Coconut oil is one of the most versatile natural products in the world. You can cook with it and use it to moisturize your skin, but also to nourish and protect your hair.
It’s rich in MCT’s and antioxidants which offer valuable benefits and can transform your hair in amazing ways.
In this article I talk about how to use coconut oil for your hair and why it’s so good for it.
You can buy good coconut oil here.
Medium Chain Triglycerides
MCT’s (Medium Chain Triglycerides) are the fatty acids lauric acid, capric acid, caprylic acid and caproic acid. They have strong antimicrobial properties:
Antibacterial
They help eliminate bacteria.
Antifungal
They help eliminate fungi and yeast infections.
Antiparasitic
They kill lice and other parasites. They also help the body detoxify any harmful substances left behind by these parasites.
Antiviral
Lauric acid converts into monolaurin in our body. This is an anti-viral agent which boosts immunity and helps fight off viruses.
Due to the unique molecular structure of MCT’s, coconut oil manages to penetrate deeper into your hair than other oils.
Not only does it make your hair look good from the outside, it works deeply from the inside out.
Coconut oil and protein loss
Coconut oil’s most powerful asset in hair care is its ability to restore protein loss.
Scientific research shows that coconut oil significantly reduces protein loss.
They tested coconut oil as a pre-wash as well as a post-wash treatment on both undamaged and damaged hair.
The number of experiments was very high to include as many possible hair types and hair treatments.
The other oils that were tested were sunflower oil and mineral oils, but they didn’t help with protein loss at all.
Coconut oil nourishes your hair and retains moisture on the inside of the hair shaft.
This strengthens the hair fibre, helps reduce hair loss and stimulates new hair growth.
Volume, length and shine
Let’s be honest, don’t we all want voluminous, healthy, shiny hair with the option to grow it long?
I know I do!
Coconut oil can add more volume to your hair. Plus it’s especially good to give body to curls.
Antimicrobial properties keep the scalp healthy and protect it from itching and infections.
Using coconut oil on your scalp helps prevent dry skin build-up, which can eventually cause dandruff.
Coconut oil helps protect your hair from damage caused by dryers, irons and rollers. However go easy on those, the less you use them, the better!
Coconut oil also gives your hair a healthy shine and this delicious, tropical scent.
It’s a very powerful natural head lice treatment, especially when you use it with apple cider vinegar.
No wonder that coconut oil is a popular ingredient in hair products such as shampoos, conditioners and masks.
But there is so much more you can do with it.
How to use coconut oil for your hair
A little really goes a long way, especially when it comes to coconut oil.
Start out with a small amount to see how your hair reacts to it.
Believe me, you don’t want your hair covered in large amounts of coconut oil as it can be hard to get it out. Besides it will not make it work better or faster.
The more coconut oil you use, the more shampoo you need to wash it out and that’s something to avoid.
Here are some of my favorite coco hair treatments:
Hair conditioner / Pre-poo treatment
This helps grow thicker, fuller hair and keeps your scalp healthy.
Apply on clean, dry hair. Massage 1-2 tbsp of virgin coconut oil into your hair.
Adjust the amount according to your hair length and thickness.
Use a shower cap and leave the coconut oil for at least 30 minutes.
Wash your hair. It might need an extra wash or two to get all the oil out, especially if you use mild, natural shampoo.
Frizz tamer
Frizzy hair is caused by heat and humidity. It can be climate related or from blow dryers, hot curlers or flat irons.
It’s not just how it looks, but it can also really damage your hair as it swells and then shrinks again.
To protect your hair from frizz, apply a tiny bit of coconut oil on your hands. If the oil is solid, let it melt between the palms of your hands.
Run your fingers through your damp (not wet) hair and massage the oil into it. This will lock in the moisture, protect the hair shaft and tame the frizz.
Eyelash & eyebrow conditioner
The nutrients in coconut oil moisturize your eyelashes and eyebrows. They help avoid protein loss and stimulate hair growth.
Combine it with castor oil for maximum effect. Castor oil is known for its strong hair growth properties.
Mix a bit of coconut oil with castor oil and gently rub it on your lashes and eyebrows before you go to sleep. Let it work overnight.
Split hair ends treatment
This homemade treatment helps support healthy hair ends.
Mix 1 tbsp of coconut oil with 1/2 tbsp of argan oil and 1/4 tbsp of castor oil and massage it into your hair ends.
Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave it on for at least 30 minutes. Rinse well.
Hair mask
Make your own hair mask with two great natural hair products: coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil.
This mix of healthy fatty acids and antioxidants boosts your scalp and hair from the roots up to the hair ends.
Mix the coconut oil with half the amount of olive oil and massage it into clean, dry hair.
Leave it in for at least an hour or overnight. Use a shower cap and cover with a towel.
Wash out well afterwards.
Dandruff treatment
Old skin from a dry, very oily or infected scalp can cause itchiness, flaking, redness and irritation. This can eventually lead to dandruff.
Coconut oil’s antimicrobial properties help cure and calm the scalp. Lauric acid, capric acid and vitamin E ease and moisturize it.
Gently massage 2 tbsp coconut oil into your scalp. Let it work for 30 minutes and wash it out.
Do this once a week until you notice improvement.
Hair protector
Protect your hair from sea water, sun or pool chemicals. Rub a bit of coconut oil into your hair and put your hair in a bun.
This will seal and protect your hair.
Hair styling wax
Make your own natural hair pomade with coconut oil, candelilla wax (a vegan beeswax alternative) shea butter and jojoba oil.
Better for your hair and the environment and much cheaper than store-bought hair wax!
Hair dye aid
If you dye your own hair you can use coconut oil to protect your skin from the dye or Henna.
Rub some coconut oil along your hairline before you apply the hair dye. It will prevent it from running onto your face and leaving stains.
Shampoo
Coconut oil is a popular ingredient in many shampoos. You can buy a good natural shampoo made with coconut oil, add some coconut oil to your natural shampoo or make your own.
I hope you enjoyed this article about how to use coconut oil for your hair.
As always: use a good quality, organic virgin coconut oil. Cold-pressed and centrifuged oils contain the highest amount of nutrients.
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I only link to products that I love, would use myself and have researched. Thank you for your support!
Some of my favorite DIY hair treatments:
Eyelash growth serum with castor oil
Avocado coconut milk hair mask
Other articles about coconut oil for beauty & health:
The benefits of using coconut oil on your skin
30+ coconut oil for your skin, hair, nails and teeth
What are your favorite ways to use coconut oil for your hair? Share it with the coco community on Instagram or Facebook @coconutqueendom
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