Everyone can have a bad hair day every now and then. But what if that happens on a consistent basis? When your hair doesn’t get or retain enough moisture, your hair gets dry and damaged.
There is no other way around it, dry hair appears dull. One remedy that is climbing up the charts of popularity and effectiveness lately is coconut oil for dry hair.
Now, we understand you could always use some store-bought conditioner. But you can be sure that will not work as good as coconut oil. In the past few years, coconut oil has received a lot of praise for penetrating deep into your hair, going deeper than any cosmetic products, and moisturizing your hair.
Another bonus: coconut oil does not contain any harsh ingredients you can find in over the counter conditioners that can do more damage to your hair.
Chapter Overview
Why use coconut oil for dry hair?
You can get dry hair any time of the year. However, generally speaking, winters are more problematic. Due to the lack of moisture in the air, your hair gets dry easily and looks dull.
Now, we are sure you do not want that. Instead, you want your hair to look lustrous and amazing, right? Well, if that is your goal, coconut oil for dry hair is all you need. Coconut oil will give your hair that bounce, all while softening and soothing your hair.
What makes coconut oil so damn good? Well, it is a two-part story.
One part is what coconut oil does not contain, and the answer is harsh chemicals in store-bought conditioners.
The other part is the chemical structure of coconut oil, which allows the oil to penetrate deeply and nourish your hair with tons of healthy nutrients.
With that in mind, here are some benefits of using coconut oil for dry hair.
- Because of the chemical structure, coconut oil penetrates more deeply, up to the inner core of your hair, which is something no store-bought product can do
- Coconut oil does not cost a fortune like many conditioners on the market
- The oil helps your hair look soft
- Coconut oil nourishes your hair and scalp from the inside
- You can use coconut oil to battle dandruff, itchy scalp, hair loss, split ends, and many other hair issues, all while adding shine to your hair
- Rich in antioxidants, coconut oil can prevent many problems caused by damage of pollutants, toxins, and free radicals
- Coconut oil contains lauric acid that can penetrate the hair shaft and prevent protein loss
- Massaging your scalp with coconut oil will improve blood circulation, which often is a factor in supporting healthy hair growth
- Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids that prevent dryness and dandruff
Now that we know the benefits of coconut oil for your hair, what are some of the treatments you can use? Read below a couple of ways you can use coconut oil for hair.
Three ways to use coconut oil
Leave-in treatment
This treatment is suitable when your hair tends to frizz and poof. No matter what smoothing products you use, your hair still tends to frizz. Well, welcome coconut oil to the rescue.
Here is how you can do it.
- Melt one tablespoon of coconut oil until it is completely liquid. Just be careful, you do not want superhot
- Scoop it up and rub it around your hands, same as you would use a hand cream
- Flip your head over, and scrunch your hands through the bottom few inches of hair. Go through the ends until the coconut oil is evenly distributed and your hands are clean
- Style your hair as usual, and then enjoy the frizz-free finish
Curl Refresher
For those ladies with curls, coconut oil is a life-changer. If you have kinky curls that require constant moisture, there is nothing better than coconut oil.
The oil will help you enjoy your curls for the whole day, without needing constant refreshment. And best of all, coconut oil is not sticky like other curl-refreshing sprays.
Here is how to use it:
- Heat up a quarter of water in a mug, and then add three teaspoons of coconut oil. Mix until the oil fully dissolves in the water
- Funnel the mixture into a spray bottle
- Spry it throughout your hair during the day for an instant boost
Hair mask
As mentioned previously, one of the most common uses of coconut oil is to help with your dry and damaged hair. When your hair is dried-out, you need a hair mask. And few natural ingredients give you benefits like coconut oil. It is one of the easiest DIY recipes.
Here is how to do it.
- Scoop a few large chunks of coconut oil into a bowl. Microwave them for 30 seconds at most, until the oil is slightly melted
- Go into the tub, section off a four-inch piece of hair, and massage the oil through it from the root to tip
- In the same time, comb with a wide-tooth comb to make sure the oil is evenly distributed
- Repeat the process until you cover your whole head
- Cover your head with a shower cap or a plastic wrap, and leave the oil for 45 minutes. Your hair will soak the oil completely
- Rinse thoroughly, in some cases, even twice to get all of the coconut oil out of your hair. You do not want the oil weighing your hair down when it dries. Style your hair as usual
How often to use coconut oil?
This is probably one of the most common questions people have regarding coconut oil usage. While the oil is safe and secure for usage, you should not be over-doing it. The process of applying might be complicated, but it is well worth it.
As a general rule of thumb, once per week is more than enough to reap all of the coconut oil benefits for hair. And make sure to use organic coconut oil.
Try to avoid processed oils, as you might not get the same benefits as with using organic oil. Do not use coconut oil more frequently than once per week. If you do not need that much moisture, you can go once every two weeks.
When not to use coconut oil?
Coconut oil is generally considered a safe and secure product. However, even the safest product comes with a couple of precautions. In terms of coconut oil, there are a couple of situations in which you will be better off with another natural remedy.
For example, if your hair has been damaged from over-processing with colors and dyes, coconut oil might not help. In this case, your hair is weak and fragile and needs amino acids into the hair shaft.
Hair oils seep into every tiny hole of your hair shaft. If you have coarse or brittle hair, this is another time when you should not use coconut oil. The reason is the added protein that can cause your hair to stiffen and break.
In every other scenario, though, coconut oil is a real treat to your hair.