PDA

View Full Version : Coconut oil



Spinder
October 19th, 2014, 11:07 PM
I have heard extremely good things about using coconut oil for moisturizing and conditioning, however exactly how do you go about utilizing it? Do you just take a glob and smear it on your locks? Or should you mix it with other things? How long should you leave it in? Does anyone have any recommended methods, recipes, etc they would like to share?

Also, one important thing - how do you wash it out correctly? I often suffer from greasy roots so I don't know if I should use any there.

Sparklylady82
October 19th, 2014, 11:15 PM
Well, you can use it as a pre-wash treatment: You will have to experiment with how much to use. Start with a small amount and focus on your ends. Leave in 4-8 hours then I just wash out as usual. I don't ever put oil on my scalp.

You can use it to add shine to your hair: Take a tiny bit, I mean tiny, and rub in your hands then smooth on your hair.

Use on wet hair to lock in moisture!

Dreams_in_Pink
October 19th, 2014, 11:19 PM
Coconut oil has many uses!
Most people use it as a pre-shampoo treatment, or before bleaching hair, to minimize the damage.
You can also smooth a drop or two on your canopy like a shine serum. works wonders! (a little goes a looong way!)

For washing out any oil, people prefer to use conditioner. Surprisingly it works better than shampoo.

iluvbooks
October 19th, 2014, 11:42 PM
Coconut oil is nectar from the gods. Seriously. You can use it for everything. ANYTHING.

The 3 ways I use coconut oil for hair are:
1) Oil up scalp to tips, let sit for at least 1 hour, but ideally will let it sit the night before a morning shower.
2) Mix coconut oil, raw honey, and aloe vera gel and put it in your hair, let sit for at least 30 mins, then wash it out normally in shower
3) To oil up the ends when they are dry

It's easy to wash out. Just shampoo / conditioner / your normal routine. If you have finer hair you might notice that some strands still have oil in them. If that's the case, you've used too much.

animetor7
October 20th, 2014, 12:15 AM
I use some on my ends the night before a wash day and I leave it in all night and then all day. It's usually pretty soaked in at that point and so I have no trouble getting it out with my normal shampoo bar routine. I really don't do special deep treatments anymore, but I second conditioner as a means for removing those.

Jorja
October 20th, 2014, 03:18 AM
Unfortunately, coconut oil does horrible things to my hair. It goes lifeless and brittle. EVOO, argan, almond and jojoba are my friends.

My best use is to use it in stir frys, and it tastes nice on toast instead of spread!

fiğrildi
October 20th, 2014, 03:35 AM
I just take a drop or two, rub my hands on it, and apply from mid-length to ends.
I have no problem washing it out, just simple conditioner :wink:

It leaves my hair incredibly soft and moisturised, and it smells so good!

lazuliblue
October 20th, 2014, 04:21 AM
I put it all over my hair except my scalp and leave it on overnight. In the morning before I have a shower I put conditioner on my hair, and leave that to soak for about 30mins - this seems to help the coconut oil wash out more easily when I CO wash (so I don't need to use shampoo.)

At the moment I'm oiling before every wash, so that is about every 4 days or so.

Yozhik
October 20th, 2014, 05:07 AM
For my hair, I use it as a pre-wash treatment when I can remember, and I also occasionally use it on dry ends. The key is to find out how much to use - just a fingernail's amount for oiling my clean, hip-length hair is enough.

I also use coconut oil as a lotion, makeup remover, and in DIY deodorant, and very occasionally, I cook with it (popcorn is delicious with some coconut oil!).

MidnightMoon
October 20th, 2014, 06:22 AM
I use it on my hair. I only wet the tip of one finger in it and rub it in my hands. Then I run my fingers through my hair from the ears down. I usually do it every 2 days, maybe daily sometimes. I used to do it on damp hair too but sometimes it didn't dry well and felt sticky and greasy (probably because I used too much). I have applied it to my face before sleep too...supposedly to improve wrinkles :P.

LadyCelestina
October 20th, 2014, 07:03 AM
I use it after a wash in liberal amounts.Although I could probably use a different oil or silicone serum with similar results,but I feel that since coconut oil penetrates the hair strand,I'm giving my hair something extra to munch on.Another good thing is that coconut oil soaks into my hair pretty well,so I often overdo it on purpose.

kelseyxface
October 20th, 2014, 10:20 AM
I use mine as a prewash on my scalp and hair and I leave it in overnight. Coconut oil is one of the few oils that can actually penetrate the hair follicle and give it all sorts of hair conditioning goodness <3 A lot of people also use it as a sealant when doing the LOC method. If mixed with water you can use it as a leave in conditioner spray. The list goes on and on and on. (:

lunalocks
October 20th, 2014, 10:34 AM
Just be aware that for some of us, coconut oil is horrible. Leaves my ends feeling like straw. Try it out and see what works for you.

cathair
October 20th, 2014, 10:48 AM
I used to just take globs of it and smear it on. Now I have it in a squeezy bottle. Unless it summer, it sets solid in the bottle, so I run the bottle under the hot tap for few seconds until it becomes liquid again, shake it up, then I can squeeze it all over my hair. It's much easier :) I completely saturate my hair over night before I wash it.

I don't need to do anything special to wash it out. Just shampoo and conditioner.

Panth
October 20th, 2014, 11:20 AM
You can:

1) Use it as a deep treatment (e.g. heavy application for several hours to overnight done before washing). In this case, the coconut oil will penetrate the hair shaft, where it will help reduce protein loss and increase suppleness.

2) Use it as a damage-preventer/reducer when bleaching (heavy treatment before bleaching).

3) Use it as a moisture sealer (apply lightly to damp hair to help reduce moisture loss - oil and water not liking to mix).

4) Use it as a serum (apply lightly to damp or dry hair, particularly the ends to increase shine, slip, anti-static and anti-tangle properties).

In the first two methods, you can just put loads on and fingercomb it in. In the latter two methods, take a very tiny bit (e.g. the scrape with one fingernail) and spread it over the palms of your hands to create a thin coating, then part your hair in half (or more if it's thick) and run your hands down your hair.

If you get too much on, washing with conditioner will get it out more easily than washing with shampoo. Oil is more soluble in conditioner and nearly all conditioners contain some cleansing agents.

If you suffer from yeast-based scalp conditions, don't leave oil (of any sort) on your scalp for any length of time. The yeast will feed on the oil, grow bigger colonies and exacerbate your scalp condition.

Also, as others have said, not everyone's hair likes coconut oil - however, you may want to experiment with different application methods before you completely discount it. Also, less is best! It's very easy to overdo it. You only need a very tiny bit.

Imalath
October 21st, 2014, 07:33 PM
My hair absolutely loves coconut oil, but my scalp hates it. I mostly use coconut oil as a serum; I keep a few tablespoons of it in a little jar in my bathroom. In winter I will occasionally beat in a little olive or almond oil to keep it from getting rock hard. I also like to add just a drop or two of my favorite essential oil to make my hair smell great!

Every morning and evening when I switch from sleep braids to updos or vice-versa I divide my hair in two and drape each half over a shoulder. I take a drop of oil about the size of a grain of rice, rub it between my palms, then stroke my hair with them from the ear down. In winter each half of my hair will get a drop of oil, and my braid tassel a third. In the humid summer months, one drop will cover my entire length plus smooth down strays on the canopy. I wash frequently, so it never builds up on my hair. If my length starts to look stringy before the next wash day, I know I am using too much oil.

In the past I used it as a pre-wash deep treatment, but that was before I understood how bad oils were for my scalp. Instead I use it to seal in moisture on wet hair; another rice-sized bit of oil spread across the palms which I use to gently squeeze the water from my ends. The towel will absorb any extra oil. The secret for me is to make sure my hair is dripping; my hair tangles and breaks easily when it is damp and the oil is harder to spread.

JLeighs
October 22nd, 2014, 07:11 AM
I soak my hair and scalp in coconut oil overnight 2-3 times a month. My hair and scalp love it. However, I almost stopped using it because I could not get it out without shampooing 4-5 times (it wouldn't come out with conditioner, either). I read a post on here about a month ago from someone who recommended massaging shampoo into the hair BEFORE you get it wet. Works like a charm!

ZeppHead
October 22nd, 2014, 07:43 AM
Coconut oil was a learning experience for me. You have to find what works for you. Ive tried oiling my whole head right before shampooing, scalp and the whole head overnight before shampooing, ears down only overnight before shampooing and finally as a leave in conditioner on freshly washed damp hair. What works best for me is using it overnight in a braid the night before washing. It is a true miracle for my hair. As long as I'm using it from the ears down. If I use it on my whole head I get intense scalp itch and shedding so I experimented a little before I claimed it useless. I guess it depends on your sensitivity and hair type with how much to use and where it can be applied. How much I apply depends on how much moisture my hair has been in need of lately. I use it even when my hair is looking very soft and healthy. Once a week without fail before my shampoo day I've never had a problem with a mess leaving it on overnight because I braid it. I just wash my pillowcase more often.

Since I adopted this routine my hair condition has improved greatly.

allierat
October 25th, 2014, 07:59 AM
I use a tiny bit of coconut oil on wet hair as a leave in conditioner. Same as the above poster, I only use it below my ears and get shedding if I use it on my whole head, though I've never understood why!

brooke_kawaii
October 26th, 2014, 06:37 PM
Personally, my scalp and hair love coconut oil. I haven't got a good way to apply it though so I don't use it super often. When I do use it, I wet my hair at night and glob it all over, put on a processing cap and go to bed. Then I'll try doing a CO in the morning but I might do a CWC

PixxieStix
October 26th, 2014, 07:35 PM
Oh, coconut oil is one of my favorites. I use it in my smoothies, for cooking, I use it to oil the ends of my hair every single day, as a make up remover and skin moisturizer. It always works best for me (on skin and hair) after a shower, when my hair and skin are damp.

Currently, I have 1 part coconut oil, 1 part olive oil, and 2 parts conditioner in my hair for a deep conditioning treatment. ^.^ It will be quite happy in a few hours.

goldenears
October 27th, 2014, 10:15 AM
When I first started using coconut oil, I used it on it's own as a pre-shampoo treatment overnight. I now mix it with pure Argan Oil and leave it in overnight, I do this once or twice a month. It seems to make a difference somehow but I'm not sure how, the results are subtle and long lasting meaning I don't need to do this before every wash day.

StellaKatherine
October 27th, 2014, 10:32 AM
My coconut deap treatment :) I just put my ends in a bottle with some liquid coconut oil in. Push my ends in the bottle until half way of the lenght and make sure the ends are all oily and then carefully hair between my fingers i pull the hair out of the bottle. Braid it and over night sleep. My ends LOVE that! I basicly really rarely put any oils on my scalp.