As long as I can remember, I have wrestled with my hair. It’s naturally dry and curly, and it tangles easily. I remember my grandpa telling me to just “Brush it!” I’ve certainly gone through my fair share of store-bought products to try to soften, detangle and defrizz my curls-and, after years of experimenting (not exaggerating), I’ve finally collected a small trove of holy grail products. My favorite use by far: scalp treatment.
While I’ve combined coconut oil & essential oils before-and you certainly can-I prefer to apply the coconut oil directly to my scalp, straight out of the jar. I prefer to apply the oil to detangled, towel-dried hair. If the coconut oil is solid, melt it first by scooping about two tablespoons into a heated bowl until the oil warms. Use hair clips or damage-free hair ties to divide your hair into even sections before applying. When applying the oil, use your fingertips (not nails) to firmly and slowly massage it into your scalp. Get ready for the most incredible nutty & comforting aroma. Take your time. Enjoy it. “Self care is a divine responsibility.”
This not only moisturizes your scalp, but can loosen dead skin cells & stimulate hair growth. Apply the coconut oil to the length of your hair if it’s feeling dry as well. Be gentle, and really focus on those ends. I use my fingers or a wooden wide-toothed comb to distribute the oil evenly throughout my hair. Wrap your hair with a cotton t-shirt, and leave on for at least 30 minutes. (I’ve left this treatment in overnight and have even grocery shopped with it in my hair, so to each his/her own).
When you’re ready, wash the treatment out with your favorite natural shampoo, and condition as normal. If you usually wash your hair with Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap, you can use that instead. Photo: Pidot Studios / Dr. Your scalp should feel clean, moisturized and itch-free. I personally repeat once weekly or biweekly, depending on the weather, my eating habits, and how much water I’ve been drinking. I’ve found that the better I take care of my body, the less I need to think about my scalp and the less I need to apply this treatment.
I personally reach for Dr. Bronner’s Organic Virgin Whole Kernel Coconut Oil for this treatment. But, clearly, I work here. So, for bias sake, let me give you three reasons why I buy this product. One, it’s certified organic. Two, it’s certified fair trade. Three, because it’s produced in a single-source, highly controlled supply chain, it smells freakin amazing. Oh, and all the coconut byproducts, such as the husks and shells, are reused by workers at the Sri Lankan factory, Serendipol, after extracting the oil.
If you want more information on how to use Dr. Bronner’s for hair care, start with A Definitive Guide to Washing Your Hair with Dr. Sometimes, the most standout beauty solutions are also the simplest. Using coconut oil for hair that’s hydrated, lustrous, and flake-free may sound like too easy a fix, but for many the naturally occurring fatty oil rivals even the most cultish of products. “During COVID, I started experimenting and using natural products and I was using coconut oil on my hair once a week,” says celebrity extensionist Priscilla Valles. “The hydration and shine it provides is beyond amazing.”
Applying coconut oil to tired strands makes sense. The oil is derived from raw, mature coconuts and composed of 100% predominantly unsaturated fat. Fatty acids in coconut oil (principally lauric acid) can contribute to hair health when employed correctly. There are, of course, caveats and limits to what coconut oil can offer, but its all-natural status and affordability make testing the treatment for yourself entirely worthwhile-especially for those whose hair has been looking lackluster. “Coconut oil has benefits for all hair types but is best used on dry, damaged, or color-treated hair to lock in moisture and prevent breakage,” says celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons.
What coconut oil does for hair health
Whether you’re already a convert or are just coconut curious, here’s what you need to know about coconut oil for hair health-and how to incorporate it into your hair-care routine. Coconut oil comes with many hair benefits, including strengthening strands to reduce hair breakage and protecting hair from heat damage. While coconut oil doesn’t directly help hair growth, its benefits help boost hair health overall. You can use coconut oil for hair in many ways, such as a prewash treatment, conditioning mask, and scalp treatment.
What Are the Benefits of Coconut Oil for Hair? For fans of natural products and ingredients, coconut oil is close to magic. The oil is commonly used topically to moisturize skin and calm dermatitis; swished around the mouth to the benefit of gums and teeth; and easily incorporated into a healthy diet. And, of course, the efficacious oil’s mane benefits are myriad. “Coconut oil is a great ingredient to implement into your hair routine because it has nourishing fatty acids, which help moisturize and strengthen the hair and prevent breakage,” says Fitzsimons. According to research, coconut oil actually reduces protein loss in both damaged and undamaged hair. Its makeup allows it to penetrate the hair shaft, the better to deliver hydration, leading to softer and shinier strands and enhanced texture.
Has Antifungal and Anti-Inflammatory Properties In addition to boosting your mane itself, coconut oil’s moisturizing, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties make it a scalp-health hero too. The oil helps to treat fungus and subsequent flaking in the short term, and some research says that it can help repair the scalp’s moisture barrier over time. Protects Hair From Heat Damage And finally? “Coconut oil can also be used in your styling routine as a natural heat protectant to reduce hot-tool damage,” says Fitzsimons. He’s right: Coconut oil’s penetrative properties condition hair, seal the cuticle, and lock in moisture, protecting hair from potential damage that comes with your go-to dryers and irons. The oil also helps to tame frizz, resulting in sleeker, softer styles.
Can coconut oil help hair growth?
According to Hadley King, MD, a New York City board-certified dermatologist, there are no credible studies that link the use of coconut oil to hair growth. “It does not directly affect hair growth,” Dr. King says. “But it may provide benefits that improve the health of the hair overall.” She explains that because coconut oil has emollient properties, it reduces hair breakage and makes hair less brittle. This results in longer hair over time. So while you shouldn’t be using coconut oil for the sole purpose of growing hair back, using it comes with other helpful benefits.
Potential downsides and how to avoid them
Though coconut oil is a cure-all for many hair woes, it’s not necessarily a universal solution, and certain application factors should be considered before you start slathering strands in the fatty oil. “As a person with a fine texture of hair, it’s actually my archnemesis,” says Illeisha Lussiano, hairstylist and owner of New York’s The Way. “It often causes fine hair to become brittle and break.” These undesirable results occur when coconut oil is unable to penetrate the hair, whether due to natural texture or too much of a good thing. “Be careful not to use it in excess,” cautions Fitzsimons. “Coconut oil will sit on top of your strands, which will not allow essential nutrients to penetrate the shaft and cause your hair to feel dry and brittle-the opposite effect of what you’re looking for.”
Even if breakage does not occur, coconut oil applied too liberally or sans strategy can result in hair that looks greasy and grimy rather than well tended. Unrefined Coconut Oil Versus Refined Coconut Oil When selecting a beauty-ready coconut oil, choosing an unrefined (or virgin) option is your best bet. Unlike refined coconut oil, a processed iteration derived from the dry kernels of the coconut, unrefined, pure coconut oil is crafted from the fruit while it’s fresh and is largely chemical-free. Think of coconut oil as you would green juice: A cold-pressed option will be much closer to the source (and its benefits) than one made from dried, chemically treated ingredients.
How Often Should You Use Coconut Oil for Hair? Dr. King says this is dependent on your hair type and how you are using it. But generally she recommends using coconut oil once or two times a week, applying it 30 minutes to an hour before rinsing it off if you’re using it as a prewash treatment. If you’re looking to use it as a conditioner, she says you can use it as often as you shampoo, applying tiny amounts on damp ends after washing your hair. As a scalp-massage oil, she recommends using it occasionally or once a week.
How to apply coconut oil to hair
Applying coconut oil to hair is all about finding what works best for you, a process that will likely involve some trial and error. One person’s high-shine hack may be another’s hyper-greasy hair day, so be sure to start with diminutive amounts and allot time for potential restyling. For most treatments, experts recommend rinsing coconut oil out post-use-though a small amount used as a styling oil offers an exception. We suggest starting with an overnight mask or scalp treatment to see how your hair responds.
Rather than relying on coconut oil as a finisher, Fitzsimons opts to use the ingredient-or products containing it-as an easy DIY mask that works while you sleep. “One of my favorite ways to use coconut oil is as an overnight leave-in to nourish and condition dehydrated locks,” says Fitzsimons. “Take a coconut-oil mask, and distribute a small, even amount throughout your hair and scalp. Leave it on overnight, and rinse in the morning.” He recommends repeating the process once a week for strong, hydrated hair. Pro tip: Coconut oil can stain fabric, so opt for a shower cap when masking overnight.
Coconut oil is also effective for prewash hair treatment. “Hard water and washing the hair can sometimes strip the hair of natural oils and cause dryness and breakage,” says Fitzsimons. “To avoid this, you can add a small amount of coconut oil to your hair pre-shower to avoid damage and dryness.” The oil does this by infusing and coating strands, guarding against over-absorption. Though coconut oil does work in lieu of leave-in conditioner and is an effective detangler, rinsing it out eventually is a must, the better to avoid greasiness and buildup. Apply warm (a.k.a. liquified) oil to lengths post-shampoo, let sit for two hours, and wash again. The double wash means that this process is best for those with thick, hearty strands.
Massaging coconut oil into the scalp increases circulation, quells fungus and inflammation, and bolsters your moisture barrier. While masking or conditioning, use fingers or a scalp massager to coax the oil into the roots for a natural dry scalp and hair treatment. As noted above, coconut oil works well as a natural heat protectant. Additionally, a touch of coconut oil is ideal for calming frizzy hair and flyaways, increasing shine, and obscuring split ends. Apply a pea-size amount to wet hair or dry lengths as a shield or finisher (or both!), adding more as your hair allows.
Have a beauty or wellness trend you’re curious about? We want to know! It’s no secret that all of us here at LC.com have an insane obsession with coconut oil. And, to be perfectly honest, if you aren’t up to speed on all the health benefits behind this omega-3-packed oil, then you might want to brush up on your research. In fact, I have admittedly used coconut for almost every purpose you can think of-body lotion, cooking oil, lip balm, oil pulling, cuticle oil, baking… It even works as a makeup remover. The only way I hadn’t used coconut oil, up until recently that is, was on my hair. One of my girlfriends swears by its magic as an all-natural hair mask, which got me thinking that, with the dry fall and winter seasons coming up, it was about time to add one more use to my roster of coconut oil remedies. So, a month ago, I set out to do just that.
Today I’m letting you in on my experiment with putting a coconut oil hair mask on my tresses once a week for a month. This coconut oil hair mask itself is quite simple: I just picked up a new jar of my favorite extra virgin organic coconut oil at my local market and started slathering it all over my hair. At the recommendation of my friend, I applied the oil over dry hair, and I admit it felt kinda funny to be rubbing oil into dry hair. But you can apply it to wet, shampooed hair if you’d prefer. I scooped the coconut oil into my hands, rubbed my hands together to make it an oily consistency, then evenly coated all strands with the oil, using about two tablespoons total (you will use more with longer hair and less with shorter hair). I focused mostly on the ends, which need a little more love, especially with color treated hair like mine, and went lighter on the roots. Then I used my fingers to comb through my hair to distribute it evenly. Once again, it feels weird… But after doing it twice I completely got used to the feeling of oil in my dry hair. The first time I rinsed out my coconut oil hair mask, I wasn’t quite used to the feeling of how oily my hair would feel in the shower. It took two rounds of shampooing in the shower to get that oily feeling out, and I used conditioner after too. Once I towel dried my hair and let it air-dry, it did feel thicker and more hydrated. The best part was that this feeling multiplied after every time I did the mask. Because the lauric acid in coconut oil has a low molecular weight, it allows the oil to actually penetrate the hair shaft, nourishing the hair with vitamins, minerals and the medium-chain fatty acids. Coconut oil is a fabulous way to give your hair this healthy boost it needs because it is rich in antioxidants, and has antifungal and antibacterial properties. So, it leaves the hair feeling not only moisturized but clean, too. And while many of our shampoos, conditioners and other hair products tend to be full of harmful chemicals and toxins, coconut oil is 100 percent natural and seriously good for your hair and scalp. You can use coconut oil as an intensive overnight hair treatment like I did, or as an everyday hair oil, using just about ¼ teaspoon. I recommend using extra virgin organic coconut oil (which you can find at your local market) as a great chemical-free hair conditioning treatment replacement.
Pretty interesting, right? Would you try a coconut oil hair mask? And, do you have any great DIY hair mask recipes you love? Tell me about your favorite hair masks in the comments below so that I can give them a try too! Affiliate links may have been used in this post. Coconut oil is made by pressing fresh or dried coconut ‘meat’ (the juicy white flesh on the inside of the coconut). Deep moisturisation: Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids that penetrate the hair shaft and provide deep moisturisation. Prevents protein loss: The fatty acids in coconut oil are compatible with your hair’s natural oils, and can help reduce protein loss. Ultimately, the decision rests with you, your hair type, and how much product you think your hair needs.
Our Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Repairing Tropical Oil is made with argan, coconut and moringa oil, and it’s perfect as a post-wash smoothing serum if you’re a fan of applying products when your hair is damp. Coconut oil used on its own tends to work well for people with curly or straight thick, coarse, or very dry hair. Pre-shampoo treatment: If you're using coconut oil as a pre-shampoo treatment to provide deep conditioning, you can leave it in your hair for about 30 minutes to an hour before washing your hair. Shampoo: That’s right - you can use coconut oil as part of your wash routine. Overnight treatment: For a more intensive treatment, you can apply coconut oil to your hair and leave it on overnight. This can be especially beneficial for dry or damaged hair. As a leave-in conditioner: If you have thick or coarse hair, you can leave a small amount of coconut oil in your hair after washing as a leave-in conditioner. Remember that leaving coconut oil in your hair for a long period of time doesn’t necessarily provide additional benefits, as it penetrates your hair shaft relatively quickly.
This Hair Oiling Routine TRANSFORMED My Hair! How to Apply Hair Oil for Healthy Hair
Key takeaways
- Apply to scalp for moisture, possible skin cell turnover and comfort; keep hair detangled and sectioned for even distribution.
- Use unrefined virgin coconut oil for the best balance of nutrition and penetration.
- Start with small amounts to avoid greasiness; adjust frequency by hair type and environment.
- Rinse out after treatments unless using as a light leave-in for styling.
- As a heat-protectant and frizz-tamer, it can be a useful addition to a hair-care routine.