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How To Use Coconut Oil For Hair:

Coconut oil should be a staple in your hair care routine if you have damaged, curly, high porosity hair. There are heaps of benefits of using coconut oil on your hair.

What can’t you use coconut for? There is no question as to why it has been used for centuries.

The essential fatty acids and nutrients deeply nourish the hair shaft as well as the scalp. It can even be used on damaged hair to help restore protein loss.

Coconut oil has been used for everything, from cooking, skincare to natural hair remedies. It can benefit both the hair and scalp in more ways than one.

The high fatty acid content work to restore the hair from within.

While coconut oil best suits those with curly hair, any hair type can benefit– undamaged and damaged hair can get a kick out of using coconut oil on their hair.

I have devised a guide of the best DIY recipes to use when using virgin coconut on your hair; whether this is as a hair mask or natural detangler, coconut oil is here for it all.

Coconut oil for hair

What Type Of Coconut Oil Is Best For Hair?

coconuts how to use

How To Use Coconut Oil:

There are many different ways you can use coconut oil on your hair; you can apply coconut oil in cognition with other yummy ingredients like honey, sunflower oil, argan oil, and more.

Let’s go through all the ways you can use coconut oil on your hair to reap the most benefits.

Coconut Oil Hair Mask:

Coconut oil is brilliant at restoring the hair and replenishing moisture, and working with other ingredients to attain and retain moisture within the hair strand.

Using coconut oil can also help restore protein loss from years of heat styling and exposure to UV rays. It bonds proteins within the hair to strengthen and restore the hair shaft.

Since coconut oil is an emollient, it can be used in combination with a humectant like honey to help attain moisture from the environment, and then the coconut oil can work with the honey to retain this moisture and prevent moisture loss.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best coconut oil hair mask for curly hair:

  • – 3 tbsp of virgin coconut oil
  • – 1 1/2 tbsp of honey
  • – 2 egg yolks
  • – Few drops of essential oil
  • – Warm towel and shower cap

Method:

Start by heating the coconut oil over low heat for a few minutes until it is warm but not boiling; coconut oil as a hair mask works best as a hot oil treatment.

Once warmed, whisk the rest of the ingredients in with the coconut oil. This should warm but not scramble the eggs; if the eggs are scrambled, the oil is too hot.

After it is well mixed, apply it to your head. I like to work in sections and smother each strand to ensure my curls are lapping up the goodness of this treatment.

Once the ends are covered, focus on the roots and massage your scalp for 5-10 minutes with the hot oil mixture. Then wrap your hair up in a shower cap.

Pop a warm, damp towel on top so it keeps the treatment warm, and so the goodness of all of the ingredients can really penetrate the hair.

In order for you to benefit the most from this treatment and to offer the most moisture retention, it is best that you do this treatment on wet hair or at least damp hair.

This is especially important for those with curly hair as it ensures that the most nutrients are absorbed into the dry scalp and dry hair– curly hair is the driest hair type, after all…

Since the treatment will be warm, it can be used on both low porosity and high porosity hair as the heat should help open the cuticle, so it can be absorbed into the hair follicle.

Coconut Oil Hair Detangler:

Coconut penetrates deep into the hair follicles to soften and strengthen the hair, which is why it is a great DIY detangler; it lubricates strands and provides slip.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • – 1-2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
  • – 10-20 drops of your chosen essential oil (peppermint, lavender, tea tree essential oil)

Method:

You can melt coconut oil in the microwave until warm and melted but not hot. Mix in the essential oils and apply them to your hair, focusing on the tangles.

Rub coconut oil between your hairs and start finger combing through the tangled and dry parts. If using before shampooing, then apply all over but if you’re just looking to get tangles out or refresh curls, then focus on the ends only.

Using a wide-toothed comb, work through stubborn tangles down to the tips; when the tangles ease, then style as you usually would.

For matted hair, you can leave the coconut oil on the ends for a little while before detangling; it can work its magic and have time to penetrate the strand to help detangle.

You can even do this as a hot oil treatment and wrap your hair up in a plastic cap with a warm, damp towel so it can improve the condition of the hair and leave it more manageable.

Coconut Oil As A Hair Oil:

The best way as to how to use coconut oil on curly hair is to use it as all three together; this will help with intense moisture retention as well as repair from within.

Coconut oil is a sealing oil and creates a water/oil barrier over the ends of the hair. It has a medium smoke point, so it can protect curls up to a certain point as well as protect hair from UV rays.

It can be used as a detangler when styling curly hair, and the juicy goodness can work its wonders throughout the course of the day.

Applying it to wet hair is the best way to use coconut oil to prevent that greasy residue as it absorbs best when the hair is wet.

Method:

Start by warming the coconut oil in your hands until it is soft and malleable; if you want more of a liquid consistency, then you can melt it in a pan over a gentle heat until liquid.

After showering, run the coconut oil through the ends of your curls after allowing a few minutes to apply your leave-in conditioner.

This should work nicely with your leave-in conditioner to detangle curly hair and nourish curls. It can also be used on straight hair too.

To avoid excess oil or a greasy residue, make sure you apply it to the ends and avoid applying it to the roots or scalp area of your hair.

I like to work in sections when applying my products, especially as it works wonders for shaping my thick curls, but it also ensures each product is evenly distributed.

Working in two-inch sections, spray down the curl and then apply your leave-in conditioner and detangle with a styling/detangling brush (I personally love the Denman Brush).

As you detangle, twist the brush as you go down and create tension to promote the curl shape. Then after a few minutes, apply coconut oil and repeat.

Once all of your styling products are on that section, scrunch upwards to promote the natural shape and diffuse or air dry like usual– don’t forget your heat protectant!

Coconut Oil As A Pre Poo Treatment:

For those not sure what a pre-poo is, if you have straight hair or if you’re living under a rock. Pre-poo stands for pre-shampoo; it is a hair treatment that protects hair during the shampooing process and promotes healthier hair.

The key benefits of coconut oil as a pre-poo treatment are that it reduces hydro fatigue and lessens the drying effect of the shampoo. You can mix it with other oils like olive oil, argan oil and add essential oil to your hair mix to reap the benefits.

Wetting down your hair and then applying the pre-poo oil mixture is the best way for it to work its wonders; it should help with the detangling process too.

Massage your scalp to stimulate the blood flow to the scalp and leave it on for 20-30 minutes before washing, and your hair will feel softer than ever.

How To Use Coconut Oil For Hair Growth:

So there is the speculation that coconut oil can help with hair growth, but is this true? Well, there are some benefits of coconut oil for hair growth, but these are not scientifically proven. =

While coconut oil doesn’t directly promote hair growth, it has been proven to strengthen and repair hair strands, causing them to look thicker and fuller.

When your hair is healthy and loved, this can also help promote hair growth, but coconut oil doesn’t ‘make hair grow.’

But don’t let that put you off; there are some serious benefits of using coconut oil in your hair care routine, which helps with hair growth and healthy hair. 

The day-to-day wear and tear caused by styling, grooming, the weather, and pollutants put a real toll on your hair. This damage makes hair growth really difficult.

The longer it gets, the more brittle it gets. Your hair becomes very worn and tired if you don’t use coconut oil.

Using coconut oil on your hair can have some serious benefits on hair growth. It protects your hair from protein loss and damage when wet; it moisturizes your scalp to reduce breakage.

It can also protect your hair from environmental damage like wind, sun, and smoke. If you apply coconut oil frequently in your hair care routine, then you can really reap the benefits of it.

Best Coconut Oil For Hair

How Often Should You Use Coconut Oil On Hair?

 This depends on what you are using coconut oil for. If you are using it as a hair mask, then you should aim to use coconut oil once or twice a week.

For finer high porosity hair, you might get away with once every week or two to prevent a greasy residue on the ends of your curls.

Coconut oil is a great detangler, so using it twice a week may be needed to detangle hair before washing. It will also protect curls from the shampooing process and keep curls hydrated.

Coconut oil enhances the hair’s natural publication, which provides enough slip to detangle the roughest of knots. Leaving it on the hair can even help with matting.

You can apply coconut oil to dry or wet hair, but when applied to dry hair for hydration, you should always use it alongside a hydrating product, like a leave-in.

Coconut oil is a sealant to retain moisture, it does not moisturize the hair itself, so it is always best to use on the hair while wet, along with hydrating ingredients like aloe vera or shea butter.

coconut oils

Summary:

So there you have it, all the different ways of using coconut oil on hair. Whether you have straight or curly hair, all hair types can benefit from some good ol’ coconut oil.

Whether you have dry skin and scalp or if you just have dry ends in need of some TLC, then applying coconut oil can seriously help with the revival it needs.

Especially for curly hair, the natural oil from the scalp struggles to reach the ends, so using coconut oil products alongside moisturizing products can help restore and retain that moisture within the hair.

Thick hair or fine hair that has high porosity, you too can benefit from coconut oil.

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