If you are a curly-haired girl, chances are that the term hair grease rings a bell. While it may have disappeared for a decade or two thanks to all the products meant for curly-haired girls popping up in the market, we always held a special place in our hearts for hair grease. Now, the once ride-or-die product seems to have made a comeback with Youtubers and beauty bloggers raving about it, and switching to it once more. But if all this chatter about hair grease is going over your head, or if you simply need a refresher on all things hair grease, you've come to the right place. Read on for everything you need to know about hair grease.
01What is hair grease?
A mineral oil and petroleum jelly-based product, hair grease is used to prevent moisture loss and seal hair strands in curly hair. Hair greasing comes with both its pros and cons and while some people can't stop raving about it, others believe that it can clog hair follicles and ruin hair health.
02Pros of hair grease
Hair grease works especially well for a certain type of curly hair, type 4 hair, that can't retain moisture and is prone to breakage. Applying hair grease can seal the hydration, and improve hair health. Apart from that, it protects the strands from external damage from chemicals, moisturises the scalp when applied wet, is easy to use, and is budget-friendly too!
03Cons of hair grease
While all the pros sound great, there's always a little bit of risk involved with using hair grease. Many curly hair-enthusiasts believe that hair grease could clog the hair follicles due to the petrolatum and mineral oil in it, which could cause scalp buildup, collection of dirt and grime, and even hair fall. The natural hair could also be more prone to breakage, and eventually, look dull and flat — which is why it's only recommended that type 4 hair use it.
04Usage and removal
Hair grease is pretty simple to use. At the end of your regular hair care routine, just apply a pea-sized amount of grease and evenly massage it all over your strands. Removal, on the other hand, is an important step, since it can help you avoid a lot of the drawbacks that come with using hair grease. To get rid of the grease, cleanse your scalp thoroughly with a clarifying shampoo, and then deep condition your mane before washing off the conditioner after 10-15 minutes. Always make sure that you're using a clarifying shampoo like the Love Beauty & Planet Tea Tree Oil & Vetiver Clarifying Shampoo when getting rid of grease since a mild shampoo won't be enough to do the job.
05Is hair grease better than other hair care products?
If you have thin hair, wavy hair, or even any sort of curls under type 3 porosity — the short answer is no. While it may make a mane with type 4 curls look magnificent, on other hair types, the grease will simply weigh down the hair, make the locks look limp and dull, and cause more breakage and hair fall.
