Your hair is put through the wringer every day. With all the styling products, heated styling tools, bleaches, dyes, and pollution, it’s a wonder that you have any hair left at all! So, it is only natural that your strands may begin to lose some luster after a while.
If you are looking to bring health and shine back to your hair, then coconut oil is an excellent remedy. It is perfect for protecting your hair from damage and adding some much-needed moisture to your locks. At the same time, there is a right way and a wrong way to apply coconut oil to your hair.
So, if you want to enjoy all the benefits this oil has to offer without having to deal with any of the issues, consider the tips below:
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Use the Right Kind of Coconut Oil
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If you imagine that all kinds of coconut oil are created the same, think again. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that many brands out there aren’t all that suitable for hair care at all. Thus, you need to be careful about the type of oil you’re picking out. If you want a full lowdown on how to pick out coconut oil for your locks, check out fortheloveofcoconut.com.
To begin with, it is best to go with virgin coconut oil as it has been processed least of all. Due to this, the oil retains a greater amount of nutrients. As you can imagine, this allows the nutrients to penetrate your scalp and your strands, making them healthier.
It is also a good idea to opt for fractionated coconut oil. It is more readily absorbed into the hair, providing you with benefits that much faster. As an added bonus, fractionated oil also remains liquid at room temperature. As such, you don’t have to go through the hassle of warming it up before you apply it to your hair.
Understand the Limitations of Coconut Oil
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Coconut oil has been advertised as a miracle cure for all hair ailments. As such, you may imagine that this oil can help with any hair care issues that you may have. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Therefore, one of the first things you need to know is what this oil can and can’t do for your locks.
Let’s get this out of the way first – coconut oil will not work for hair growth. It doesn’t matter if you are losing hair or if you want your locks to grow longer. The oil doesn’t serve any purpose here. This is because hair loss and growth is determined by your genes, although certain medical conditions could be to blame as well.
It also can’t get rid of split ends. The only way to remove split ends is to sniff them off. Coconut oil may be able to tame these broken ends and conceal them. However, they will not be able to remedy them permanently.
Measure the Amount According to Your Hair Texture and Thickness
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Dousing with coconut oil isn’t the way to go. Furthermore, you can’t use the same amount of coconut oil for different textures and thicknesses. If you have thick, coarse hair, then you can afford to apply a greater quantity of oil. Coating the strands here could allow the oil to be absorbed more readily.
On the other hand, if you have fine hair or less thickness, it is best to go easy on the coconut oil. If you apply too much, your strands could end up looking lank or greasy. You should only apply just as much as your needs.
Similarly, if you have oily hair, be careful about using coconut oil on your scalp. While you don’t have to forego the oil completely, less is more under such circumstances. Also, if you do have an oily type, avoid applying coconut oil to your head. Instead, apply it closer to your ends as the oil from your scalp may not be reaching this portion.
Leaving Coconut Oil in Your Hair
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Another thing you may be wondering about is how long to leave the oil in your hair. Well, this depends on the texture of your hair as well as its condition. If your hair is coarse and more resilient to oils, you may want to leave the coconut oil in for several hours, perhaps even overnight.
If you have fine hair, though, don’t leave it in for quite as long. Start by keeping the coconut oil for about 20 minutes to half an hour. If you feel that this isn’t enough, you can leave it in for a little longer, perhaps an hour or two.
More damage will require more nourishing and conditioning. So, if your hair is very brittle or dry, then leaving the coconut oil in for longer is a good idea.
Washing Coconut Oil Out of Your Hair
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Many people are confused about how to get coconut oil out of your hair. After all, you can’t leave it in there forever. Nevertheless, you do have to be careful when washing the oil out. The last thing you want is to strip of the protective or nourishing element of the coconut oil.
The good news is that there are a couple of different options for you here. Your best option would be to use a clarifying shampoo. This will help you to get rid of excess oil or any buildup. If you don’t have a clarifying shampoo, use some conditioner instead. Although it may sound counterintuitive, this will help to remove the oiliness from the coconut oil without stripping your hair dry.
If you are finding it very difficult to remove the oil from your hair, make it a point to use less the next time around.
This your ultimate guide to using coconut oil in your hair. As you can see, there is quite a bit you need to know about this natural remedy. Now that you are aware of the specifics, it is far easier to make the most of it.
