Ceramides

[ktani]

Here is more on ceramindes, including the article posted, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...98&postcount=6. The hair can need to be clarified often.

[Cleopatra18]

I use sunflower,wheat germ,rice bran and hemp seed oil for ceramides,I think i like the results.I was very consistent at the begining and noticed great results,but then i got lazy and havent seen much improvement since then.Consistency is defently the key.
ETA: I wanted to add this link too for those who havent seen it yet,a proof on how ceramides work,it's what made me use them in the first place.BTW thanks for the oil list OP,I didnt know all these oils had ceramides.

[Catladyintown]

Bumping checking again if anyone found out any information on ceramides for Camellia oil? Also does anyone no if Jamaican Black Castor oil have any ceramides also? I gave up checking on Camellia oil after 3 months of trying to find out anything about Camellia oil and ceramides, so if anyone can help Thank you.

[Naiadryade]

I know this is a way old thread, but the list in the original post is so useful I can't help myself but bring it back from the dead!

I've been hearing a lot about ceramides on LHC and in articles lately, mostly people suggesting the use of conditioners containing ceramides. I've read the science and am convinced that the use of ceramides would improve the condition of my hair, but I don't use most conventional products. Then I saw someone mention that grapeseed, hemp and rice bran oils contain ceramides... and I got to wondering what other oils might be comprised partially of ceramides. A search found me this thread, and I was blown away by the list in the original post! I don't know where the OP got those numbers... does anyone have sources for this kind of info?

I'm definitely going to add some ceramide-rich oils to my routine and see what happens. For starters, I'm washing my hair tonight or tomorrow after going to a sauna tonight, so right now I'm about to slather on a bunch of soybean and sunflower oil for a little DT because I have those on hand.

[oatmealpie]

Thanks for resurrecting this! It's a useful resource.

[ErinLeigh]

Hemp seed oil is amazing! I cannot stress that enough! My hair just loves it.

Mine too. It's wonderful and doesn't leave my hair all greasy.

[meteor]

Here's another excellent article on ceramides: http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/...aged-hair.html

The only problem with ceramide-rich oils is that most of them are drying, so the build-up is eventually hard to remove. Many commercial products have much higher concentrations of ceramides than natural oils. These products often target chemically processed, damaged hair.
I love using safflower and grapeseed oils for ceramides, but I have to be careful not to apply them too often, otherwise a hard film forms over time as these oils are drying.

[Naiadryade]

Here's another excellent article on ceramides: http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/...aged-hair.html

The only problem with ceramide-rich oils is that most of them are drying, so the build-up is eventually hard to remove. Many commercial products have much higher concentrations of ceramides than natural oils. These products often target chemically processed, damaged hair.
I love using safflower and grapeseed oils for ceramides, but I have to be careful not to apply them too often, otherwise a hard film forms over time as these oils are drying.

Thanks for the warning!! So, watch out for build-up and clarify if things get weird? Or when you say "hard to remove," do you mean even with clarifying?

And... does this mean these oils might be better as the occasional deep treatment, rather than as a daily-use oil? Am I on to something there?

Is there are list somewhere of which oils are drying and which are not? Wondering if there's a happy cross-over in the first half of the ceramides list with something not drying.

[Naiadryade]

Is there are list somewhere of which oils are drying and which are not? Wondering if there's a happy cross-over in the first half of the ceramides list with something not drying.

Okay, so I answered my own question! I found this explanation of drying oils on Ktani's Hair Sense blog. She taught me that the drying capacity of an oil is determined by its iodine value, and linked me to this page where you can see the iodine values (and various other properties) of a long list of oils.

According to Ktani, "If an oil has an iodine value of 130-190 or higher, it is a drying oil." I found out that there are certainly a few oils on the list in the OP that are lower than this. (Based on what I found, I think I'm going to look into getting cottonseed, sesame, and/or rice bran oil.) ETA: Oils with an iodine value of 115-130 are considered semi-drying.

So for your geeky pleasure, here are all the oils listed in this thread to be 20% or higher in ceramides, and their iodine values! Non-drying oils are green, semi-drying oils are orange, and drying oils are red.

Oil Name --- Iodine - Ceramides
pistachio ----- 95 --- 33%
cottonseed -- 108 --- 54%
sesame ----- 110 --- 45%
rice bran ---- 110 --- 39%
canola ------ 110 --- 21%
corn -------- 117 --- 59%
wheat germ - 128 --- 55%
Grapeseed -- 131 --- 73%
soybean ---- 131 --- 51%
sunflower --- 133 --- 68%
poppyseed -- 140 --- 70%
Safflower --- 145 --- 78%
walnut ------ 145 --- 51%
hemp ------- 165 --- 60%

Note that there are a few alternative versions of some of these oils listed at lower iodine values. I don't know how their being altered might affect the level of ceramides in them though. These are:

27.5% hydrogenated soybean oil - I.V. 78
High oleic sunflower oil - I.V. 83
High oleic safflower oil - I.V. 93
High oleic canola oil - I.V. 96

[biogirl87]

Okay, so I answered my own question! I found this explanation of drying oils on Ktani's Hair Sense blog. She taught me that the drying capacity of an oil is determined by its iodine value, and linked me to this page where you can see the iodine values (and various other properties) of a long list of oils.

According to Ktani, "If an oil has an iodine value of 130-190 or higher, it is a drying oil." I found out that there are certainly a few oils on the list in the OP that are lower than this. (Based on what I found, I think I'm going to look into getting cottonseed, sesame, and/or rice bran oil.)

So for your geeky pleasure, here are all the oils listed in this thread to be 20% or higher in ceramides, and their iodine values! Those lower than 130 are in green, those higher are in red.

Oil Name --- Iodine - Ceramides
pistachio ----- 95 --- 33%
cottonseed -- 108 --- 54%
sesame ----- 110 --- 45%
rice bran ---- 110 --- 39%
canola ------ 110 --- 21%
corn -------- 117 --- 59%
wheat germ - 128 --- 55%
Grapeseed -- 131 --- 73%
soybean ---- 131 --- 51%
sunflower --- 133 --- 68%
poppyseed -- 140 --- 70%
Safflower --- 145 --- 78%
walnut ------ 145 --- 51%
hemp ------- 165 --- 60%

Note that there are a few alternative versions of some of these oils listed at lower iodine values. I don't know how their being altered might affect the level of ceramides in them though. These are:

27.5% hydrogenated soybean oil - I.V. 78
High oleic sunflower oil - I.V. 83
High oleic safflower oil - I.V. 93
High oleic canola oil - I.V. 96

Naiadryade, thank you for this information. From the list you posted, it looks like corn oil would a pretty cheap way to get an oil that contains the most ceramides and is non-drying if one is looking for a ceramide-containing oil.