Oiling your hair 1-2 times a week is enough. Doing it everyday can attract dirt and also strip away essential oils from your hair. Combing, rubbing and vigorously massaging your hair with oil can also cause breakage.
To make sure that your hair gets cleaned but still remains nourished and frizz-free, apply oil every time before you wash your hair. Even if it is difficult to keep up with it every time, try to oil your hair at least twice a week. However, if you have an oily scalp, you can reduce the frequency of oiling your hair.
The best time to apply hair oil is when your hair and scalp are clean. Otherwise, the oil will not get absorbed. You can massage oil when your hair is damp.
Those with normal hair probably want to keep oil use to around twice a week. Smooth a little through your hair when styling. If you've got oily hair then it makes no sense to use oil as a styling product. However, you can still benefit from an overnight treatment once a week as discussed below.
Leaving oil on your hair everyday for too long can cause product build-up on your scalp. It may also clog your pores, attract dirt and accumulate dandruff. Oiling your hair everyday also means that you have to wash it with shampoo everyday. This is not ideal to achieve healthy, lustrous and soft hair.
“You can oil when your hair is damp or dry, but your hair and scalp have to be clean, or the oil won't have a chance to be absorbed,” says Dr Gupta. For heavier oils like coconut oil, applying it on dry hair is best, as the larger molecules may not penetrate the shaft of wet hair as well it can dry hair.
Apply oil to the scalp, roots, and length of the hair. You can also heat the oil a bit and apply it to your scalp.
Oils can cause an increase in naturally occurring yeasts that will exacerbate conditions like Seborrheic Dermatitis. Also oils like castor cause an excessive build-up of dirt and which can clog the hair follicles.
Moisture only comes from water. If you apply oils on dry hair, then even the silkiest, most softening, non-drying oil could leave your hair feeling dry. That's because even nondrying oils create a hydrophobic film that can lock out a lot of hydration.
Using too much oil when oiling can make hair washes even more hectic. Residual oil in hair can clog pores and make your scalp dehydrated and oily. Using extra oil does not mean extra benefits and it is ideal to use enough to just cover your roots with oil.
Oil your hair no more than 1 to 2 times a week. Leave it on for approximately an hour or two but you don't need to leave it on longer than that. When you leave oil on too long you run the risk of zits because oil will run down onto your skin and you also don't add any real benefit by leaving it on longer.
Whether you are trying to avoid chemicals or are just looking to experiment with some new hair care products, try natural oils such as coconut, argan, jojoba, almond, olive and grapeseed. These are some of the best oils for hair health and can be used directly on the skin and hair.
In general, it is not recommended to leave oil on for more than 6-8 hours, as that might make things tricky. The oil can attract a lot of dirt, dust, grime and get them to stick to your hair! So, it will take a lot more effort to wash your hair with all this added stuff to wash off.
Mix a leave-in conditioner , castor oil (emollient), and water in a spray bottle and spritz it onto your hair daily to keep your locks hydrated. Give a hot oil treatment to your tresses (coconut and olive oils are good choices) 20 minutes before washing them to provide an extra moisture boost.
DON'T Apply to the roots
Like most shine-enhancing products, a hair oil should be applied to the mid-lengths and ends only. Applying too much product at the roots can weigh hair down and, as it's rich in nourishing oils, it may cause unwanted greasiness.
Go to bed with oil in your hair for shiny hair in the morning. Coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil. Any oil in your hair the night before will mean shinier hair the day after.
It's best to apply hair oil after your other styling products, including leave-in conditioner, because hair oil forms a barrier that can prevent other products from being absorbed into your hair.
Leaving oil on your hair overnight can make it greasy and sticky, and it will also attract dust from your pillow and bed. As a result, it can lead to hair loss and other hair problems.
“Excessive oil application blocks all the glands which open into your skin surface. This can lead to a hair infection called folliculitis. If this infection spreads to the hair roots, it can cause hair loss.”