Should you use oils/ butters and scalps on the scalp? And exactly what oils/ essential oils and butters should you use on the scalp. Let's go over how, when, and what products to use on the scalp. Let's start with Oils.
Oils:
Oils are broken down into two categories, Essential Oils, and Carrier oils. Essential oils can be tricky though.
Essential oils are compounds extracted directly from plants and herbs and are the most potent forms of oils available. Essential oils are broken down into 3 parts. Volatile, Etheral, and Aetheroleum. Essential oils are made by steaming or pressing a plant or herb to get the most concentrated oil possible from the object. Whether it's a plant or an orange, lavender everything has a process or pressing or steaming it has to go thru. (For example, Oranges go thru a process of steaming/pressing at least 154 oranges to only get 15 ml of essential oils for oranges.) Essential oils are so potent that they need a carrier oil in order to safely deliver the essential oils to safely distribute the oil.
Carrier oil:
Carrier oils are also pressed but are less concentrated and more basic with the process. Carrier oils are just as important but their sole purpose is to carry whatever the substance may be. Carrier oils are just as important though. If you don't have a good carrier oil the substance or in this case Essential oils are never delivered. So Carrier oils are just as important if not more important.
Carrier oils are broken down into two categories, Comedogenic, and non-comedogenic oils. Comedogenic simply means to block or to cover. The carrier oil needs to be low on the comedogenic scale. It's key to have a carrier oil that is low on the comedogenic scale simply because if your carrier oil is not able to penetrate then the essential oil will never be delivered.
Butters are also a popular product that is used on the scalp. but it depends on whether or not that butter is comedogenic or non-comedogenic. for example, Shea butter would be considered a non Comedogenic butter that would be ok on the scalp. it's not recommended that you grease the scalp with shea butter, but if it ends up on your scalp, It's still fine because the properties of shea butter do not block the pores or scalp.
Coconut oil:
on the other hand, Coconut oil is a 5 on the comedogenic scale, if it gets on the scalp, the pores will be blocked for sure. Coconut oil would be better applied on the ends of our hair tips, elbows of the skin, knees, and palms of our hands and feet. These areas of the head and body do not contain sebaceous glands.
Grease:
is considered non-comedogenic, but on the other hand, Petroleum is comedogenic. Petroleum is the first thing that most people reach for when it comes to greasing the scalp. But end up blocking the pores. Petroleum is used for different things all around the world depending on the temperature at which it is cooked. Different temperatures of petroleum get you different results. If you cook petroleum at one temperature you can get your standard grease. If cooked at another temp, you end up with petroleum, and if cooked even further, you can end up with Gas that you put into your car. It is vital that you know what level of petroleum you are dealing with when it comes to greasing the scalp. Find out where it stand on a comedogenic scale before applying.
Remember that blocking the follicle not only blocks things from going into the follicle but also coming out. It blocks out oxygen, it blocks out the natural sebum that our scalp produces, and also the sweat glands from doing their natural jobs. It's not that you should STOP using oils and butters on the scalp, but simply implying the right timing and method system to apply these products can save you along the way.
Sometimes it can seem confusing with all of the properties and differences that some products bring. Do they offer value to my hair? do I have the right porosity for this product? Am I applying to the correct areas of my hair? But if you sit back and think for a second on the laws of haircare I'm am talking about they are pretty simple when broken into the right areas.
Greasing the scalp should only be applied with lite greasing of a product that is low on the comedogenic scale so that the pores are not blocked. (non-comedogenic).
While comedogenic should only be applied to areas where you plan to lock in moisture (ends of hair, knees, elbows, and palms of hands and feet). That way Comedogenic products are not interfering with your sebaceous glands, which in result, end up doing more harm than good.
I really hope this blog post help break down things that we need to practice when we use our products.
for it can save us all a lot of time and Money by just simply knowing what to do and when to do it.
If you want to watch my full Youtube video on this topic click the video below!
