Sealing Vs Moisturizing Oils For Natural Hair:
There are two different types of oils to use for your hair.
You can use sealing or moisturizing depending on what you are trying to achieve for your mane.
The name of the type of oil states the purpose of it.
Moisturizing Oils:
A moisturizing oil does what the name connotates which is to moisturize the hair shaft.
In general, oils are not moisturizers however there are a few that are.
These oils penetrate the hair shaft, moisturizes and softens the hair from within. They soak into the hair strands.
Their high level of penetration is due to their molecular structure.
For example, coconut oil is a moisturising oil which is very high in triglycerides containing short chain fatty acids whose molecules are small enough to penetrate our cuticles.
As well as, it is attracted to the negatively charged protein of our hair (since our hair is 91% protein) because it is positively charged.
Lastly, heating up these types of oils will allow the oil to penetrate the hair faster.
Other oils such as babassu, olive, avocado, sunflower, and palm kernel oil do offer the same moisturising benefits.
Sealing Oils:
Sealing oils are used to “Seal” or hold the moisture into your hair shaft that has already been applied.
These oils contain bulky lipid chains which makes the molecular structure larger therefore it is difficult to penetrate the hair shaft.
However, they are great to seal in the moisture, adds lustre to the hair and aids in lubrication which makes detangling easier.
Examples of these oils are olive, avocado, argan, jojoba and rice bran oil.
Some oils can be used as a moisturizing and sealing oil because it has a mixture of both the properties.
They can penetrate the outer cuticle layer of the hair shaft slightly as well as seal in moisture to reduce moisture loss.
Examples include olive, avocado, and argan oil.
Both types of oils can be used in the LOC or LCO method because not everyone is on the same hair journey with their health and length.
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