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How to Use Coconut Oil for Your Hair: 3 Tips

how to use coconut oil for hair
Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – Moho01

We’ll show you how to use coconut oil for your hair. If you apply it the right way, you’ll get the strong, healthy hair that you’ve always wanted. 

Coconut oil isn’t only used for cooking – it is also a powerful hair care tool. It moisturizes, gives hair a healthy shine, and helps repair and prevent damage caused by heat and brushing. We’ll show you how to use coconut oil for your hair care routine. 

How to Apply Coconut Oil to Hair as Conditioner

People with long hair tend to have an especially difficult time detangling their locks after a wash. And the more frustrated and and impatient you become, the more aggressively you tend to brush, causing your hair to break and become damaged. Applying coconut oil to your hair will make brushing it much less of an ordeal. 

  1. Wash your hair as usual.
  2. Use a hazelnut-sized amount of coconut oil for your hair: Rub it between your hands until it is warm and liquid. Starting at the tips, gently work the oil into your hair. 
  3. Allow the oil to remain in your hair for two to three minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water. 
  4. This can be added to your usual haircare routine two to four times a week. 

How to Use Coconut Oil as Heat Protection for Hair

coconut oil
Working in a small amount of coconut oil in your hair after washing can help protect it from heat damage and work as a leave-in conditioner. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – Monicore)

Anyone who uses a blow dryer or styling iron is intimately familiar with the constant battle against dry, fragile hair. At some point, when you’ve got more split ends than you care to take note of, it may be time to reach for the scissors. But before you do, try this:

  1. Wash your hair as usual.
  2. Rub a small amount of coconut oil between your palms until it is liquified.
  3. Apply the coconut oil to your hair, starting from the tips. But be careful to avoid getting too close to the roots of your hair. You don’t want to cake up your roots: this will clog your follicles and make your hair appear oily.
  4. After the oil is in your hair, heat-style as usual. The oil forms a barrier that will help protect your hair from being directly exposed to the heat. 

Tip: If you don’t normally use heat tools for your hair, you can still use coconut oil as a leave-in conditioner

Recipe for an Overnight Hair Mask

coconut oil hair mask
Leaving coconut oil in your hair overnight can make it grow faster. (Photo: CC0 Public Domain / Pixabay – Monicore)

If your hair is in need of a total re-up, keep reading. Here’s how to use coconut oil to your hair as an overnight hair mask:

  1. Apply this hair mask before you go to bed. There’s no need to wash your hair beforehand, but make sure you leave yourself enough time to shower in the morning. 
  2. You can apply the oil to dry hair, but if your hair is curly or unruly, you might find it easier if your hair is wet. 
  3. You’ll need about two tablespoons of coconut oil; more if your hair is longer, and less if it is shorter. 
  4. Rub the oil together in your palms until it is is liquid and work it into your hair, focusing more on the tips while going lighter on the roots. If your hair is thick, try doing this in sections, to make sure the coconut oil is applied evenly. 
  5. After the oil is applied, comb through your hair with a brush to help make sure it is evenly distributed. 
  6. Wrap your head in a towel to protect your bedsheets, and leave in overnight. 
  7. In the morning, wash out the oil with shampoo and then style your hair normally. 
  8. Use this coconut oil cure once a week for strong, hydrated and healthy hair. 

Tip: If you notice that the oil is building up on your roots, or if you accidentally use too much, try a apple cider vinegar hair rinse to clear your scalp. 

This article has been translated from German to English by Christie Sacco. You can read the original here: Kokosöl für die Haare: Tipps für schönes und gesundes Haar

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