What good is a vacation if you don’t get to show-off your beautiful mane! After all, who does not love silky, shiny strong strands of hair going across the face on a windy day at the beach! Imagine if these beauties vanish over time! Ouch! That hurts! However, we are so busy in our daily routines that often we forget to give the deserving care and love that our hair very much deserves. Jojoba oil, as a heat protectant, might just be the hair-loving pro we need!
Just as we need a sunscreen as a heat protectant for our skin, we need a heat protectant for our hair too. Did you know that jojoba can also be a great moisturizer and sunscreen for your skin? No? Read all about it here. Link with the article on: Is jojoba oil a natural sunscreen?
While sunbathing on a day out, we often forget a heat protectant for our hair. Moreover, using various tools that we use on these delicate fragile hair can lead to damage, and this is where a heat protectant comes to use.
Many people are trying to adapt to natural ingredients to ward off harmful chemicals. The natural choices that come to them are oils. However, the question arises whether oils can be used as a heat protectant or not. Are they safe enough to be used for serving the purpose? Well, there are plenty of oils to dutifully help you with heat problems as heat protectants. Be it grape seed oil, extra virgin argan oil, refined avocado oil, or as our topic is – jojoba oil- these are all some natural oils we might find helpful.
What Exactly is a Heat Protectant
A heat protectant, as the name suggests, is used to insulate your delicate hair strands against any kind of damage that may be caused when you put your hair through constant high exposure to temperatures. It is usually applied before subjecting your hair to heat. Normally, heat protectants work as a hair shield and come in a variety of serums, spray, cream, and oil. These can be used for various causes like that of controlling frizz, conditioning, adding shine to your hair or blocking humidity.
Why Do We Need Jojoba Oil as a Heat Protectant
The oily composition of jojoba oil makes it a good moisturizing agent. It can be added to hair conditioners and voila! You are set. It protects your hair against breakage, split ends, and dryness, keeping them moist all through the day. If you are someone who suffers from dry rough hair along with a dehydrated and itchy scalp, then jojoba oil should be used to moisturize your scalp. Moreover, jojoba oil can prove to be a dandruff- remedy.
Jojoba oil is rich in vitamins and minerals that are proven to be useful for hair, some of those vitamins are vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin E, in addition to some traces of zinc and copper. It also adds to the thickness of the hair. It moisturizes the hair follicles, thereby, preventing dryness, which is the major cause behind hair loss.
The main benefit of jojoba is its moisturizing quality, which can be used for both skin as well as hair. Dermatologists have long confirmed this fact about jojoba. So, here is another read on how interestingly jojoba acts with your skin. Link with article on: Is jojoba oil a skin moisturizer? How does the skin absorb jojoba oil?
Many companies have recently taken patents for using and including jojoba as the main ingredient in their conditioners and shampoos and other hair care products. By including this oil in these products, they can be made in a way that they are especially effective against hair breakage thereby strengthening those lovely locks.
Dandruff, dryness in the scalp, along with itchiness, can be the main culprits behind a severely concerning hair fall. Jojoba provides a moisturizing effect, thereby, creating an anti-inflammatory charm on the scalp. However, dermatologists have never recommended this oil as a hair growth stimulant for direct use on the scalp. They found out some other oils are a lot better for hair growth than jojoba.
Jojoba oil can also not be used as a therapy for the treatment of baldness (be it in male or female), alopecia, or other disorders which are related to hair loss. However, it can be used to render silkier, stronger, and shinier hair for oneself.
Can Jojoba Oil Used as a Heat Protectant
The smoking point of jojoba oil is 195°C, which makes it an apt choice as a heat protectant. It also contains vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E and small quantities of zinc and copper too. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant for the hair, thereby preventing it from any pollutants. In addition to these, Jojoba also contains fatty acids as; Elcosenoic acid, Oleic acid, and Erucic acid, that account for 80% composition of jojoba oil’s liquid.
These qualities make jojoba oil a good heat protectant while using tools for straightening, curling, or any other hair styling. Just words of caution- Use these gadgets at a lower temperature setting. Also, the light weight texture of jojoba oil makes it pretty handy and ready for use whenever one needs.
What Makes Jojoba Oil a Good Heat Protectant
- Conditioning of Hair:
The molecules present in jojoba oil are pretty similar to that of sebum, produced by our skin naturally as a defense mechanism to coat the hair with oil. When jojoba oil is applied to the hair, it hydrates each hair strand and helps lock the moisture in. As a result, hair becomes softer and healthier. It is very beneficial for people with thin or fine hair because it can be used to hydrate every strand and it can add volume to your hair.
By adding a few drops to your regular conditioner and applying it after your shampoo washup, you could get far silkier hair. If your hair is chronically dry, it will be better to keep this oil on your hair for a few hours or overnight to get a deep conditioning effect.
- Controlling Dandruff Conditions:
Palmitic and stearic acid are naturally found in jojoba oil and are known for their hair conditioning properties. In addition to this, jojoba oil also adds an extra hydration value to your hair and scalp, which further prevents itchiness and dandruff. Jojoba oil balances scalp conditions really well. Its hydrating effect on the scalp prevents flakes from returning.
In case dandruff is bothering your scalp and breaking your hair, jojoba oil can act as a pre-treatment before shampooing. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before giving it a good rinse. It can also be used as a scalp conditioner (as a leave-in conditioner post shampoo) to get gorgeous silky hair.
Protection Against Damage:
Jojoba oil is also rich in fatty acids, which are good for your hair. These agents also protect your hair when you use a styling tool, which can damage your hair with its excessive heat.
Jojoba oil is also rich in antioxidants, which provide your hair a shield against any free radicals. If you recently got your hair colored, then, this oil can also be used as a color treatment, to extend the longevity of your hair color. You just need to add a drop or two of this magic potion to your hair before styling it.
- Promoting Thickness and Growth of Hair
There are a plethora of vitamins such as vitamin B, C, zinc, and copper that are needed for your hair’s health. These elements add to the thickness and growth of your hair as well. It also adds to the growth of hair follicles and it helps in maintaining the functionality of your scalp’s oil glands surrounding the follicles. Jojoba oil is an excellent treatment for strengthening your hair as well. It can be used as a leave-in serum, just pour a few drops of oil to your scalp and massage with light pressure. If you constantly find yourself itching, you might have a dry scalp condition, for which too, jojoba is a savior.
- Delaying greying of hair
Sometimes due to deficiency of copper, your hair may lose its pigment and premature greying of hair can be experienced. Copper is a potential topical compound that is held responsible for having anti-ageing properties. Jojoba oil contains enough copper, in addition to antioxidants that are preventive and protective: Vitamin D and vitamin C. With the proper application of jojoba oil, you would find your greys disappearing even within a few months.
By massaging a few drops of this oil onto your scalp, after you have taken a shower and also before you play with your hair, gorgeous hair can be achieved.
How Can Jojoba Oil Be Used as a Heat Protectant
There are a variety of ways in which jojoba oil can be added to your daily hair care routine. These are:
- Direct Application:
Before applying the oil directly to your hair, it is recommended you heat it up a little. It has a wax-like consistency, so, it may be difficult to handle while applied. It can be heated in a microwave-safe bowl or directly on a stove-top in a clean pot. If someone has short hair then, one tablespoon of oil is enough for hair application. However, if you have long hair, then you may need two tablespoons or more. You can apply this oil to the hair above the scalp, and then apply it down with your fingers to the hair tips. You just need to keep it for about 20 minutes, and then shampoo, condition, and rinse the hair.
It is better to avoid direct application of jojoba oil to the scalp because it can result in clogging the pores given its thickness, it may be hard to massage. In case you complain of dry scalp or a dandruff prone skin, a miniscule quantity of about 1 to 2 drops can be applied directly to the skin.
- Adding to Other Products:
Adding a few drops of jojoba oil (around 3 to 5 drops) to your favorite shampoo or conditioner before applying the products to your hair can boost their efficacy.
- Purchasing Products That Contain Jojoba Oil:
If you are lucky enough, nowadays you can find jojoba oil in a variety of shampoos and conditioners that you can use for your daily routine. In such a case, you don’t need to add extra drops of this oil to the base product.
Is Jojoba Oil Safe to be Used as a Heat Protectant in All Cases
The main question that can concern while using jojoba oil can be, “Is it completely safe to use?”. Well, as per the numerous tests conducted by dermatologists, jojoba oil is safe to use. However, there are a few things that could get some worried. While testing it on animals, a few researchers noted that due to excessive use of this oil, conditions like hyperthermia or excessive blood flow can arise. This can lead to heart damage.
However, under this study, doses were taken internally, meaning they were taken by the mouth and were directly consumed, and it was never performed on humans. So, based on the skin sensitivity of animals and humans, it has never been attested that jojoba oil can lead to such a case in humans as well. However, on some extra-sensitive prototypes, a few instances of allergic reactions have been observed while using jojoba oil. Therefore, it is advisable to use jojoba oil in small quantity, if using it for the very first time.
Conclusion
Jojoba oil can be considered to be a good natural heat protectant. Its components strengthen and further shine and manageability to your hair. In addition to this if you are suffering from an itchy scalp, or looking for a good hair treatment, jojoba oil can prove to be an evasive rescue. It is also helpful in treating dandruff issues very well. Since it’s loaded with minerals and essential vitamins, it nourishes hair if used properly and made part of the haircare routine.
There are immense uses of jojoba oil for both, skin and hair. However, it should be used in sparring quantities if using it for the very first time. It is also essential to know the sensitivity of your scalp or your skin portion on which jojoba oil will be applied. A small skin test or a patch test must be done before applying to a larger area. It is best to use nominal quantities of jojoba oil in hair care products and any direct application must be avoided.