Do you have naturally black hair? You are pretty lucky, but black hair has specific needs for its sustenance and management. When taking care of your black hair, you must think of its distinctive texture and its constant need for moisturization. While black hair looks fantastic, it has a natural lack of moisture and cannot even hold the moisture it is given. Therefore, you need to use a product that can penetrate deep into the hair shaft and nourish the hair from within. That’s where coconut hair oil comes to your rescue. The oil is an excellent moisturizer and a genuine treasure for black hair. The oil can penetrate deep inside the hair shaft and lock in hydration.
What Makes Coconut Oil Perfect For Black Hair?
The plant-based coconut hair oil is extracted from the coconut’s kernel and has a high concentration of lauric acid, saturated fatty acids, vitamins E & K, and capric acid. In addition, the oil has an incredible capacity for retaining moisture in its unprocessed state and doesn’t evaporate or break down quickly when applied to hair. As a result, coconut oil can penetrate deep inside the hair shaft and strengthen hair from within. This oil is particularly beneficial to black hair because this type of hair is challenged by its inability to consume or retain moisture.
The high concentration of fatty acids found in coconut hair oil nourishes hair with protein and results in the production of long and strong, shiny hair.
Therefore, coconut oil can intensely condition your black hair inside and out. When applied to your scalp, the oil doesn’t sit on top of your hair but penetrates inside the hair shaft and cuticles. However, if you find the oil sitting on top of your hair, you have applied more than what your hair can handle.
If you start applying coconut hair oil regularly, you will see results within a few days.
Typically, coconut oil can serve three purposes for your black hair:
The oil can be a daily moisturizer for your hair
You can use coconut oil as a daily moisturizer, and the oil can help prevent dullness and dryness. The oil can even reduce thinning, split ends, and dandruff. These are all common problems for black hair.
When using coconut oil as a moisturizer, you can apply it to dry or wet hair. You can apply the oil to the hair shaft or gently massage it on your scalp to stimulate the hair follicles and roots.
You can use coconut oil as a shampoo
While you cannot do away with shampooing your hair, you can mix coconut oil with your mild shampoo. By doing so, you’ll be preventing your hair from being stripped of its natural oils every time you wash your hair. Instead, coconut oil mixed with shampoo offers gentle cleansing, and it allows the natural oils in the hair to remain intact.
So, your hair will feel softer and moisturized. It won’t be coated with unnatural ingredients, and the pores won’t be clogged.
You can choose to use a coconut oil-based shampoo or mix a few drops of coconut oil into your favorite shampoo bottle.
The oil can be used as a conditioner
Taking care of black hair means deeply conditioning the strands to ensure they are soft, shiny, and strong. As already established, black hair needs copious amounts of moisture, or it can start to feel dull, dry, and brittle.
You can use coconut oil as a conditioner to condition your hair. Apply a few drops of the oil on your wet strands instead of the regular conditioner or hair serum you use. You can wash off the excess oil with water or use your towel to take off the excess oil.
Coconut oil is known to protect hair against the sun’s UV rays, and therefore, it is customary to step outside without washing off the oil from your hair.
A Step-By-Step Guide To Applying Coconut Oil To Your Black Hair
If you are ready to start using coconut oil, here’s how you can quickly incorporate it into your regular hair care routine.
Section your hair and clip it up
Carefully section your hair and clip the areas you are not working on. Doing so will cover every inch of your scalp and hair.
Start applying coconut oil
You can slightly heat the oil or warm it between your palms and then slowly work through each section of your hair. Ensure every section is evenly saturated. Then, you can wear a hair cap and let the oil sit for thirty minutes. You can also choose to leave the oil overnight.
Wash and rinse the oil
Wash the oil using a mild shampoo, and you will find your hair instantly feeling hydrated and soft.
Alternatively, you can mix coconut oil with your shampoo and condition as mentioned above. You can also decide to create a hair mask using coconut oil and use it once a week for intense hydration. When making homemade coconut hair oil masks, you can create one mixing amla hair oil for stimulating hair growth or jasmine oil for strength and moisturization. The oil can be heated up slightly before application, and the mask can be left overnight. Then, you need to rinse it properly and repeat the same process once a week.
Final Thoughts
You never have to feel disappointed because your black hair feels dry and dull when you touch it. You need to switch up your hair care routine with coconut hair oil. The oil is your best friend, and apart from nourishing and moisturizing your hair, the oil will even keep dandruff and scalp infections at bay. The oil also stimulates hair growth, and after regular application of coconut oil, you will find your hair feeling hydrated and alive.