Curly girls, how does one "seal"?

dusalocks · 01-20-2013, 02:39 PM

I keep reading about "sealing" the hair and how important it is. I looked it up and got a little overwhelmed by the results. So much information!

Can it be as simple as dropping a few drops of oil onto my palm and grazing the hair when it is damp or dry? If so which is better? I could also add oil to a spray bottle and mist the hair I think if I mix it with water. Which technique works for you and why?

Jessiebanana · 01-20-2013, 02:50 PM

There are oils in my leave-in, so I just think of adding my leave-in as a sealer. I do absolutely nothing special.

Jas76 · 01-20-2013, 02:57 PM

Sealing for me is essential. My hair is long and porous, and so I have to keep moisture in (and lock excess out in high humidity.)

Sealing usually consists of adding oil on soaking wet hair prior to adding stylers. I do mine over my LI.

I sometimes seal with jojoba or SM elixir, but my favorite thing to seal with is mineral oil.

You take a few drops of oil, and gently smooth and scrunch it in, concentrating on the ends.

I sometimes use oils (not MO!) on dry hair to smooth 2nd day hair or to add a little softness to dry ends. In the winter I'll sometimes do this before bed to help prevent moisture loss overnight, too. But I don't see oil on dry hair as sealing - I think that's really only sealing the moisture into you hair when it's wet/before it dries.

Korkscrew · 01-20-2013, 03:51 PM

Yep, sealing is basically just the act of placing a layer of oil over already moisturized hair to seal that moisture in.

etos · 01-20-2013, 04:34 PM

you can also seal with a hair butter in stead of oil (but most prefer oil I think). I use kinky curly perfectly polished after my leave-in. But I actually use more then just a few drops (and I have fine hair!). In the summer I use less oil then in winter time.

But if your hair is weighted down because of sealing (like some fine-haired curlies), you can also mix your leave-in with some oil and aply it all together (before your styler).

Aqua_Lily · 01-20-2013, 08:00 PM

Yep, you can use both butters and oils. It's advised to use an oil that 'coats' the hair, meaning an oil which has big molecules that cannot penetrate the hair shaft. Then you get a protective layer, so to speak. And the moisture is kept in.

I always seal when my hair is wet and after I've applied my leave in. I usually just seal my ends (from end to about 10 cm up) because my hair is easily weighed down. I usually seal with jojoba oil. Sometimes I first apply some argan oil from extra nourishment and then I seal with jojoba. But usually it's just jojoba. Beauty Without Cruelty leave in is pretty moisturizing by itself.

Oils that do not penetrate the hair (and are therefore suitable as hair sealers):
- Jojoba
- Sweet almond
- Apricot
- Grapeseed

Oils that do penetrate the hair shaft:
- Coconut
- Argan
- Olive
- Avocado
- Sunflower seed
- Palm

dusalocks · 01-21-2013, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by etos

you can also seal with a hair butter in stead of oil (but most prefer oil I think). I use kinky curly perfectly polished after my leave-in. But I actually use more then just a few drops (and I have fine hair!). In the summer I use less oil then in winter time.

But if your hair is weighted down because of sealing (like some fine-haired curlies), you can also mix your leave-in with some oil and aply it all together (before your styler).

How have I not seen or heard of this perfectly polished product when I love the the kc line? Oh I am excited! thanks for the tip. I don't know if my hair will be weighed down. . . I am not fine haired but I do have looser curls. Hmm. . .

dusalocks · 01-21-2013, 12:58 AM

This is me. Hair nerding out.

Thanks to everyone who responded. It seems so much simpler now. I don't have any oils in my leave in (kinky curly knot today) so I'll just apply some after it. Check. And thank you aqua_lily for that wonderful list I can refer to! I already have some jojoba oil so I'm going to try it out tomorrow. I really like the idea of sealing. I think it may protect my porous hair from drying out in the arid California weather. Jojoba is probably also the best choice for me because heavier oils like olive or coconut are best reserved for deep conditioning in my experience. Also yes what you wrote makes sense. I want the oil to sit on top of the hair strand, not to penetrate it. If this works then maybe I can experiment with styling products with glycerine and protein again. I'm still not sure if those ingredients are drying me out so this could really help. Thanks guys! Curly love.

rbb · 01-21-2013, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dusalocks

This is me. Hair nerding out.

Thanks to everyone who responded. It seems so much simpler now. I don't have any oils in my leave in (kinky curly knot today) so I'll just apply some after it. Check. And thank you aqua_lily for that wonderful list I can refer to! I already have some jojoba oil so I'm going to try it out tomorrow. I really like the idea of sealing. I think it may protect my porous hair from drying out in the arid California weather. Jojoba is probably also the best choice for me because heavier oils like olive or coconut are best reserved for deep conditioning in my experience. Also yes what you wrote makes sense. I want the oil to sit on top of the hair strand, not to penetrate it. If this works then maybe I can experiment with styling products with glycerine and protein again. I'm still not sure if those ingredients are drying me out so this could really help. Thanks guys! Curly love.

glycerin is bad in low dews, and you talk about arid air, so i am assuming the dew points are very low where you live. glycerin seeks out moisture, if it is not in the air then it will take it from your hair, and dry your hair out. glycerin is great in mid dews, and my hair happens to love it in high dews, but it's the kiss of death for hair in low dews for sure!!
if glycerin is low on the ingredient list of a product that is very moisturizing, then it's ok. every product is formulated differently, so it's again trial and error.

flippacious · 01-21-2013, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aqua_Lily

Oils that do not penetrate the hair (and are therefore suitable as hair sealers):
- Jojoba
- Sweet almond
- Apricot
- Grapeseed

Oils that do penetrate the hair shaft:
- Coconut
- Argan
- Olive
- Avocado
- Sunflower seed
- Palm

I've been using argan oil, because I had it left over from my flat-iron days! Looks like it's back to the store for me... thanks for this info!

dusalocks · 01-21-2013, 06:07 PM

Flippalicious (you probably already know this but just in case), be careful with oil serums. I used to use what was labeled as pure argan oil in my hair when I wore it straight but once I went CG I realized I couldn't use it anymore because in addition to argan oil (the LAST ingredient) it was loaded with cones. So I probably paid for what I thought was pure oil and turned out to be a total filler product. Now that I know how to read ingredients I'm extra careful. And I get my oils from the health food store.

Curlee'smom · 01-21-2013, 06:38 PM

So.....would SM CHS work as a sealer? I'm wondering if I need to do oil on top of that. I know the smoothie has a bunch of oils in it. I didn't go look to see what they are. Being lazy here.

rbb · 01-22-2013, 05:59 AM

i don't know that product, but as far as being lazy, you aren't!! use the least that works!
for some curlies, i think those with low porosity, that is enough.

Houseofcurls · 01-22-2013, 06:56 AM

So when this first popped up I was thinking, do you think one of those oil musters would work? The biggest problem I could foresee is being heavy handed and too concentrated, but it seems like it could be really nice! I use grape seed oil to seal.

This is the product I'm talking about:
Misto® Olive Oil Sprayer - Bed Bath & Beyond

Jas76 · 01-22-2013, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curlee'smom

So.....would SM CHS work as a sealer? I'm wondering if I need to do oil on top of that. I know the smoothie has a bunch of oils in it. I didn't go look to see what they are. Being lazy here.

I have heard people say they use the SM smoothie to seal with. You can always just give it a shot and see how it works for you!

Jas76 · 01-22-2013, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Houseofcurls

So when this first popped up I was thinking, do you think one of those oil musters would work? The biggest problem I could foresee is being heavy handed and too concentrated, but it seems like it could be really nice! I use grape seed oil to seal.

This is the product I'm talking about:
Misto® Olive Oil Sprayer - Bed Bath & Beyond

I'd be scared to try it, simply because it would be hard for me to determine how much oil is going into my hair. It seems like that would go to the "too much!!!!" Zone pretty quickly.

flippacious · 01-22-2013, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Houseofcurls

So when this first popped up I was thinking, do you think one of those oil musters would work? The biggest problem I could foresee is being heavy handed and too concentrated, but it seems like it could be really nice! I use grape seed oil to seal.

This is the product I'm talking about:
Misto® Olive Oil Sprayer - Bed Bath & Beyond

Oooh, fancy!! I could totally see myself attempting that haha... I've become kind of obsessed lately with the idea of spraying things on my hair. I'm not sure why. I would be worried about using too much, though. Hmm!

@dusalocks - I made sure it was pure argan oil, but I'm still always suspicious the bottle is lying to me! I haven't had any issues, though.

Houseofcurls · 01-22-2013, 12:14 PM

I wonder if you could add water, leave in and oil in that? Just add less oil so it's not concentrated, spray over wet hair? I don't know, seems like it should work, just to be super cool! Lol! But yes, too much too fast...I wonder....

Jas76 · 01-22-2013, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Houseofcurls

I wonder if you could add water, leave in and oil in that? Just add less oil so it's not concentrated, spray over wet hair? I don't know, seems like it should work, just to be super cool! Lol! But yes, too much too fast...I wonder....

TRY IT!!

Though I will say I had an oil mister a few years ago and the nozzle clogged all the time. (I used it for cooking - lol!)

But maybe they've improved the design since then, or maybe I just had a defective one.

I say try it and let us know.

Of course I guess maybe that mixture would be no different than the ones people make in regular spray bottles on here. :/

Cau · 01-22-2013, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aqua_Lily

Oils that do not penetrate the hair (and are therefore suitable as hair sealers):
- Jojoba
- Sweet almond
- Apricot
- Grapeseed

Oils that do penetrate the hair shaft:
- Coconut
- Argan
- Olive
- Avocado
- Sunflower seed
- Palm

Since these oils - sweet almond, jojoba, sesame... - don't penetrate the hair, they only work to seal?... Nothing more?...

And Castor Oil, it penetrates the hair?...