Oils & butters tried so far
The King: Castor – One of the heaviest oils, it is very sticky using it straight on dry hair. Oil rinsing (using it on wet hair) is where its coating properties come to life. It does not wash off easily, making it great for detangling under a shower stream. When dry, a silky, non-greasy film is left behind, sealing in moisture and increasing the protection from mechanical damage and hydral fatigue. I have had only one reverse split since I buzz it off back in July 2015 (I think from the Tangle Teezer Thick & Curly). It is also somewhat penetrating, maintaining softness yet keeping firmness (clumps my coils). Any remaining trace of oil on the roots evaporates in a day or two.
The Crown Prince: Hempseed – The oil known for the highest amount of natural ceramides (hair protein shields), its medium viscosity lightens castor oil when mixed with it. It also works well by its lonesome, although the strong, grassy smell can be off-putting and lingers for days. Like castor oil, it leaves behind a smooth, non-greasy film and any residual oiliness evaporates in a day. Great for sealing in moisture.
Olive and Sesame – Both are penetrating, but they lifted my cuticle layer, making my hair feel rough. They left my hair greasy and yucky. I can use them to finger-detangle dry before washing in a pinch.
Jojoba – It is supposed to by chemically close to natural sebum, but castor oil works better with the scant amount I get. It does leave behind a non-greasy, conditioning layer, like castor and hempseed does, but it is much thinner and actually strips the sebum out of my hair. I will only use it mixed with castor oil and maybe dry finger-detangle prior to washing. It is medium to medium-light in thickness and great for sealing.
Rice Bran – A lighter version of hempseed oil in behavior, it is too light for me.
Grapeseed – A light oil that is meh on my hair.
Avocado – A light oil that my hair somewhat likes. It does lift my cuticle layer a touch, but not enough to make my strands rough. No greasy leftover after my hair dries, but not much of a conditioning film that I get from castor and hempseed. Works well with aloe gel on hair and skin.
Pumpkin Seed – This medium-light behaves like a natural silicone (slip) on my hair and penetrates deeper than castor and hempseed. Using it alone for oil rinsing, it softens my hair like a conditioner and eases detangling. Progressive use frizzes my hair into an Afro and my hair loses moisture quickly. This is not an oil for sealing in moisture yet great as a prepoo. If you love the scent of pumpkin, this has it.
Wheat Germ – A medium viscosity oil, it smells like concentrated wheat and nuts, but that vanishes and I don’t mind it. Ceramide-rich and more penetrating than pumpkin seed, it has softening slip for finger-detangling. It is not a sealing oil, so I must follow it with castor and/or hempseed, unless I want an Afro that day.
Babassu – The most penetrating, softening oil you can buy, IMO. I have dry finger-detangled with it, but its magic is as a prepoo, leaving it on for at least an hour before washing. My hair melts under warm water, and I can wet finger-detangling with it. Cannot be used alone for oil rinsing, too striping, but works best either with or prior to other oils. Not for sealing, but great after a protein treatment.
Shea Butter – Sat on my hair being greasy, wet or dry. I might revisit a whipped sample to see if that improves its use.
Broccoli Seed – On the light side and the non-greasy, the conditioning film it left behind was light, too, similar to jojoba. Very good for detangling, lasted longer under running water than pumpkin seed, but not as penetrating as the latter. I would consider it a step above jojoba in behavior on my hair. And, yes, it did feel like silicone serum. I will use it with aloe for twisting up my hair for twist-outs. Very mild nutty scent that disappears.
Apricot Kernel – It left a non-greasy, smooth film on my hair and is a bit thicker than broccoli seed, nice conditioning film. The oily, nutty scent was mild and did not bother me. I think this would work best to thin out a thicker oil, like castor, for example.
JBCO – It is thicker and stickier than the regular cold-pressed stuff. The brand I used had a over-roasted nutty scent, moderate in strength, but it did not repel me. This definitely must be mixed with something lighter; detangling was a chore! I want to try some of the very dark stuff to see how it compares. Despite the trouble using it, I love the softness I got from the JBCO. I think I can go 5 days without doing anything else but covering my hair at night.
Emu (clear) – It detangled OK, not as well as the apricot kernel. The conditioning film left on my hair feels a touch better than hempseed and soft to the back of my hand (no prickly ends).
Derma-E 14,000 IU (vitamin E in a safflower oil base) – This progressively reduced my shedding! The shrinkage was the same as with castor and hempseed, coils cool to the touch, and very soft. No greasiness, a step below apricot for detangling, yet a step above it for conditioning film.