Coconut oil: hair benefits and uses- Part 1

As promised, it’s here: the long-awaited coconut oil for hair post. As we previously mentioned, coconut oil has a crazy, endless list of benefits for the skin, hair and body, but, of course, this post will focus solely on the ways in which you can use the stuff as a hair product, for enviable results. If you’ve heard rumours about coconut oil, and want to learn more about how to achieve the best results from coconut oil application, read on.

Coconut oil as a conditioner

Here’s benefit number one of coconut oil: it acts as a fantastic conditioner. This is because it consists of mainly of smaller medium-chain fatty acids, so it can penetrate hair quicker and deeper than most other conditioners. It’s a powerful substance, so works well if you’re after immediate results. That said, the longer you leave coconut oil in your hair, the more effectively it works. Simply rub the oil between your hands to melt it slightly, then apply it all over your hair (you can also massage it into your scalp as a moisturiser). Wait for between half an hour to an hour before shampooing and rinsing to remove the oil. The end result should be an effortless glossy shine.

Coconut oil for detangling

You don’t have to have hours of time to see the benefits of coconut oil. If your hair is prone to getting tangled and knotty, a quick application of coconut oil should do the trick. Take some oil and rub it between you palms, as instructed in the above, then carefully massage it into the ends of your hair, working your way up if necessary. The trick here is to not slather on too much oil- you don’t want your hair to end up looking greasy- but just enough that can be worked in and brushed through to help easily style your hair. The addition of coconut oil should make it far easier to brush out those knots, and because it is 100 per cent natural, coconut oil won’t leave any residue or long-term damage to your hair.

Coconut oil as an overnight mask

If you’re pretty lazy when it comes to haircare, this option is for you. Using coconut oil as an overnight hair mask not only means that you can leave the stuff to work its magic overnight (and there’s something exciting about waking up the next morning and checking the results of a hair mask in the mirror), but you also don’t need to worry about rushing to apply it in the morning before work, when time is limited. Simply apply the oil before bed for a more intense treatment- remember we said the longer you leave coconut oil in your hair, the more effectively it works. Then when you wake up, wash out the oil and bask in the look and feel of sleeker, softer hair.

Coconut oil as a base for hair colouring

Now this was not something we had heard of until we did more research into the uses of coconut oil for hair. I mean, I suppose we shouldn’t even surprised to hear about the products that can be used in the hair dying process, especially after writing our blog post about chamomile tea as a natural hair dye. But it turns out coconut oil makes an excellent medium for mixing your all-natural hair colouring, by helping your colour to be more vibrant and slowing down the fading process. Note: using coconut oil as a base for hair dying only applies if you’re using natural colouring herbs, which, to be fair, not a lot of people do these days. Either way, if you do feel confident in dying your hair like this, simply coat your hair with melted coconut oil, then mix more oil with your colouring herbs and apply as you normally would. Then once the colour has set, shampoo your hair and rinse with warm water to remove the oil.