Coconut oil is one of the most versatile carrier oils. It can be used for anything, from cooking to body care, including the hair.
It is beneficial to whoever is in need. I don’t think any woman can fathom what she would do without coconut oil in recent years.
Since it became the number one DIY ingredient in skincare and beauty, we keep learning new things about coconut oil.
So, if you have this wonder oil sitting somewhere in your kitchen, irrelevant. It’s time to take it out of the shelf and dust it off.
When it comes to natural or treated hair, there are various ways you can use coconut oil for your hair. You might be wondering where to start from, which is why I am here.
I would be guiding you on the ways you can use coconut for hair growth and retention. Healthy hair, that is.
Coconut Oil for Hair
Using coconut oil is essential for keeping your hair healthy and growing. One of the benefits of the oil is to shine your hair. Literarily, it does that. This is why people always circle back to it when it comes to hair care.
I would be highlighting the uses of coconut oil for hair and how you can get your healthy locks with it.
1. Pre-Poo
If you have dry hair or extremely thick coily 4C hair, this is a trick you need to practice before shampooing your hair. Pre-poo is a routine you do before washing your hair. It helps prepare your hair to allow moisture and not let the nutrients be washed off.
You can use coconut oil to coat your hair strands, avoiding the scalp. Do this an hour or so before you wash. Rinse the oil while you rinse out the shampoo from your hair.
For thin or fine hair, a little oil is enough to shine your hair. Too much could make it heavy with residue.
SEE: Does Aloe Vera Help With Hair Growth? Here’s What You Need to Know
2. Deep Conditioner
Coconut oil can be used to deep condition your hair. For ladies with curly kinky hair, coconut oil is occlusive and would help trap moisture. So, the other hydrating ingredients would be locked within your hair.
This would allow all ingredients to penetrate the shafts longer and effectively. You can mix coconut oil with your special conditioner, leave it in for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse afterward to soft strands.
On the other hand, you can buy conditioners with coconut oil as one of the active ingredients. You can use the deep conditioner as recommended in the packaging.
3. Detangler
Coconut oil can act as an emollient to provide slip for your hair when you want to detangle your hair strands. The carrier oil is known to detangle even the knottiest curly hair from ends to roots.
Also, it makes combing easy and less painful. You can apply the coconut oil on your damp hair, then use a wide-tooth comb or detangler brush to comb through your hair in sections.
4. Seal Moisture
This is another reason why coconut oil is necessary for your hair care, especially for thick curly hair and dry hair. After shampooing your hair, you need to replenish it with hydrating and moisturizing products.
Coconut oil added to your hair moisturizer or layered on the moisturizer after application would help to seal it. As I mentioned, coconut oil is occlusive, so it would trap the nutrients.
After applying the coconut oil as a sealant, you can leave it in to dry with your moisturizer, keeping your hair hydrated longer.
5. Dandruff Treatment
Dandruff is a product of dry and scaly scalp. It could present a problem, especially when it is dry and shedding. You can use coconut oil to treat your dandruff issue.
To treat the dandruff issue, section your hair and add droplets of the oil. Then massage your scalp and the affected areas. Do this for about 10 to 15 minutes to let the oil be absorbed by your scalp. Rinse with warm water after.
Tip: you can use this as a way to massage your scalp, stimulating blood circulations, thereby promoting hair growth.
6. Frizz and Split-End Control
Coconut oil is light enough to work between curls and thick enough to hold your frizz and split ends.
Coconut oil helps to tame your frizz, keeping your strands in control during a humid time. Also, you can keep your split ends calmer with coconut oil.
Although it won’t bring your hair back, it can keep it together for a short period of time until you get a more permanent solution.
For high and medium porosity hair, a pea-sized drop of coconut oil is enough to keep your hair at bay. Meanwhile, low porosity hair should use a lesser drop of coconut oil on their hair, or none at all.
SEE: Onion Juice to Grow Hair: Discover Amazing Benefits
7. Swim Cap
Saltwater and chlorine can cause havoc on your natural hair, so you need to protect them before getting into the water. Before heading to the beach or pool, coat your hair with coconut oil.
This acts as a barrier from the chemicals in the pool and also the harshness of saltwater. It would protect your hair to an extent. So you can think of it as a swim cap.
8. Natural Shine
Spraying coconut oil or rubbing it on your strands would give your hair an instant shine. The natural oil works as a shine enhancer when applied. You can mix it with your leave-in conditioner or natural hair moisturizer.
However, you have to use it on a clean scalp. Make sure to wash your hair properly and keep your scalp product-free to avoid buildup.
9. Style Your Hair
Coconut oil can work as a light hair styler. You can hold your curls or textured hair in place. Also, it is perfect for mixing in with styling products.
Before you style, you can wet or dampen your hair. Or you can mix your coconut oil with water in a spritz bottle and spray away. This also keeps moisture locked in your hair.
10. Lice Remover
A study has shown that coconut oil can remove lice from the hair naturally. When mixed with other natural hair products, it can help rid your hair of lice. Also, this is best for people who are not comfortable with using lice treatments.
When mixed with an essential oil like ylang-ylang, it has been proven that coconut oil concoction helps to remove lice from your hair.
FAQs on Coconut Oil for Hair
Why is coconut oil good for hair?
Coconut oil is good for the hair because it contains lauric acid, making it easy to penetrate the hair shaft. Also, it helps to reduce protein loss, which is essential for strengthening your hair strands.
Also, coconut oil contains essential vitamins and minerals to help boost hair growth and shine. Furthermore, coconut oil is occlusive and can act as an emollient. This makes it easy to seal or coat moisture. You can wear it as a hair mask to keep your moisture locked in.
What is the best type of coconut oil?
Extra virgin coconut oil. This is best coconut oil for any hair treatment.
You can use refined or processed coconut oil too. However, there is a high chance it is often bleached or chemically treated to increase the oil’s shelf life.
On the other hand, extra virgin oil is pure and not chemically treated. It is also made through the cold-press method. Therefore, it is in the purest form of coconut oil.
So when you want to buy a coconut oil, the more organic a coconut oil is, the better it is for you.
How do I store my coconut oil?
Store in a cool dry place.
When you want to store your coconut oil, use a BPA-free plastic container or a glass. This would avoid chemical bleaching.
You can also refrigerate your coconut oil. However, before using it, make sure it is back to room temperature.
And avoid heat and light from getting to the oil. If you have solid coconut oil, it could melt the oil. And generally, keeping it away from heat and light prevents it from spoiling.
What else can I use coconut oil for?
You can use coconut oil for almost anything.
You can use it as part of your skincare routine. Coconut oil can be added to moisturizers. Also, it can be used as makeup cleansers or used to dilute strong serums to penetrate the skin and keep it refreshed.
It can also be used for making soaps. For instance, coconut oil can be added to African black soaps to fortify the soap and improve its nourishment to the skin.
Coconut oil is an essential kitchen product. It can be added to your everyday cooking. Also, it can be used to bake, giving your pastries a nice flavor.
Is coconut oil good for all hair types?
No, it isn’t. Coconut oil contains lauric acid which attracts protein.
Protein is great for high and medium porosity hair, as I mentioned, but isn’t necessary for low porosity hair. They have weaker strands and need keratin to strengthen their hair.
So people with low porosity should avoid using coconut oil or minimize the use to as little as possible.
Does coconut oil have side effects?
No, it doesn’t. Coconut oil does not have adverse effect on hair.
However, using the oil too much can cause a buildup on the scalp. Also, it could make the hair greasy, especially for people with fine hair.
Coconut oil can also clog the pores and make the scalp and roots dry. So you have to use the oil in bits and make sure to wash your hair regularly to avoid hair buildup.
Summary
Coconut oil is good for your hair because it could help it bounce and shine back. You need the versatile oil to help you deep condition your hair, help to treat dandruff, moisturize it, and act as a hair coat for even on fun days in the water.
If you are looking for a one-for-all kind of natural product, then coconut oil is the best. However, when you want to buy a coconut oil product, go for the extra virgin coconut oil. The oil is natural and is also the best type of coconut oil.
As good and natural as coconut oil is, it is not advisable for low porosity hair to use it. This is because it could cause a buildup in the scalp. However, high to medium porosity hair can use natural oil because they need every nutrient the oil provides.
If your hair falls under these categories, you are free to get back your natural healthy shine back with coconut oil.
Africana Fashion provides beauty articles to suit your daily needs and beauty lifestyle.
