on my hair I worried about the other ingredients on the list and after my last bottle almost two years ago. I went and bought a bottle of evoo and some rosemary and made my own mix (basically just added a few drops of rosemary to evoo in a spray bottle). It is also very travel friendly as all I have to do is take the rosemary oil in the little dark bottle it comes in and whereever I am borrow (lol) some evoo from the kitchen and make a quick mix for my hair. I would like to try some jojoba oil, my younger sister loves it and I have heard so much good stuff about it.
I love, love, love EVOO, Tea Tree Oil, and Castor Oil. I use the tea tree oil because it’s a natural antiseptic and in the past I’ve had a problem with an itchy scalp and dandruff…Good bye dandruff. Tea tree oil works wonders and so it’s no question why I use it in all my mixtures! It cleans my scalp and stimulates growth. The castor oil is also another one of my favorites because it is a natural oil for thinning hair and baldness. Since I wore weaves for three years in the transition to natural hair my edges and my hair had thinned out ALOT! Now I use the castor oil faithfully as a pre-poo and I’ll mix some with my deep conditioner. I even massage it into my scalp and edges like 3 times a week…I have seen my hair and edges thicken up. I don’t even have to brag about the wonders of the Ol Faithful EVOO…IT’S AMAZING!
Here in Australia we have a saying ‘oils ain’t oils’ and that is certainly true of tea tree oil. Did you know that there are many oils offered that claim to be tea tree oil but are in reality cheap adulterated rubbish. Learn more about Pure Ausatralian Tea Tree Oil at our new face book site here: http://www.facebook.com/PureAustralianTeaTreeOil/app_223624311073057. Like us ans spread the word please.
Jojoba oil is NOT cheap. For 16oz., you pay about $25.00. 16oz. of coconut oil will run you about $7-9 depending on the brand. You will also pay that much for 4 oz. of Jojoba oil (about $9), so it should not be on this list as a cheap oil. Effective, yes. Cheap? Not so.
I do love my coconut, olive, and castor oils.
So do I.
I get 16 oz of jojoba oil cold pressed for $10 free shipping from a seller on eBay…it lasts me a long time and I never had issues. Maybe you should research more if you really like the oil and want to save money?
I apply olive oil to my hair and coconut oil to my scalp. It is a lot cheaper than buying products that CLAIM they have in olive and coconut oils, which to the best of my knowledge (and the detriment of my pocket) only had really yummy smells and the promise of oil!
I use castor oil on my hair as an overnight hot oil treatment before I wash my hair the next day but that’s the only time I use it, and I’ve never considered using either tea tree oil or grape seed oil on my hair but I’ll think about it.
I loved reading all the great post. I used Wheatgerm Oil today. Used it as a deeper conditioner and left it on my hair for a couple of hours. Washed by hair and then put on my regular leave in conditioner. My hair has not been this soft in years.
Oddly, I’ve found that Vitamin Shoppe has it kind of cheap (about $8). Everywhere else I find it’s never under $12. I only hate that there isn’t one close enough to me to warrant a trip for one product.
Grapeseed oil works best for me. It makes my hair really soft and is just 4 dollars at Wal-Mart. It keeps my hair moisturized all through school though it’s very light. I have very coarse coily dry hair, so finding something that keeps my hair moisturized and isn’t super greasy is all I really care about.
I love them all,but using Castor and Coconut oil for my hair and Jojoba for my skin seem to work very good. I get all my oils and beauty products on iherb.Com You can also use reward code ZQL811 and checkout and get $10 discount on your first purchase.Check it out girls ;)
I agree, Caster Oil is the best!!!
I love coconut oil and castor oil!
I use Parachute Coconut Oil ($7, 16.9 oz bottle, Indian grocery store) and Now Solutions Castor Oil (~$6, 16 oz, iherb.com).
I finger-detangle with coconut oil. I use castor oil to deep condition, seal my ends and soften the hold of my gel.
Hi good article
Just fully natural since June 2012. Have found that the natural oils work best in my hair. Can find 54oz 100% organic coconut oil at Costco for 16 bucks! Also find large extra virgin olive oil there as well ~16 bucks. I’m a thrifty shopper so I look for good deals and like to pass them on. Homegoods store has avocado oil and olive oils as well along with Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Hope this helps someone else.
Help i am just starting to use natural oils on my hair so my question is can these oils be mixed together i was thinking of tea tree,coconut oil,and grape seed and use on my natural hair and my daughter relaxed hair
Yes you can mix those together
I love castor oil, olive oil, almond oil, and coconut oil. I justed purposes grapeseed oil and I use in my pre poo or deep conditioner. I love all the oils but castor, olive and coconut are my favorites