Coconut oil in hair started to smell rancid, any ideas as to why?

[Midori]

Alright so I started my day by slathering my hair and scalp in coconut oil, putting on a shower cap, and going about my business. Hours later I go wash my hair, take off the shower cap, and immediately notice the the oil smells really bad, rancid even. You know, kinda like how baby vomit smells, not really pleasant at all.

Well I think I washed it off properly (and ugh, my scalp is kinda itchy and sensitive and prone to that nasty oily dandruff and the oil didn't really help matters as the itch intensified and I being a tad dumb, scratched until it hurt), but I haven't taken the towel turban off yet so I'm not sure if the smell is truly gone, though I do hope so.

Now I'm just wondering; where exactly did I go wrong in this? Did I use too much oil, because I did use a generous amount(this was my first thought, but I'm not sure), or was it because of the showercap? Or did I simply wait too long before washing it off? Something else? If anyone wants to shed some light on the issue, I'd be really glad, I'd like to know what I did wrong, so in the future I wouldn't have to smell that nasty scent ever again!

[Innerginger]

If your oil smells ok in the jar maybe the plastic in the cap smells with heat. Warm it up with a hair drier and take a sniff.

[lapushka]

If your scalp is itchy and dandruffy and reacting the way you describe, it can't take the oil. Next time, omit the scalp; for sure.

[Tristania]

I have the same problem when I use coconut oil on my body. No idea why. Maybe it just doesn't agree with my body chemistry.

[restless]

Ive slathered coconut oil on my hair for years and the only time it smelled bad after a couple of hours was when I used a certain type of shampoo/conditioner. I guess it clashed with the smell of it.

For your scalps sake, Id avoid the shower cap and only put oil on the lengths in the future though.

[PixieP]

I have had coconut oil go bad, the strange this is, in the jar it smells alright, but at soon as it gets warm (melts), it slowly starts to stink.

[Gamma Vector]

Yeah, try warming some of the oil up in the microwave. If it stinks, you know the oil itself has gone off. If not, it's either a reaction with your shower cap (weird, but it happens, depending on what the shower cap is made of) or your scalp. Either way, I wouldn't continue to use it on your hair. Try olive or jojoba oil instead. (EDIT: Obviously, if the oil itself has gone rancid and stinks when you warm it, you can just get a new jar of coconut oil and try from there. But if it's reacting to either the cap or your scalp, I would try a different oil and probably a new cap just to be on the safe side.)

[RUNAWAYCHIC006]

I would try using an organic coconut oil. I feel like these always work the best and are very "fresh". I have slept with coconut oil layered quite thick without problem.

[Anje]

My guess is that it's on the verge of going off, and you can smell it when it's on your hair (getting more oxygen to get that last little bit rancid) but not yet in the jar. Try a new jar.

Also, look at how you're storing it. In the bathroom can get a lot of moisture, but so can constantly taking it in and out of the fridge. Optimally, I like to store mine in the fridge, pull it out and let it come to room temp, and only then open the jar. I'll scoop out some into a small Tupperware and keep that at room temperature for daily use, keeping the big jar in the fridge and only rarely removing it.

[majesticgoldenr]

When my hair is wet for a long time and I have oiled it it smells bad. Is your hair ever wet? It doesnt remind me of rancid like a stale bag of nacho chips but it definitely is icky.

[Wizmo]

Hi,

I think our oil has become old that is why you are getting a rancid smell.

Wizmo

[Midori]

Hey guys :D

Thank for all the answers. Now, I'm leaning towards the shower cap (tho I also suspect my scalp being a part of the issue) being the likeliest reason for the awful smell, because while the oil on the hair itself smelled off, the showercap definitely smelled a lot worse.

Also, I am pretty sure the oil itself hasn't gone bad, because I just recently bought it, and this was actually the first time I opened that oil jar. In the jar it certainly looked and smelled good, just as it should have(and when I warmed it up in the microwave, it still smelled good when I took it out) so I think we can cross that off the list. I probably should have clarified this in the first post, but it didn't cross my mind at the time.


So yeah, I think that next time, I'm gonna put it on my lengths only and not use the shower cap at all. Anyhow, thanks for the replies!