Coconut oil is one of the best natural hair treatments available. It has been a widely used hair care product in coastal areas of the world – and the best thing is that it’s natural and has no chemicals that can irritate skin.
The oil from a coconut is a natural antifungal, which makes it a good treatment for dandruff. It also strengthens hair and combats hair loss and graying. It helps reduce the appearance of split ends. It has a cooling and soothing effect on the scalp, which is good if you suffer from scalp sweating and boils. If you have lice, applying the oil on your hair before combing it with a fine-toothed comb will get the lice out more easily.
It’s also a very effective hair conditioner and toner, especially for rough, dry hair. Unlike most hair care products that just coat the surface of the hair, the oil from a coconut is different and actually penetrates the hair, nourishing it from the inside. The lauric acid in this natural oil has low molecular weight, making it easier to penetrate the hair shaft. This organic oil is also great in maintaining moisture, preventing your hair from drying out.
Bonus tip: Rub a little of the oil in your hands and run together and use as a hair styling product. It melts in the heat of the scalp and hardens a little bit when exposed to air.
People in India who have been using pure coconut oil since childhood have strong, jet-black hair even in their old age. Shampoo manufacturers learned from them and added it to their products.
You will get the most hair benefits out of coconut’s natural oils when you apply it on your hair.
If the oil is hard, melt it in the microwave or in a hot water bath. Don’t let it become too hot. Then apply a few tablespoons of the oil to your clean damp hair, focusing more oil on the dry ends. Let it stay on for thirty minutes or even overnight. Wrap your head with a plastic shower cap, cling wrap, or old T-shirt to keep it from staining your pillowcases. Then wash your hair like you normally would.
You will find that your hair feels softer, smoother, shinier, less dry and more manageable. That’s the power of the almighty coconut at work!
As a hair treatment it is very versatile and easy to customize to fit your hair needs. You can add other hair nourishing products to it. For example, olive oil removes product buildup and strengthens hair. Egg yolk has many vitamins that rejuvenate dry hair. Yogurt cleanses and softens hair. Almond oil reduces split ends and hair fall. False daisy (Eclipta alba) leaf juice enhances the ability of oil from the coconut to combat graying. Just mix any of those natural goodies with coconut oil to make your hair treatment even better.
You can mix it with your favorite shampoo to make it more moisturizing and replace the oils lost from your hair during shampooing.
