Is Coconut Oil Good For Your Hair? For Black Women

You may have heard that a natural way to moisturize and add shine to your hair is by using coconut oil. But is coconut oil good for your hair?

Yes, coconut oil is good for afro hair. It can add shine, moisture, reduce frizz, lessen dandruff and reduce free radicals.

We explore the benefits more below, let you know what kind of coconut oil is recommended (not all are made equally), look at when and how to apply coconut oil for optimal results and more.

The Benefits of Coconut Oil for Your Hair

The keratin in your hair forms because of proteins throughout your scalp. These proteins can degrade over time the more you style your hair with perms, relaxers, hair dye, or even blow drying, straightening, or curling your hair.

Coconut oil reduces the overall loss of protein in your scalp by about 26%. The natural ingredient also enhances overall moisture throughout your locks. Hence, you can style your hair how you desire with not as much protein loss as long as you keep up with using coconut oil regularly for your hair care routine.

Other benefits of placing coconut oil in your hair include:

• Has antioxidants that can reduce the free radicals in your hair.
• Reduces hair frizz.
• It lessens dandruff in your hair.
• Lowers hair damage experienced from various styling techniques.

What Is the Best Type of Coconut Oil for Your Hair?

Organic and unrefined coconut oil will give you the best results for treating and moisturizing during your normal hair care routine. You can buy organic coconut oil in a jar from the grocery aisle or utilize a hair care product that incorporates the organic variety in its ingredient list.

This type of coconut oil is not bleached like its refined cousin. Therefore, it maintains its antimicrobial functions that are essential for maintaining overall health and moisturized hair.

One of the minerals in organic coconut oil is lauric acid, which is one of the main contributors to the product’s fatty content. As a medium-chain fatty acid that makes up about 50% of coconut oil’s content, lauric acid has antibacterial properties. Hence, it will moisturize your scalp and hair while removing dirt and bacteria growth with every use.

How and When to Apply Coconut Oil to Your Hair

Applying coconut oil to your hair is easy and simple to do. Incorporate the natural product in your hair while deep conditioning your hair or as a natural shining agent post-styling. You can also use coconut oil to add moisture before you wash your hair.

While Deep Conditioning Your Hair

Shampoo your hair as desired. Follow with your choice of a deep conditioner. As you let the conditioner sit in your hair, incorporate some coconut oil throughout and allow it to set for as long as you have the conditioner stay. Rinse thoroughly after about five to 10 minutes.

To Add Natural Shine To Hair

Once your hair is dry, you can use coconut oil to add natural shine to your hair rather than use hairspray. Mainstream hairsprays have harmful chemicals such as ethanol or alcohol that can severely damage and break hair with repeated use.

Coconut oil contains Vitamin E, which is beneficial for scalp health. It also enhances overall hair growth, perfect for a black woman looking to grow out her hair.

Leave-In Coconut Oil Treatment Before Washing Your Hair

Separate your hair into workable sections to apply coconut oil a little bit at a time. Once your hair has a full coating of coconut oil in it, cover it with a shower cap and allow it to set for up to a half hour.

Remove your shower cap and step into the shower. Do not wash out the coconut oil just yet. Go about your normal shampooing and conditioning routine with hair care products that incorporate organic coconut oil for further moisturizing.

Let the conditioner sit in your hair for at least five to 10 minutes when you reach this step. Rinse all the products thoroughly as you end your shower.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you know more about how coconut oil is beneficial for your hair, we have answers to your frequently asked questions about it.

How often should you use coconut oil in your hair?

How often you use coconut oil as a hair treatment depends on your hair type. If you have a coarse or normal type of hair, do not use coconut oil in your hair any more than three times a week. If your hair is finer, use coconut oil only about once a week.

Is it better to apply coconut oil on your hair when it is dry or wet?

It’s best to apply coconut oil on dry hair. Coconut oil has bigger molecules that penetrate better into dry hair than wet.

What happens if you put coconut oil in wet hair?

Incorporating coconut oil in wet hair can cause an accumulation of oil buildup if you use too much of it. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly if you want to put it in your wet hair.

How long should coconut oil stay in your hair?

Leave coconut oil in your hair for at least 15 minutes, but not any longer than a half hour. You may have to shampoo your hair two times to remove the oil.

Can using coconut oil thicken your hair?

Coconut oil naturally reduces the sebum buildup oil in your hair while allowing your hair to grow longer and quicker.

Is Coconut Oil Good For Your Hair? Final Thoughts

Is coconut oil good for your hair? As an African American woman looking to enhance her beauty, you could use coconut oil as part of your regular hair care routine. It lessens protein loss in hair while offering moisturizing, antibacterial, and antimicrobial benefits essential for hair health. So yes, it is recommended.