10 Surprising Ways Coconut Oil Can Improve Your Hair
Everybody is ALL about the coconut oil lately, and who can blame them? After all, the simple, all-natural product is so versatile, useful everywhere from the kitchen to our make-up bags and medicine cabinet. Since it’s so good for our skin, we had to wonder if it was just as good for our hair, too. Turns out it absolutely is! It’s so helpful, in fact, that you can actually use it as a substitute for all kinds of products, and it can be used to treat all kinds of hair problems. Check out all it can do!
- Leave-In Conditioner
Coconut oil helps you turn any conditioner you love into a leave-in version! Just add a teaspoon of it, plus 5 to 6 drops of your favorite essential oil, to a mix that’s 3 parts distilled water, 1 part conditioner. Voila! Leave-in conditioner. - Daily Detangler
Don’t struggle with tangles; let coconut oil take care of that rat’s nest! Melt a scoop by placing it in a small bowl, than partially submerging that bowl in a larger bowl of hot water. Massage it into your hair with your fingers, work out the tangles with a comb, than brush and style as you normally would! - Lice Treatment
Nobody wants to think about lice, but we should all be prepared, especially if we have kids. Make a killing solution by mixing 3 tablespoons of coconut oil with 1 teaspoon of ylang ylang, and let it sit for two hours. Follow it up with a rinse made of 2 cups of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of water, then do an overnight soak of more coconut oil. It’s more effective than most over-the-counter treatments! - Damaged Hair Repairer
If you have damaged hair, coconut oil will fix it! Make a repairing mask by mixing 1 tablespoon of honey with 4 tablespoons of coconut oil. Massage it into your scalp, dry hair and split ends, then let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. - Dandruff Treatment
The moisturizing powers of coconut oil make it a great natural treatment for dandruff and dry scalp. You can make a treatment in several ways by combining it with lime juice, fenugreek, camphor, rosemary oil or essential oils, or using it on its own. - Hair Color Base
Coconut oil nourishes your hair follicles, helping to slow the graying process. It’s also a fantastic base for mixing your at-home hair color, providing fast and deep penetrative power that makes your color more vibrant and long-lasting. - Growth Treatment
Want hair that’s not only long, but strong? Coconut oil’s your best friend. Use it to add an extra boost to your regular shampoo and conditioner, or use it as part of its own treatment when it’s mixed with lemon juice, almond oil, avocado, Indian gooseberry or olive or castor oils. - Frizz Fighting Smoother
Humidity making your hair puff out like a cloud when you need it to be smooth? Fight the frizz by making a mask of 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, ¼ cup of milk, and 1 ripe avocado. - Heat Protectant and Styling Agent
Whether it’s the heat of a hair dryer or the scorch of summer, your hair needs protection. Use coconut oil! Use it as a leave-in conditioner, apply it sparingly throughout the day, and generally harness its moisturizing abilities as protection. It also has an SPF of 8 that can help augment your regular sunscreen use. - Regular Conditioner
You don’t need to have special hair needs to make use of coconut oil. It makes a fantastic substitute for regular conditioner. Work a small amount through your hair, or apply a larger amount, cover with a shower cap, and let it sit for at least 2 hours or overnight for deeper conditioning.
It kind of seems like coconut oil might be the only hair product we need, doesn’t it? For even MORE ideas, check out these lists from Dr. Axe, Natural Living Ideas and The Indian Spot. Have you ever used coconut oil for your hair before? Are there are any uses that surprised you?
