Hair oiling: how to do it, which oil to use and what a pre-poo is
Updated
Hair oiling means putting oil on your lengths (sometimes the scalp too) before washing, or a little after it. Oil reduces friction, makes detangling easier, smooths the strand and protects hair while you wash it. It does not make hair grow faster and it does not repair damage for good. The decisions that matter are which oil, how much, how long and how you wash it out, and on each of them watching your own hair beats a rigid chart.
Does hair oiling work?
Yes, but not the way some guides promise. Coconut oil is the best-studied: research suggests it is one of the few oils that gets into the hair and that it reduces protein loss during washing when you apply it before the wash. Most other oils work mainly on the surface, smoothing the cuticle, cutting friction and slowing water loss. That is still useful, especially for long, bleached or frizzy hair.
What oiling will not do: speed up growth, "rebuild" split ends or replace heat protection.
How to oil your hair step by step
- Pick a method: dry, damp or on a base (all below).
- Use less than you think. A few drops on the ends, or about a teaspoon over medium-length hair to start. Hair should be lightly coated, not dripping.
- Work it in from mid-length down, because the ends are the oldest and most worn. Skip the scalp unless you are deliberately oiling it.
- Leave it for 30 to 60 minutes. Longer is usually not better.
- Wash it out (see below).
- Judge the result after several oilings, not after one.
Oiling dry hair
You apply oil to dry hair. It is the simplest method and coats the strand most, so it can give the clearest smoothing, but it is the easiest to overdo and the hardest to wash out.
Oiling damp hair
You apply oil to damp hair, for example misted with a spray bottle. Water helps spread a smaller amount of oil and makes it easier to rinse. It is a good place to start, especially for fine hair that is easily weighed down.
Oiling on a base
First apply something water-based (conditioner, aloe, hydrosol or an herbal rinse), then the oil on top. The base makes spreading and rinsing easier and its humectants add hydration. It is popular for dry and high porosity hair.
Overnight oiling
You can, but you do not need to. After a few dozen minutes the oil has done most of what it will do, and leaving it overnight stains pillowcases and can be harder to wash out. If you like it, use less oil and protect your hair.
What is a pre-poo?
"Pre-poo" is short for pre-shampoo treatment: something you put on your hair before shampooing to protect it from being stripped or roughed up during the wash. Pre-poo oiling and pre-wash oiling are the same idea. The pre-poo does not have to be an oil. Many people use a conditioner, a mix of conditioner and oil, or a detangling product, especially on curly and coily hair where the wash is when most tangling happens.
How long should a pre-poo stay on? Around 30 to 60 minutes is plenty. Can you leave it in overnight? You can, with the same drawbacks as overnight oiling. Is it necessary? No. It is worth trying if your hair feels rough, dry or tangled after washing, and it is easy to drop if you see no difference.
Which oil is best for your hair?
A popular rule says low porosity hair should get saturated oils (such as coconut, babassu), medium porosity monounsaturated ones (olive, sweet almond, avocado) and high porosity polyunsaturated ones (linseed, grapeseed). It makes a fair starting point, but it is not backed by research, and plenty of people with high porosity hair do well with coconut oil. Read the table below as a list of candidates to test, not an assignment.
| Oil | INCI name | Character | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut | Cocos Nucifera Oil | Saturated, penetrates the hair | Pre-wash oiling; makes some hair stiff |
| Babassu | Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil | Saturated, light | Fine and low porosity hair |
| Olive | Olea Europaea Fruit Oil | Monounsaturated | Medium porosity hair, dry ends |
| Sweet almond | Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil | Monounsaturated, light | A versatile first oil |
| Avocado | Persea Gratissima Oil | Monounsaturated, rich | Dry and thick hair |
| Argan | Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil | Mixed | Smoothing ends after washing |
| Linseed (flax) | Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil | Polyunsaturated | High porosity hair, on a base |
| Grapeseed | Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil | Polyunsaturated, light | High porosity, fine hair |
| Castor | Ricinus Communis Seed Oil | Very thick | Better as an addition to another oil |
| Jojoba | Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil | Liquid wax, light | Hair that gets oily quickly |
A few common situations:
- High porosity or bleached hair usually tolerates more oil and oiling on a base. Both coconut oil before washing and lighter polyunsaturated oils are worth trying.
- Low porosity or fine hair: a smaller amount, damp hair, light oils (babassu, almond, jojoba) and a thorough rinse.
- Curly and coily hair often needs more emollients. A little oil after washing can calm frizz, but too much weakens definition.
- Blonde hair: some unrefined oils are tinted and can leave a faint cast on very light hair. Choose clear or refined oils.
- Refined or unrefined? Unrefined keeps more plant compounds and scent. Refined is more neutral, more stable and often easier to use. On the hair the difference is usually small.
- Oil after washing: a few drops on damp ends can smooth them. This is where lighter oils shine.
An oil is an emollient. For how to combine it with proteins and humectants, see the guide to protein moisture balance, and for what your porosity means, read about hair porosity.
How to wash oil out of your hair
Water alone will not do it, because oil and water do not mix. Two methods usually work:
- Emulsify with conditioner. Apply conditioner to the oiled, still dry or barely damp hair, massage it in, leave a few minutes and rinse. The emulsifiers in conditioner grab the oil. Then shampoo the scalp.
- Shampoo first. Apply shampoo to the oiled lengths before wetting them, then rinse. It is quicker but rougher on the lengths.
How do you wash oil out without conditioner? Shampoo twice, gently. If your hair is still greasy afterwards, use less oil next time, which is the most common cause. Heavy oils such as castor usually need more than one wash.
Scalp oiling
Scalp oiling is popular but has weaker support than oiling the lengths. There is no good evidence that it makes hair grow, and that includes castor oil. No oil has solid evidence for regrowing hair. For some people it eases a dry-feeling scalp.
Not every scalp tolerates it. With dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, itching or easy irritation, do not make scalp oiling a routine. Some oils may feed the yeasts linked to dandruff. Oil is not a treatment, and if symptoms last, or you are losing more hair than usual, see a dermatologist or trichologist.
Hair oiling FAQ
How often should you oil your hair?
Once a week or before every second wash is enough for most people. Very dry or bleached hair may like it before every wash, and fine hair less often.
Does oiling help if I already use conditioner?
They do different jobs. Oil before washing protects hair during the wash, and conditioner afterwards smooths and eases detangling. If conditioner is enough for you, oiling is optional.
Can you oil low porosity hair?
Yes, with less oil, lighter oils and ideally on damp hair, rinsed well.
Why is my hair stiff or greasy after oiling?
Stiffness is a common reaction to coconut oil, so try a different one. Greasy hair after washing usually means too much oil or too gentle a wash.
Is oiling bad for hair?
Not for most people. Problems come from too much oil, poor rinsing or oiling an irritated scalp, not from oiling itself.
How Flomsy helps
In Flomsy you can plan oiling on specific weekdays, for example before every second wash, and tick it off on the day screen. You can pin the oil you use to the "Oiling" step, and the history shows how often you use it, which makes it easier to compare with how your hair looks. The ingredient scanner will label an oil as an emollient, but whether it suits you is decided by how your hair reacts.
