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hi folks,
does anyone know where to find coconut oil,or almond oil for that matter, in the US?do they sell them at grocery stores or somethin like that?I've heard they're good for hair :)
Yes most people in India use Coconut oil ... it has lots of saturated fatty acids. It smells sweet and tastes great too.
However I have some concerns of using it as it caused dandruff to me and itching too. Further I have read that applying it and leave it overnight may cause fungus in sojme people and also dandruff. I would recommend you to try other option. I guess Almond should be good but a bit expensive.
Coming to your Q of where to find it in US ... I am not sure. I don't remember seing it in WALMART, HEB ... try in walgreens.
Srini.
Have you already tried eBay?
There are a lot of suppliers :)))
I've caught it in the "ethnic" food section of some grocery stores. Particularly health stores would carry it, I think.
Yes...check your health food stores. That's where I've found it here. It'll be with the other oils...and don't be shocked when you find it at a solid white substance; it's solid until you heat it a bit.
It may cost $10 for a jar, but this stuff goes a long way.
Cheers,
Jeremy
And remember to use it sparingly! A pea-sized amount will probably do wonders. :) Just scoop some out with your fingernail and melt it in your palms. This isn't speaking from personal experience, but a lot of people claim that that's all you'll need.
Not to sound alarmist, or anything, but working in education I have come across a number of people that have severe allergies to nut products: even the smell of nut-based oils is enough to cause some to experience anaphylaxis - a potentially fatal inability to breathe due to swelling. If using nut-based oils (which I imiagine would be hard to completely rinse out without using harsh soaps, negating the reasons for applying them in the first place) then it stands to reason that you may be inadvertently putting others at risk.
Is jojoba a nut? No. It is a seed from a flowering plant.
Info from Wikipedia states:
Jojoba is grown for the liquid wax (commonly called jojoba oil) in its seeds. This oil is rare in that it is an extremely long (C36-C46) straight-chain wax ester and not a triglyceride, making jojoba and its derivative jojoba esters more similar to sebum and whale oil than to traditional vegetable oils.
Great! A vegetarian alternative to blubber!
Anyway,
that is all I have to say on this. I am interested in getting some nice oil for my hair, too, so if anyone has positive or negative experiences about oil on the head, please post. (Thanks, Srini, for the insight on Coconut oil.)
Sincerely,
Shawn (Mr. Crow)
Sorry for derailing the main topic a bit, but I thought I'd post a reply to Shawn's question. :)
I've had some decent experience with jojoba oil, and highly recommend looking into it if you've never tried oiling your hair before. It's fairly light (so it doesn't weigh hair down), natural and as close to sebum as you can get, and it lasts a loooong time. My wee bottle has lasted well over the $10 price I paid.
Apply it after a shower to make your hair softer, less dry, shinier and more silky feeling. Just don't use too much as a little goes a very long way. :) Three drops rubbed together in the palm of my hands is plenty enough to cover my mid-back (when wet) curly-ish hair. My only gripe is that it's easy to over-do. I think it'd be pretty good for your hair as it (supposedly) does a good job of sealing in moisture and hydrating curls.
It's also pretty good stuff for your skin and scalp.
Another oiling alternative I've tried is extra virgin olive oil, but either (in my inexperience) I used too much (which I certainly did) or it was far too heavy for my hair. Either way, it gave my hair a cool texture and really brought out some waves and curls. :)
So based on my experience I think it's best to remember, when oiling, to start with less.
thanks for the feedback guys!also,one more question:am I supposed to apply these oils when my hair is still wet or while it's dry?
DRY DRY DRY ... wet hairs and coconut oil you are asking for trouble. This is just my experience ... it may work well to you.
As mentioned by some folks here use minimal amount of it. Getting rid of it is a pain. I would still recommend you to go for almond oil ... it is lighter and lot more easier to clean.
Srini.