Many natural hair enthusiasts will sing praises of coconut oil. But why is it loved in the curly hair community, and will it benefit everyone? In addition, how exactly should you be using coconut oil for your afro hair? Our post will answer these questions and more as we go through our top four benefits of coconut oil for your natural hair.
Coconut Oil Can Help Your Afro Hair Grow Thicker, Longer And Healthier
The fatty acids and vitamins from coconut oil can nourish your scalp and not only nourish your scalp and help to remove build-up from your hair follicles. For example, coconut oil contains vitamin E, which helps reduce inflammation and repairs damage to hair follicles. Additionally, it also has vitamin K, which feeds oxygen to your hair cells to grow hair.
Lastly, coconut oil also possesses natural antibacterial cleansing qualities that gently cleanses your scalp, improving circulation. If you are looking for a coconut oil-infused cream as part of your LOC method routine, to give your curls more definition and shine, try our curling crème with coconut and Jamaican black castor oils. You can apply this product to wet or dry hair to give you a variety of curls, waves, braids or twists.
Coconut Oil Can Be Used As A Pre-Shampoo Or Leave-In Treatment
If you feel that your hair is constantly being stripped of its natural oils, use coconut oil as a pre-poo treatment. Massage the oil from the roots to your edges before you shampoo to give your afro hair its natural moisture back. In addition, coconut oil can also be used as a leave-in treatment during the winter months when it is more prone to dryness.
Pre-poo treatments should be left in your strands for around 30-60 minutes or overnight if wrapped up in a satin-lined scarf. Leave-in treatments can be done every 6-8 weeks after shampooing and conditioning, depending on how dry your hair is. It is important to remember that coconut oil can be used in small amounts so that you can see how your hair responds to it. If you use too much coconut oil, this can lead to protein build-up, leading to your hair having less elasticity, resulting in breakage.
Coconut Oil Can Also Reduce The Occurrence Of Dandruff
Rubbing coconut oil on your scalp can gradually restore its natural environment by reducing flaking. Just apply coconut oil on your scalp for 5 minutes and then shampoo and condition it out.
Coconut Oil Can Help You Lessen Your Split Ends And Control Your Frizz
While you may still need to go to your salon for a more permanent solution to your split ends, coconut oil can help smooth the cuticles on your split ends so they appear less frayed. Additionally, coconut oil can also prevent frizz, especially on the driest parts of your hair, as it can put the moisture back into your strands.
Due to its antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties, coconut oil will soon become a staple in your hair care routine. This is because the protein in coconut oil can help repair damaged hair, improve scalp health and encourage hair growth. As with every ingredient or product, start with a small amount of coconut oil on your strands so you can determine the amount that works best for you.