When coconut oil melts..

[angelfell]

I've wondered this for a while, since I've been fortunate enough to deal with it all summer. I mostly live with my DBF, whose family has unfortunately been having major issues with the central air in their rented home.. which they apparently just learned is darned near prehistoric :p. It would still accurately record temperature, however, and some days it was 95 degrees fahrenheight JUST INSIDE THE HOUSE. Yes, miserable.. but the worst part? My coconut oil melted, and stayed melted, for periods up to 2 weeks straight. And, his family wouldn't let me put it in their fridge :(. The fact that when it melted, cap twisted on tight or not, it got EVERYWHERE, was a bummer.. to me, but when it got on their floors, I must admit *slaps wrist* I chuckled, and now I must wonder something.

When the oil melts, and then re-solidifies, which my current container has many many times, does it break anything down in the oil that would make it.. less effective? Or, will it change from solid to liquid and back again without losing effectiveness? I haven't noticed a difference when I use it in my hair, so I assume not.. it would just be nice to know, as it is rather expensive where I buy it (can only find it in one place so far), and I'd hate to learn I'm ruining it.

[Fingolphin]

I don't think that the melting and solidifying again affects the composition at all, nor should the effectiveness on your hair be any different. Cheers.

[MissHair]

I dont think so. I reheat, reuse and refridgerate the same oil. The 3 R's :D

[angelfell]

I don't think that the melting and solidifying again affects the composition at all, nor should the effectiveness on your hair be any different. Cheers.

Thank you very much! I just wanted to be sure, as it would be a shame if I'm ruining it.

[angelfell]

I dont think so. I reheat, reuse and refridgerate the same oil. The 3 R's :D

That's good to know :D Because sometimes when I make an oil treatment for my hair, I melt a little too much.. I don't think about pouring it back in though.. I'll have to remember that.

[Audhumla]

I don't think that the melting and solidifying again affects the composition at all, nor should the effectiveness on your hair be any different. Cheers.

I would agree with this. That process may even eliminate some impurities from the solidified mass similar to a recrystallisation (idk never done this with anything like coconut oil before)but I guess without any separation they'd still be dispersed in the oil(unless they sink or float in the liquid oil) just in discrete chunks.

[Copasetic]

I don't think so. The same thing happened to me. We had a heatwave and my coconut oil was liquid the whole time. Come to think of it, I wonder why I didn't just put it in the fridge.

I'm still using the same jar. Seems to be working just fine :)

[teela1978]

My coconut oil always goes liquid in the summer, just a sign of the season.

[BlazingHeart]

The only problem with it being melted a lot is that it shortens the shelf-life somewhat. It has a longer shelf-life if kept cooler. Other than that, nothing changes.

~Blaze

[angelfell]

Good to hear positive results on it still being good :p And glad to hear I wasn't the only one dealing with melted coconut oil this summer!

[pepperminttea]

The only problem with it being melted a lot is that it shortens the shelf-life somewhat. It has a longer shelf-life if kept cooler. Other than that, nothing changes.

Agreed. I used to keep mine out, but I was only half-way through my last jar when it went off. Now I keep it in the fridge.

[Fingolphin]

We keep our house about 70 degrees all the time, so it never melts on the shelf. I carry a bit in my bag, however, and that has melted in the car. Hasn't smelled rancid yet, though.

[Gumball]

*looks at melted coconut oil*

*knows it will be solid in the morning*

It smells good either way. It works just fine, too! :D I'd like to think it's mildly empathic. It looks like it's warm, often enough I'm also warm. What a sweet little oil, trying to make me feel I'm not alone when it's hot indoors. :cloud9:

[teela1978]

These threads always surprise me, I never knew so many people had central air :)

[angelfell]

*looks at melted coconut oil*

*knows it will be solid in the morning*

It smells good either way. It works just fine, too! :D I'd like to think it's mildly empathic. It looks like it's warm, often enough I'm also warm. What a sweet little oil, trying to make me feel I'm not alone when it's hot indoors. :cloud9:

LOL! There you go :) a good way of explaining it

[Chamy]

Sometimes i think that when it has melted and resolidifyes it becomes more grainy. But when it melts again it is as smooth as always. Other than that i cant think of anything that would be changed.

[Alaia]

I've had my coconut oil for years. It's a huge tub of it. I bought it in the supermarket for a pittance.

It's still fine, and I just keep it in my bathroom. It melts and solidifies according to the weather (we don't have AC).

[Dragon]

Mine is always melted during the summer. I have never had it go off in my cubbet where its dark but I have had one lot I kept beside my bed in the light that went off but it did take quite a few month.

[Panth]

Sometimes mine goes grainer after resolidifying. Sometimes it also seems to separate slightly, leaving a very thin (approx. 0.5mm thick) hard, pure white layer on top. I figure it's all coconut oil one way or another and just use it like normal.

[Arashi]

Mine is always melted throughout the summer too and I've never noticed any difference in effectiveness. What I have noticed, though, is that it does seem to get rancid much more quickly when it's allowed to stay liquified. I'm actually surprised that others here don't seem to have issues with their coconut oil going rancid! Mine always does before I'm through with the jar, and I'm talking within a couple months, even when it's staying solid in cooler weather. :confused:

I'm actually out of coconut oil now and currently preferring olive, but when I next get a jar I'm going to keep it in the fridge in the hope of not wasting any.

[neko_kawaii]

Coconut oil solidifies? Who knew!

J/K
My husband insisted on keeping our cooking oil in the fridge. I don't know how he expected me to use it, but I can see how it would be easier to get a small amount for hair use when it is solid. I've been thinking of buying a little dropper bottle, has anyone done that with coconut oil?

[angelfell]

Coconut oil solidifies? Who knew!

J/K
My husband insisted on keeping our cooking oil in the fridge. I don't know how he expected me to use it, but I can see how it would be easier to get a small amount for hair use when it is solid. I've been thinking of buying a little dropper bottle, has anyone done that with coconut oil?

Hmmm... that's an interesting idea. Although, I find it a pain to wash coconut oil off/out of everything.. I'd imagine getting it out of an eyedropper would be madness :p. Of course, if you only used it for coconut oil, I suppose it wouldn't matter then.