Beautiful hair, naturally: Coconut oil is Mother Nature’s deep conditioner

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If you have dry and damaged hair, chances are you’ve already tried various hair care products to get that lustrous shine back on your locks. But instead of buying products that contain harmful chemicals, consider using coconut oil, a natural deep conditioner.

Coconut oil for lustrous hair

Coconut oil is easy to rinse out and it won’t leave you with greasy hair. Combined with the right ingredients, coconut oil can make your hair feel soft and silky. It has lauric acid, a fatty acid that can penetrate the hair shaft.

Lauric acid makes up at least 50 percent of the fatty acids in coconut oil. Aside from restoring nutrients in the scalp, lauric acid can moisture and repair the scalp while also preventing dryness.

Dry hair occurs due to protein loss, which can be a result of bleaching or overprocessing your hair. When the protein in hair is damaged, hair strands may turn brittle, dry, and rough. But by putting protein back in hair, you can restore your hair’s texture and shine.

Coconut oil can also help reduce protein loss in both damaged and healthy hair. Aside from protecting chemically treated hair, coconut oil can also help reduce damage and breakage if it’s applied before coloring.

Recipes for coconut oil hair masks

On its own, coconut oil is an effective hair mask. But by adding several ingredients, you can create a hair mask suited to your specific hair type. Take note that you may need to adjust the measurement of the ingredients used for some recipes if you have longer, fuller hair.

Rescue coconut oil hair mask (overnight)

This hair mask takes five minutes to prepare and it only requires coconut oil. But unlike other hair mask recipes, this should be left on your hair overnight, or at least for seven to eight hours. This simple hair mask can help “strengthen hair, promote healthier hair growth and provide natural moisture.” Use it if you have damaged, dry, and over-processed hair.

Tools:

• Bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp organic coconut oil, melted

Instructions:

1. Apply coconut oil evenly to damp or dry hair. Leave it on for seven to eight hours.
2. Use shampoo and conditioner as normal.

Anti-breakage coconut oil hair mask

This hair mask takes five minutes to prep. It contains apple cider vinegar that can strengthen hair while coconut oil will replenish protein.

Tools:

• Bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons (tsp) organic coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions: 

1. Combine the coconut oil and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. Mix well.
2. Apply the hair mask evenly on damp or dry hair. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse well.
3. Use shampoo and conditioner as normal.

Coconut oil hair mask for shinier hair

This hair mask takes five minutes to prepare. Egg contains protein that can make hair shinier and coconut oil will provide moisture.

Tools:

• Bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp organic coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg (with yolk), whisked

Instructions:

1. Combine the coconut oil and egg in a bowl. Mix well.
2. Apply evenly to damp or dry hair. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse well.
3. Use shampoo and conditioner as normal.

Moisturizing coconut oil hair mask

This hair mask takes five minutes to prep. The fats in coconut and avocado combined can naturally moisturize dry hair.

Tools:

• Bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp organic coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp avocado oil

Instructions:

1. Combine the coconut oil and avocado oil in a bowl. Mix well.
2. Apply the hair mask evenly on damp or dry hair. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse well.
3. Use shampoo and conditioner as normal, but if you have oily hair, use more shampoo that you usually do so your hair doesn’t feel oily or greasy. (Related: Are you losing your hair? Common chemicals could be to blame; try natural ingredients instead.)

3-in-1 coconut oil hair mask

This hair mask takes five minutes to prep. This hair mask combines the benefits of avocados, eggs, and coconut oil.

Tools:

• Bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp organic coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg (with yolk), whisked
• 1/2 ripe avocado

Instructions:

1. Whisk the egg in a bowl.
2. Mash the avocado in a separate bowl.
3. Combine the coconut oil, egg, and mashed avocado in a bowl. Mix well.
4. Apply evenly to damp or dry hair. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse well.
5. Use shampoo and conditioner as normal.

Although store-bought hair masks can give your hair temporary nourishment, even those with coconut oil, most of them have chemicals that can remove natural oils from your hair. Ironically, some store-bought hair masks can gradually increase dryness.

Aside from using these natural coconut oil hair masks, you can also eat foods that can nourish your hair. Eat a diet full of avocados, eggs, coconut oil, fatty fish, grass-fed meat, nuts, and seeds to naturally promote healthier and stronger hair.

You can read more articles about natural hair products like coconut oil at Cosmetics.news.

Sources include:

BlogPaleoHacks.com

Healthline.com