What's this coconut oil miracle you speak of?

[Maverick494]

I'm a total noob, so forgive me for being ignorant.

I've just started reading around here and I can't help notice the love for coconut oil that's been spread around these boards. I almost wanted to start with "it's a bird, it's a plane, no! It's coconut oil!"

So really, in a nutshell:

1. What do you use it for? And how?
2. What are the benefits?
3. What brand/type do you use?

I hear stories about increasing growth rates to great shine...I mean, I don't know what to think. Next thing you hear it heals cancer too. (Sorry, that was out of line...my snarky self rearing it's ugly head...)

So what's up with coconut oil?

Thanks in advance!

[spidermom]

Your hair can absorb the essential fatty acid molecules EFAs - most hair, anyway. This replenishes the hair shaft of EFAs that were eroded away from daily wear and tear. Coconut oil makes my hair feel as good at the ends as it does at the scalp.

Some people get absolutely no benefit from oil, however, so if you try this - apricot kernal and avocado and olive oils are good too - try just 1 or 2 drops at first on both dry and damp hair. If you like it, you can always add more.

[misspriss]

I just started trying this. I just dip a finger in the jar, rub my hands together, and put it on my ends at the end of the shower. I like it, but I don't know if it is much different than how my ends were with just CO'ing.

[In2wishin]

You may be able to find coconut oil in the grocery store by the popcorn. It looks a lot like shortening but it melts at 76 degrees so it will become liquid very quickly in your hands.

[teela1978]

It makes fantastic popcorn... that's what I use it for the most :)

I usually use it for my hair as a pre-wash deep oiling. I use maybe a teaspoon total, a little bit at a time, and smooth it over my hair until it starts to look a bit damp. Then I throw it up into a bun or braid for a bit (go exercise, go to sleep, something like that) and wash it out later using my normal shampoo. My hair always feels happier and looks better after that. I should do that one of these days, its been a while.

[*Aoife*]

I use it on my dry ends and it makes them feel less dry. Sorry, ask someone else for the technical stuff! [EDA: spidermom already has that covered! I didn't see that] I scrape some out of the jar with my nails, melt it in the palm of my hands and slather on the last bit of my length or on the end of my braids.
I can't remember the name of the brand and I don't know where it is to check (I'm such a featherhead :o )

[lemonmelon]

I started using it about a month ago, as a treatment for my ends. I just rub a small amount on my dry hair at the tips and it helps them feel less frizzy.

I've also noticed my hair is tangling much less, which before, was a huge problem for me.

Definitely no miracles here but I really do like it! I haven't yet tried a heavy oil treatment yet.

[SpinDance]

My hair is frizzy, with disorganized waves and no particular wave structure, even though there is wave in it. Thus the frizz. For those who are hand spinners, it's like the difference between a down breed and the smooth, even, regular crimp in most other wools! :D My hair is also rather porous, always has been, which as I've learned here has its own challenges.

As part of my LHC changes in routine I started putting a tiny amount of oil (Beldaran's, mainly) on my damp from the shower hair. I tried coconut, but I didn't seem to get the right amount, and it always ended up looking lank and stringy. Different look from the usual pouf of Wash Day, that's for sure. So I decided to try it as a deep treatment. This is when things started turning around for me.

The coconut oil (and other oils, too, to be fair) will soak into my hair overnight before washing, then really be soft and shiny. The crimp/wave patterns are starting to be more regular and not as frizzy. I'm starting to thin that with the protective styles and oiling that maybe some day I won't have frizz. It's too soon to tell, since I've only been using the oils for a few months, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

The good news is that now, after several months of weekly heavy oiling I have much shinier, more supple hair. I also know how little to use as an after wash application, and on dry hair to help with dry ends.

In the end the only way to know how something will work on your hair is to try it. Then if it doesn't give results you like, wait a while and see if anything changes next time. Good luck with your experiments! I hope you enjoy the results as much as I have.

[Barniie]

I really want to get some coconut oil, but for now im using olive, and up until recently i only put it on my ends, due to oily hair, but i will start to do scalp massages more often!

[thriftesfai]

I love my olive oil, but I want to give coconut a try. But with any of the other oils I've tried, I find that my hair can only really take a drop of it per use and no more. It works much better for me when I apply it wet and once in between washes.

[pennylane]

Coconut oil is very good! I use it as a pre-shampoo treatment i put a lot of it on my hair, leave it a couple of hours and wash ! :D

My hair loves almost all of the oils and butters as pre wash treatments, my latest discovery was olive oil, and it's also absolutely amazing stuff! :)