The Great Debate: Team Grease or Team Oil

To oil or to grease has been a longstanding debate for women everywhere. The history of grease is one that goes back to slavery times for black women, and recently we have seen the emergence of oils for hair use. Here is a little background on both grease and oil. Grease  is a term used to describe heavy pomades that are thick in consistency. They typically include ingredients like petroleum and mineral oil. Oils are lighter than grease and are produced in a liquid form. They typically include natural oils that absorb into the scalp and hair. Grease is known to provide shine and give off the appearance that dandruff is gone, but in actuality grease can clog hair follicles, cause build up on the scalp and trap flakes on the head. This can make the dandruff and residing bacterial worst. When it comes to oiling, your scalp is not necessary because our sebaceous glands produce sebum. Natural oils at the top closest to the root will usually stay hydrated, but the ends of the hair still lack lubrication which can cause breakage. This means the most important part of the hair to oil are your ends. The number one thing to do is moisturize your hair daily. Try to avoid heavy grease, pomades, or products that contain petroleum and mineral oil which coat the hair but will not moisturize it. Avoid leave-in conditioners and products with protein for daily application. Too much protein has a drying effect. Try castor oil, tea tree oil, jojoba oil, or rosemary oil on your ends and speak to a stylist at Indo Hair about other oils that can be use to stop hair breakage.