A few of my friends, Jasmine included, have been suggesting I use coconut oil for my natural hair. Since about 6 months ago, I have been using the oil I found at my local beauty supply store. A lot of online beauty gurus use it, and whenever they write about it, I noticed they use the organic form. After trying a few types, I decided to stick with Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (below).
Refined coconut oil refers to coconut oil that has been bleached and deodorized. Virgin coconut oil, unlike refined coconut oil, is unprocessed. Make sure you read the labels and know what you are getting. This “superfood” contains many essential nutrients and fatty proteins. Unlike some other oils, it doesn’t just sit on the hair. It penetrates the hair shaft and adds strength and moisture almost instantly. These saturated fatty acids are perfect for treating dandruff and hair loss.
My favorite way to use coconut oil in my natural hair is as a deep conditioning treatment. Since I have dry hair, I try to deep condition 2-3 times a week. It is important for me to get deep in to the roots and oil down the scalp as well. I have thick, coarse hair so I have to part my hair into 4 sections. After detangling and applying the oil all over my head, I wrap my hair in a silk scarf and sleep on it overnight. Through much trial and error, I found that it is best to not keep the coconut oil in my hair for longer than 8 -10 hours (or a good night’s sleep). I also use this oil as a sealant when doing twist-outs or bantu knots.
My go to style after this treatment is a wash n go because my curls are always so soft, bouncy and shiny. This is achieved simply by rinsing out the oil using a cleansing conditioner like As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner (below).
Did you know?
The shelf life of virgin coconut oil is longer than any other edible oil.
Logical Mermaid 