Best way to use coconut oil as hair treatment?

Susan1962

Hi all, hoping you can help!

I've recently decided to stop dyeing my hair and the grey hairs coming through are coarser than the previous dyed hair. My hair is naturally curly but fine so frizzes like mad. I've followed the Curly Girl method up to a point for years without realising it - no brushing, only wide toothed combs; minimal shampoo - one wash and well rinsed - once a week and "refreshing" the scalp in between with warm water and a little conditioner. Anyway - it's mostly been manageable up till now. The roots are a frizzy nightmare, despite careful treatment. I've read on various forums that coconut oil can help but am not sure of the best way to do it. Any suggestions would be helpful? Oh, and how much do I use - almost every site/forum warns about using too much but none of them seems to say how much that is!
Thanks in advance!

lollipopsarah

I would suggest only using a tiny bit at first, but where on earth can you buy coconut oil?
xx

System

lollipopsarah wrote: »

I would suggest only using a tiny bit at first, but where on earth can you buy coconut oil?
xx

Most places sell it. Boots, Superdrug etc. It comes in solid form but melts with the heat of your hands.

I think its just a matter of trial and error as to how much you need. I put a little on my middle finger and rub my palms together spreading it over my palms. Then when its warm i spread my fingers through the ends of my hair.

pirateyqueen

You can also get it in supermarkets and places like that as it is good for cooking with too. I get mine from my local Turkish food shop, it's so cheap!

There are two ways you can use it for the hair, as a mask or as a smoothing serum. I usually use mine as a mask as it find it makes my hair feel really shiny and smooth. What I do is melt some in a pot and apply it to dry hair, massaging into the scalp and really coating the ends (as that's where I have most of the damage). Then I wrap it up in something (if I'm honest, usually a plastic bag and then a towel but you could be sensible and use a shower cap or cling film!) and then I leave it on as long as possible. Overnight occasionally for a really good treatment, or an hour or so. Then you need a good wash to make sure it's all out. I usually apply a bit of shampoo before I add any water to try and break down the oil first, lather that up, then add water and give it two washes. That seems to get all of the oil out fine. Then I dry and style as normal and my hair feels wonderful.

If you're using coconut oil just to tame frizziness to already styled hair (like a serum would) I would take only a very small amount, warm it in your hands (it is solid at room temperature but melts in the hands easily, and the way the weather is at the moment it might already be in a liquid form!) and run through the frizzy bits. Start with a tiny amount as you can always add more but you can't take it out if it is too oily!

Sorry that was so long, but as you can see, I love coconut oil and really find it makes a difference to my hair!

j.e.j.

Try and look out for the KTC brand, - it's only about £3 and will last ages.

You don't need to use much of it, - I just use enough to cover the palms of my hands and then scrunch it thru my hair.

Susan1962

Thanks everyone. And especially Piratey Queen - a great explanation! I found a bottle in a local Asian supermarket and I've decided to try it as an overnight mask as my hair is just horribly dry. It's plastered on, combed through, massaged into the scalp and now it's wrapped up in a towel until I go to bed. At which point the towel will be unwrapped and laid over the pillow, just in case LOL
Really, really looking forward to seeing what difference it makes.

j.e.j.

Susan1962 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. And especially Piratey Queen - a great explanation! I found a bottle in a local Asian supermarket and I've decided to try it as an overnight mask as my hair is just horribly dry. It's plastered on, combed through, massaged into the scalp and now it's wrapped up in a towel until I go to bed. At which point the towel will be unwrapped and laid over the pillow, just in case LOL
Really, really looking forward to seeing what difference it makes.

Beware if it's in a bottle it will set solid once the temperature has dropped again :rotfl:

You'll need to stand it in some warm water.

I tend to buy it in a tub so I can just scoop some out

pirateyqueen

Let us know how your hair feels today. I hope you get good results

Susan1962

j.e.j. I hadn't thought of that!! In the end I resorted to sticking a chopstick down the neck to get it out past where my pinkie could reach LOL

Pirateyqueen It turned out quite well thanks! I'll need to adjust amounts a bit probably. The hair mask part worked really well - after I shampooed it out, the hair felt soft and was easy to comb. My hair is exceptionally dry so only needed one wsh. After I'd let it air dry there was still a little frizz at the ends so I used a tiny bit as "serum" which was okay. I think it looked a little greasy but the OH says not (and he's not one to miss and hit the wall!)

So - all in all, loved it and will use it again. I was taking to a random stranger (as you do) about coconut oil and she said she used it for oil pulling 3 or 4 times a week and for brushing her teeth daily. I might try the brushing - the swishing about sounds a bit too much at this stage!