Can Vaseline be used as hair wax? This is a common question asked by many women and it’s time we answered it. Read this article to find out the steps involved and the benefits of using it this way.
Vaseline is the world-renowned petroleum jelly brand that works efficaciously on dry skin, chapped lips, and even cracked heels. Vaseline possesses moisturizing properties that lock hydration in the skin when applied and thus preventing dryness.
Though we’re familiar with Vaseline being a skincare product, the question most of us have in the back of our minds is ‘Can Vaseline be used on hair’? To be more specific ‘Can Vaseline Be Used As Hair Wax’?
Well to assure you of this dilemma, we’ve discussed everything regarding if Vaseline can be used as a hair wax/gel and the effects of applying Vaseline on the locks. Check out more below!
- Related: How To Get Vaseline Out Of Your Hair
Can Vaseline Be Used As Hair Wax?
Can Vaseline Work As Hair Wax/Gel?
Before we find out the answer to this question let’s familiarize ourselves with the difference between hair wax and hair gel.
Hair Wax – Hair wax is a dense and creamy hair styling product that’s applied to the hair to hold its shape and style. It adds definition to the hair and is a resourceful product when it comes to enhancing hair texture and preventing hair flyaways.
Hair Gel – On the other hand, hair gel is also a styling product that possesses a lightweight consistency.
It momentarily moisturizes the locks and aids to hinder frizz and hair flyaways. However, hair gels don’t last long like hair wax and hence require reapplication.
Vaseline has a texture similar to hair wax but tends to be much thicker and heavier. It can be used on hair in moderate amounts but not as casually or generously as hair wax or hair gel.
When Vaseline is used to style your hair, it provides a natural sheen as well as texture to your locks.
It does aid to keep your hair on hold but not for extended periods like hair wax. If you prefer to use Vaseline as a substitute for hair wax or hair gel, keep in mind that Vaseline tends to dry up pretty swiftly and the remnants can linger on your hair for a much longer period.
It can even make your hair crusty and doesn’t wash off easily like most hair styling products.
Speaking from experience, I had to shampoo more than 2 times to purge the Vaseline from my locks and they were dehydrated afterward. As a matter of fact, Vaseline doesn’t simply wash off your hair when using regular shampoo.
Clarifying shampoos are most effective when it comes to getting rid of Vaseline and other stubborn hair styling products.
Therefore, using Vaseline as an alternative to hair wax or hair gel isn’t ideal as it might cause secondary damage to your hair like build-up and dryness in the long run.
Why Is Vaseline Bad For Your Hair?
Vaseline inherently isn’t a hair care or hair styling product, to begin with. Although Vaseline can be applied to your hair slightly depending on the concern, it’s bound to cause adverse effects in the fullness of time. This is because Vaseline is formulated with nothing but mineral oils and petroleum jelly.
Though these components can provide sheen to the locks they’re also susceptible to blocking hair follicles if applied on the scalp.
When the hair follicles are blocked, this in turn causes a build-up of grimes, dandruff, and dead skin cells on the scalp.
As dandruff elevates, there ought to be a growth of harmful bacteria which can just worsen the overall health and condition of the scalp.
It doesn’t stop there because dandruff is also bound to cause hair fall thus resulting in chronic hair problems. These issues are unlikely to occur instantly but only in a sequence.
Furthermore, if you’re already suffering from chronic hair fall and decide to apply Vaseline on your locks just because you heard your neighbor claiming Vaseline promotes hair volume, let me stop your right there.
Vaseline isn’t a product that boosts hair volume and since Vaseline contains mineral oils, applying it to your hair will only aggravate the issue.
Thus it’s best to refrain from applying Vaseline to your mane if you’re already enduring hair fall and flakiness in the scalp.
Is Vaseline Good For Damaged Hair?
Damaged hair defines hair that’s extremely dry, and brittle, and hair that has split ends. There can be several causes behind damaged hair such as using products formulated with harsh chemicals, undergoing heat treatments, flashing hair to the sun, etc.
When your hair seems to be too dry and has minor split ends, you can conceal these complications by applying a meager amount of Vaseline to the damaged split ends and even on the drier sections of your hair.
Applying Vaseline to the split ends of your locks will cover them up while also giving the locks a healthy and natural shine.
On the other hand, Vaseline can also work as means of prevention for split ends and damaged strands.
If your mane has undergone a heat or color treatment then applying a dainty bit of Vaseline to the lengths and ends of your locks can efficaciously prevent dry and damaged ends.
Although scientists and researchers cannot conclusively state if Vaseline can combat dryness in the hair, it has been lowkey substantiated that it can moisturize the locks impermanently.
To perceive how effective Vaseline can act on dry hair, I took things into my own hand by applying a dainty bit of Vaseline only to the lengths of my hair.
When I continued this procedure for 2 weeks, the ends of my locks turned out quite smooth and frizz-free. There was literally no dry or brittle texture on my locks and they were beaming under sunlight thanks to Vaseline.
However, it should come to our attention that Vaseline isn’t the ultimate solution for damaged hair or an ideal measure that prevents hair damage as well.
This is because Vaseline’s functions only include protecting the skin from damage and not the hair. Despite possessing a bunch of benefits for hair, Vaseline is hands down not a product your hair can rely on for nourishment or moisturization.
Will Applying Vaseline To Hair Promote Growth?
It’s best I put rest to the misconception of Vaseline being a beneficial product for hair growth. Vaseline is simply a product used on the skin to protect the skin’s barrier which can combat dry skin, and it can even be used to apply on minor injuries as well.
No researcher or scientist has verified that Vaseline is an ideal product to be used on the scalp to promote hair growth.
There’s unlikely to be a professional who can conclusively rule out that Vaseline can encourage your hair to grow either gradually or swiftly.
This is because Vaseline might be the only product that hasn’t undergone any sort of profound research ever since its invention.
Hence the potential benefits and detriments of this product are unknown to countless people. Therefore, nobody can sternly state whether or not Vaseline will promote hair growth.
The only way to find out if Vaseline aids in hair growth or not is to simply apply a whiff of Vaseline, preferably a pea size, on your scalp and gently massage for a while. After a few hours or even after a day, you can wash it off your scalp.
However, be aware that Vaseline doesn’t purge effortlessly thus you’ll have to shampoo your hair more than 2 times to get rid of that petroleum jelly.
On the other hand, the length and volume of hair growth are distinct from person to person. While some people may experience swift hair growth due to genetics or using lucrative hair products, another group of people may experience insignificant hair growth even in the long run.
Scientists allege that an average person’s hair growth can sum up to approximately half an inch per month.
Crunch those numbers and your hair will probably grow at least 6 inches per annum. Once again, these are just approximate numbers and can differ from one person to another.
Can Vaseline Help Moisturize Dry Hair?
Albeit the repercussions of applying Vaseline on the scalp, be they positive or negative, are unknown, several beauticians or hair stylists can outright recommend Vaseline to be used moderately on the hair.
To start off with, Vaseline is an enormously beneficial occlusive skin moisturizer. This means that the petroleum jelly in Vaseline works as a barrier that prevents existing hydration in the skin to escape by locking in the moisture.
It can be a highly effective moisturizer when applied on a damp face which locks the water in the skin and prevents it from escaping.
Similarly, Vaseline can even moisturize dry hair by locking in any hair hydrating products like a mask or serum in the strands.
In fact, Vaseline can even work as a solo hydrating product on dry hair because it’s known to prevent dryness and split ends when applied in small quantities.
The petroleum jelly guards the locks against external damages like too much exposure to the sun and chlorinated swimming pool water and even prevents frizz as well. Thus Vaseline can be used on dry hair to keep it moisturized.
Nevertheless, make sure to only apply a pea-sized amount of Vaseline to your hair lengths and rinse it off with shampoo thoroughly. This will ensure there are no clumps of Vaseline lingering in your strands.
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