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Coconut oil is one of those substances that is used for a variety of reasons. There is almost everything that coconut oil can do. Right from cooking, nourishing, healing, to remedies, the oil is used everywhere. The list of what it can do is sort of never-ending.
The versatility of coconut oil makes it popular in the health and beauty sector. Whether it is moisturizing, healing burns, or even removing makeup, the oil has a wide range of applications. It is no surprise that coconut oil works wonders on our hair.
Irrespective of the hair type, coconut oil is said to work its magic on the scalp. In most cases, people with curly hair have dryness problems and it helps to overcome the same. It has been years since coconut oil is helping us to deal with hair problems.
Even though it has so many benefits, there are people who are not fully aware of all the benefits and how it can be used in various ways. If you are one of them, don’t worry, this article will cover the benefits of coconut oil as well as ways to use it for hair.
Benefits Of Applying Coconut Oil On Hair
The way we need food for a living, our hair needs nutrients too. Coconut oil acts as food for our hair and helps to nourish them as it renders our hair with the necessary proteins and nutrients. It has a number of benefits for hair and they are as follows.
- It is found that coconut oil is effective in fighting lice problems. A mixture of coconut oil with anise helps to deal with lice in the head. It is proved through research that this combination is about 45 percent more effective than chemical solutions.
- Coconut is a great moisturizing agent as it contains fatty acids. It helps to hydrate the dry scalp or even dry ends of hair. Hair often gets dry due to the dust particles and coconut oil helps to keep them moist and hydrated.
- For treating dandruff, coconut oil is used as it has antimicrobial properties. Dandruff is a fungal problem and so coconut’s antimicrobial properties help to overcome the problem.
- Coconut is commonly used as a sun protection formula even on the skin. Hence, it also helps to protect hair and scalp from UV rays as they can cause damage. It is said that coconut oil exhibits a sun protection factor of eight.
- It helps to repair damaged hair. Coconut oil has the capability of reducing any protein loss that may occur due to any damage.
- A weak, dry, or damaged scalp promotes a lot of hair loss problems. Coconut oil helps in repairing the scalp and reduces the hair loss problem and also promotes a healthy condition of the hair.
Tips On How To Apply Coconut Oil On Hair
As you can see the number of benefits that coconut oil exhibits, it is certain that there are various ways in which one can use it on hair. Here are ways to apply coconut oil on your hair for good hair health.
Conditioner
Coconut oil has a conditioning effect such that it makes other conditioners more effective. You can use it along with your conditioner or even separately. After you wash your hair with shampoo, apply your conditioner as usual and then apply a layer of oil over it.
The oil will help to hold on to the constituents of your conditioner and help them penetrate through your hair for the best results. Wait for like fifteen minutes before you rinse your hair with water. You can also wait for a longer time as it will make your hair softer.
If you are not using the conditioner, you can use the oil directly as well. After shampooing your hair like you normally do, take some oil and comb it through your hair. Do not comb from the scalp, you have to comb from the mid-portion to the tips.
Hair Mask
Take one tablespoon of coconut oil and one tablespoon of honey. Put them on a pan and heat them until the mixture becomes smooth. Stir the mixture well and make it lukewarm before you apply it to your hair. You can either use a spray bottle or gently apply the mixture to your hair. Keep it for 30 to 40 minutes before you wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner.
You can improvise with the ingredient that you add with oil. For oily hair add lemon juice, avocado for curly hair, raw egg for thin hair, Aloe Vera for itchy hair, banana for frizzy hair, yogurt for dull hair, and so on.
Post Wash Serum
Just like any other hair serum that helps you to set your hair after a wash, you can use coconut oil too. After you wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner, damp-dry your hair. Then take a small amount of oil on your palm and rub it through your hair before you brush them with your comb. It will prevent your hair from breaking and help to set your hair.
Pre Wash
It is very common to use coconut oil before hair wash. You can heat a little oil in a pan before you apply it to your hair. Let it cool down so that it is lukewarm. You can also use virgin coconut oil if that is available. Massage your entire scalp and hair with the oil and keep it overnight. Wash your hair the next morning with shampoo and conditioner.
Hair Shine
Sometimes, hair looks frizzy and dull. You can take some oil on your palm and rub it through your hair and then comb your hair. It will bring a natural shine to your hair and make them look fresh again.
How To Apply Coconut Oil On Hair For Hair Growth?
Coconut oil helps to grow hair. Everyone wishes for long and smooth hair. However, there are many factors like pollution, lack of care, and constant styling that may cause the hair to damage and prevent it from growing longer.
One can use the oil as a means to restore their hair health. The oil contains proteins and nutrients that are necessary for our hair. The moisturizing properties prevent it from dehydration and hence reduces hair loss or breakage. It also helps to fight against pollution as it works to make hair stronger from roots. Hence, it promotes hair growth.
However, using coconut once in a while won’t work for growing hair effectively. It has to be a routine and only then there will be good results. Coconut oil does not work overnight to grow hair, it gradually heals hair problems and then promotes healthy hair growth.
The amount of oil you use can vary according to the hair length and thickness. You can start with a small amount in the beginning and then increase the amount according to your requirements. For thin hair, a tablespoon or two would be enough for a massage. Whereas, for thick hair, you would require more.
Make sure that you don’t apply excess oil that you may clog your scalp. Apply the oil lightly to the scalp and massage gently. Also, ensure that you have applied the oil on your entire scalp as well as the ends.
Winding Up
As coconut oil has a number of properties that help to heal and repair, it is a one-stop solution for maximum hair problems. These were the benefits and ways to use the oil. It is important to take care and pamper our hair for them to stay healthy. If you have any more ideas or suggestions regarding this topic then do reach out through the comments section.
