Oils that penetrate the Hair Shaft....

Have you ever found yourself drowning in a sea of hair products, including oils, but wondering why nothing seemed to work as promised?
If so, it may be because the ingredients in your hair products aren’t penetrating the shaft of your hair!!!

Oils are good for hair: they enhance sheen, protect against environmental elements plus nourish the scalp.
Oils are made of fatty-acid chains, some of which are too big to penetrate the hair shaft and hence they help in providing the much-needed protective coating they give the hair.

However, some oils actually have chains small enough to penetrate the hair to the core; thus delivering whatever benefits deep into the strand and nourish it inside out. They also help to strengthen hair by preventing damage (especially protein loss during shampoo and relaxing).

COCONUT OIL;

So far my favourite oil...
Coconut oil is one of the few natural oils that has been proven to penetrate deep inside the hair where it can strengthen from within and protect the outside.
Research (although small-scale and preliminary) shows that hair can absorb around 50-75% of applied oil...
Coconut oil (because of its chemical structure) can actually penetrate to the cortex (the inner part of hair) which can help improve its strength and flexibility.

♦This is also because the fatty acids are drawn to the protein stricture of the hair, and bind with them hence minimizing protein loss!!♦

Another benefit: coconut oil has super staying power. Since most oils and hair ingredients sit on top of your hair, they rinse off when you wash your mane. Coconut oil is "inside" your hair, so it's less likely to rinse away.
If you have dry, damaged hair and are susceptible to hair loss and breakage then you should definitely stock up on coconut oil.
※This is why most pre-shampoo oil treatments recommend coconut oil. ※

OLIVE OIL...

Also another favourite...
Olive oil is scientifically proven to penetrate the shaft of your hair. It is difficult to repair the inner most layer of your hair follicle. But putting olive oil in hair is clinically shown to repair the hair cuticle and cortex.
The hair is said to absorb about 75% of the oil applied.

♠You can boost your hot oil treatment by mixing olive and coconut oils, warm them and let them penetrate your hair and scalp. All you have to do is apply the oil to your hair and let it absorb.♠

AVOCADO OIL...

Quite rare and pricey, but it does deliver!!!
The oil is obtained from the pulp, not the pit of the avocado.
Slightly green in color due to the high chlorophyll content, Avocado oil has an avocado flavor with a hint of buttery mushroom aroma.
Avocado oil is rich in Vitamins (A, B1, B2, D and E) and Monounsaturated fats. (The good type of fat.)
Due to its small fatty acid chains it is also penetrative deep into the hair. Like olive oil, it is capable of nourishing the hair inside-out and strengthen it, plus nourish your scalp intensively!!

~If you cannot get avocado oil, simply mush up an avocado piece, add coconut or Olive oil and apply to your scalp and strands.

So far, I can only confirm on these three, but more studies are being done on most other oils.

Better yet, if you can get your hands on oil infusions, you stand to gain a lot more from your oil treatments because of the added minerals and essential elements to your scalp and hair!!!

※ check out more on herbal oil infusions and their benefits※

Related articles:
※ Healthy hair and scalp: Herbal tea rinses
※ Essential oils: What are they and their uses?
※ Herbal oil infusions: part 2: Carrier oils and their benefits
※ Tretinoin (Retin-A) and Acne treatment
※ Oily skin/Acne treatment

sources;
http://www.naturalhairrules.com/3-best-oils-for-natural-hair/
http://www.curlynikki.com/2013/05/coconut-oil-penetrates-hair.html
http://www.self.com/flash/beauty-blog/2012/04/why-coconut-oil-is-amazing-for/
http://coldpresshaute.com/category/penetrating-the-hair-shaft/

HAIRCARE - CERAMIDES

Ceramides and hair care 

Ceramides are fatty molecules that naturally occur in the hair fiber. They are the "glue' of the hair fiber that hold all of the layers together. Ceramides form a seal on the cuticle layer, limiting the loss of protein molecules from the hair shaft; protecting the fiber against normal wear and tear from manipulation (washing & styling), UV rays, heat and chemical services; like dye, relaxers
etc.

This seal also helps to keep the cuticle flat and tightly packed; they fill in gaps in the cuticle, giving shine and keeping porosity low.

Over time, hair loses ceramide molecules. From heat and chemical but also just from the hair istself aging. Older and/or damaged hair contains less ceramide than newer/healthier hair. So it makes sense to incorporate ceramides to maintain hair health.
*Note: Ceramides help limit the loss of protein and help strengthen the hair fiber. However they are not proteins, nor can they replace protein in your regimen.

(Some people have found they need less protein though).
There are plant oils and extracts that contain plant ceramides. They function much the same as those found in our own hair. Many hair products also contain natural and synthetic ceramides

Oils/extracts containing ceramides:

• Soybean oil
• Sesame oil
• Eucalyptus extract
• Hemp seed oil
• Kukui Nut oil
• Sunflower oil
• Rice Bran oil
• Walnut oil
• Wheat Germ oil
• Oils containing high amounts of linoleic acid; which suggests ceramide
• benefit:
• Safflower oil
• Grape seed oil
• Poppyseed oil
• Corn oil
• Cottonseed oil

You can incorporate ceramides as part of your regular treatments, as daily
groomer when moisturizing and sealing or hot oil or oil rinse treatments.

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* What are calories
* Enzyme depletion and food storage
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