With all the articles touting the many benefits of coconut oil for just about everything, I thought I’d try out a little experiment. From hydrating your skin to removing makeup, to working as a conditioning mask for your hair, coconut oil sounds like a miracle oil. Naturally, I wanted to give it a try myself, and I decided to do a coconut oil hair mask twice a week for a month and track the before and after results.
Before the challenge
Lately, my hair has been drier than dry due to the cold winter air and excessive heat styling. The ends are frizzy, and my strands have been feeling very straw-like and coarse. I thought that trying out a coconut oil treatment on the ends of my hair for a few weeks could do the trick, restoring and hydrating my hair bringing back that health and shine.
Here’s my hair before I applied the coconut oil hair mask. You can see how brittle and frizzy it looks and how it’s in serious need of hydration. I'm guilty of heat styling my hair often, which is also why I challenged myself to go heatless for a week. If you apply heat to your hair like me, your hair will inevitably start to look like this, especially if you aren’t using a heat protectant or getting frequent trims. A good, intense hair mask helps revive and keep your hair healthy in between heat contact, especially when applied at the ends, which are most prone to breakage.
How to choose the right coconut oil for your hair
Honestly, at first I was a little nervous about putting coconut oil in my hair. I wasn’t sure whether to apply the coconut oil on my roots or only the ends of my hair and I wondered if it would make my hair greasy or be difficult to wash out. I was also confused by all the different types and brands of coconut oil on the market, but after a whole lot of research and some testing, I’ve got the answers.
As far as coconut oil for hair goes, most will achieve good results, although it's important to note that not all the jars on the market are alike. When choosing the right coconut oil for your hair and ends, it’s important to choose an oil that is unrefined, organic, and pure, to ensure that there are no additives or preservatives in the oil. This retains the maximum nutritional benefits in the oil, transferring that goodness straight to your locks.
How to apply coconut oil to hair and ends
I thought slathering oil on my hair was going to get messy, but to my surprise, it was much easier than I anticipated. I applied the coconut oil through my hair with my fingers, scooping out small amounts each time, and made sure I worked it into my hair thoroughly, focusing on the ends. Once most of my hair was covered with oil, I took a little bit more and massage it into the roots of my hair as well as onto my scalp, giving myself a relaxing head massage.
In the winter months, a lot of people start to get dandruff or an itchy, dry scalp from the dry, cold air. Coconut oil is not only great for bringing moisture back into the ends of your hair, it’s also amazing for rejuvenating your scalp and keeping dandruff and dryness at bay.
I recommend working the oil all over your hair and clipping it up into a bun. Then, set a 30-minute timer and relax. You can really leave this mask on as long as you’d like (or even overnight), but I find that 30 minutes is the perfect amount of time to watch an episode of your favorite Netflix show or do a face mask at the same time.
The results
So what was the verdict? The difference in my hair after the coconut oil treatment was huge! It looked much shinier and was also starting to feel more silky and smooth, even a few days after applying the coconut oil. My hair was, and still is, commercial-worthy, slow motion, hair flippin’ smooth. With regular application of the coconut oil hair mask, I foresee some great hair days up ahead. Even better? Coconut oil can be used as a body moisturizer as well, perfect for when your skin is parched during the winter months. The oil feels creamy, smells like delicious, tropical coconuts, and makes your skin feel soft and supple.
Cultivate your confidence
A coconut oil hair mask is an amazing, all-natural hair treatment I’d recommend to anyone. If you haven’t given coconut oil a chance, I highly encourage you to grab a jar and get masking. Alternatively, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can whip up these hair masks with ingredients from your kitchen.
I’m a firm believer in cultivating your own confidence and nowadays, especially since it’s super easy to get caught up in trends and comparisons on social media. I have found that true confidence is found when you take care of your mind, body, and soul. Health is not always correlated to confidence, but they are very much connected. Even taking those small steps to health like switching to all natural products, and taking care of your hair and skin can bring a big wave of change to your confidence and your life.
Have you tried coconut oil for your hair? We’d love to see some before and after shots. Simply tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #myluxyhair. Happy oiling!
Written by: Daryn Mae Stumbaugh
