Applying Oil to Scalp

I am having problems with itchy scalp I have a regualr routine where I pre poo wash condition & deep condition weekly For about a week now I have been having problems with itching.

I never liked to apply oil to my scalp because my hair is really thick & during the summer it seems that my head is baking. I am just wondering should I go back to oiling my scalp at least once a week.

I am using Jane Carter Solution Moisture Nourishing Shampoo Cantu shea butter for deep conditioner w/oils added & Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-In conditioner Then I twist/finger coil with UFD Extra Butter. I usually prepoo w/EVOO jojoba coconut or amla oil.

I just need a little help ladies

Hi Sebastian13....
I would say definitely oil your scalp. I read in another post where you commented that it hurts when you wash and comb your hair. It may hurt because your scalp IS dry and if you oil it that will help. You may also want to try putting Tea Tree oil in some of your other oil mixes. And leave it on. It has helped me. I have mine mixed with evoo and a little sweet almond oil. I just shake it up (I bought a cheap plastic squeeze bottle from wal-mart, the kind you can put ketchup/mustard in-only .97) and apply to my scalp and then rub it in with my fingertips. They also say that an apple cider vinegar rinse will help with the itchy dryness. I have yet to try that. How often do you moisturize???

Hope this helps!!!

Thanks so much for your reply

I do a deep conditioner weekly Last night when I did wash I did use some alma & tee tree mixed together as my prepoo Today the itchyness is gone Im scared to use the ACV because Im afraid it might dry my hair even more

Its all trial & error so maybe next week I will try the ACV

A few quick observations/suggestions:

The JCS Shampoo you are using is the formula that contains a sulfate (an ingredient that makes my scalp itch)
Most of us on the East Coast are exposed to the warm dry air from heaters now that it is colder. This could be contribute to your dry scalp.
Are you drinking enough water to stay hydrated? Also are you eating enough water rich fruits & vegetables and are you including enough EFAs(essential fatty acids) in your diet?

Your hair may like the ingredients in Cantu Shea and/or Jane Carter Solution Products but your scalp may not.

Last point (for now) be sure to rinse all of the the JCS and the Cantu out before moving to your leave-in step.

HTH

How do you figure out what oils to use on your scalp?

I've wanted to try coconut oil but have not yet run across the right stuff. Only thing I have seen is that coconut grease buy Softee. I prepoo with EVOO but that's the extent of my use with it so far. I am not very keen on ordering on-line only b/c I like to see and handle stuff before I buy it. What are essential oils and carriers and all that? I have been reading a lot about these things too but I still don't understand. When do you need a carrier oil. And what are essential oils essential to...? I really want to try making my own products but I don't have the understanding I need to make what I feel will work with my hair... Any success with this?

Hi Ambitious_Tiff!!
Have you seen the Homemade products page? Go to https://curlynikki.forumotion.com/homemade-products-f24/hair-butters-t7702.htm and see a few recipes. You know you can also type in what you're looking for in the search box at the top right of the page. As for the coconut oil, I only get the pure kind you can get in the whole foods section of your grocery store or a health food store. It's by Spectrum and is organic. I love it because it isn't thick or heavy or greasy. and we also use it on our skin. Essenitial oils have different qualities so you would just have to research them. Like rosemary can help with growth, tea tree helps with dandruff, I think mint helps stimulate the scalp too so maybe growth too. just do a bunch of searches and I am sure you will find some great info on here. Hope this helps!!!

I used tea tree, jojoba, and castor oil mixed together.... for some reason I never had an itchy scalp before going natural, some people dont like to put oils directly on the scalp but I do. Do whats best for you, and try different ones and mix them.

I appreciate all of the things that you ladies have said
I have all of the oils that have been mentioned here so I will try some of them mixed together Maybe do a massage on my hair nightly to see what happens
Falcon I do not drink as much water as I would like to I will increase my water intake Also do you think that I need to switch to another shampoo or do you think I may be washing my hair too much(my sis says I am)

Thanks alot ladies Keep all of the comments coming

Ambitious_Tiff wrote:I've wanted to try coconut oil but have not yet run across the right stuff. Only thing I have seen is that coconut grease buy Softee. I prepoo with EVOO but that's the extent of my use with it so far. I am not very keen on ordering on-line only b/c I like to see and handle stuff before I buy it. What are essential oils and carriers and all that? I have been reading a lot about these things too but I still don't understand. When do you need a carrier oil. And what are essential oils essential to...? I really want to try making my own products but I don't have the understanding I need to make what I feel will work with my hair... Any success with this?

Hi Ambitious Tiff,

I'm not familiar with the Alabama area but, if there is a Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, or Wal-Mart in your area you should be able to find coconut oil. If you visit the grocery stores you should look in either the health food area or the aisle that sells cooking oils (olive oil, vegetable oil, etc.,). You will not find it in the hair care aisles. Also, if there is an Indian community in Montgomery, you can visit their grocery stores and find coconut oil.

Sebastian, Falcon's response was so super point on to some of the most common reasons for itchy scalp (nutrition/hydration/environmental exposures/what we put in our hair). If you look at a thread in the hair challenges called "healthy hair from within," you will see some of the most important foods/vitamins/minerals essential in obtaining/maintaining healthy hair. A healthy scalp is where it begins. With that said, the Indians (East Indians) women usually have beautiful hair. Ayurveda hair practices emphasize scalp and hair oiling, especially with herbs mixed in coconut oil or sesame oil. They also use castor oil alot. These scalp massages using these oils increase blood circulation (where the nutrition comes from if a person is consuming adequate amounts of the nutrition important to health scalp and hair) . The herbs purport to decrease hair loss, increase hair strength, etc. Many of these herbs have antibacterial/antifungal properties (such as neem) and are good for dandruff, itchy scalp, and other dermatological disorders of the scalp. These herbs can also be used as a paste (just add water) and apply to scalp and hair. I used them (to some degree) weekly and have no problems with my scalp. I just prepoo with coconut oil the night before and condition my hair well after the herbal treatment so I don't experience dry hair.

Often a ACV rinse is needed to remove product build-up correct the ph. In its nature state, it should be acidic. I use amla powder and hibiscus hair rinse and as a result I am getting the benefit of acidifying my hair and hibiscus has a very high level of Vit. C. I drink hibiscus tea and use it on my hair. If you are interested, do a search for ayurvedic oils. You will see oils like brahmi, amla, neem, etc. They can be ordered online or picked up at local Indian stores. Just know, the oils in the local stores usually have mineral oil or some preservative that is not natural. I make mine or order online. Jojoba oil is close to our own sebum and has great benefits. Without paying attn to the advertisements, there is some good info at this link: http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip175.htm.

Hope you have continued relief from your scalp issues and the suggestions in this thread are helpful to use.

AMBITIOUS. Think of a carrier oil as a "host." Essential oils are very potent and but for a few exceptions MUST BE DILUTED. They can really irritate skin in an undiluted state (most of them) So, the essential oil is mixed (diluted) in the carrier oil (its host) Examples of carrier oils are almond oil, jojoba, coconut oil, castor oil, olive oil, etc. Take a look at this link: www.mountainroseherbs.com You will see many carrier oils and you can read some of their benefits. Ex. of essential oils are: peppermint, lavender, tea tree, etc.

Different oils have different properties and benefits. Reading about them and knowing what your individual needs are is a good way to select what to use. Hope that helps.

Natural that was on point Thanks alot
I do have some of the powders that you have mentioned here I have amla neem shikakai heenara I used the amla neem & shikakai last night in a paste with water & applied to my hair for about 1 hour I did a prepoo w/amla oil & added 10 drops of tea tree oil Today the itching is not bad I havent scratched much today (2-3 times)
It seems that you are suggesting that I purchase the oils on line instead of the Indian store because of the mineral oils that they contain I hate buying online because of shipping but I may have to start
I had planned on doing a scalp massage tonight with the amla & tea tree tonight so should this be something I should incoporate into my routine

@MISSKRIS
Thanx for the link. Let me see what y'all cooking up, lol. Thanx for the directions on getting my pic on here too!I will be on the look out for Spectrum. Do you use it on your scalp and hair or just one or the other?

@CURLSUNFURLED
I believe we do have a Vitamin Shoppe and we got plenty Wal-Marts, lol. You not familiar with AL? You should come over. Its a nice place. I got family out your way... Indian communities? IDK.

@NATURALNOLAGIRL1900
Thank you so much for clearing that up!! The site will definitely help me figure out the best route to go. Do you order from this site?

I've got such a warm fuzzy feeling! I really appreciate all y'all's help!

I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING ELSE!

I also experience scalp irritation when I eat too much refined sugar and/or white flour. Halloween candy & Thanksgiving baked goods are triggers.

Ambitious - I have not purchased from this site YET. I have spoken with them a couple of times. I am interested in the rhassoul clay and they were out. Its in stock now, so I guess that will be my first order with them after I use the rest of my Bentonite.

BTW - I did an internship in Montgomery when I completed my masters. It was at the Children's Rehabilitative Services on South Blvd. I was there during a summer.

Sebastian - Glad the info is helpful. If you consistently use those herbs/oils, I believe you will have good results. But, try to identify the source of your problem, so you can prevent it, if possible.

I was just mentioning I am not comfortable buying the oils they typically have available in the stores because I don't knowingly use anything with mineral oil and TBHQ, among other things, in my hair. Always good to have options, isn't it?

So I have very sensitive skin so I've taken to oiling my scalp only when necessary. Extra oil running down my face is so not cool. If it itches I put a mixture or olive and coconut oil on the spot and massage in. I also pre-poo overnight with the same mixture and have found that it helps with dry scalp.

Btw, everyone has given great advice.