Is Coconut Oil Good for Your Hair?

Coconut oil is often touted as an effective and all-natural hair product. Many women now include it in their beauty regimen. They'll lather coconut oil into their hair, believing that it will moisturize their hair while also protecting against frizz and split ends. Being that it's typically used in the kitchen, though, you might be wondering if coconut oil is really good for your hair.

What Is Coconut Oil?

Also known as copra oil, coconut oil is the liquid substance in the kernel of coconuts. It's extracted from the fleshy white stuff inside of coconuts, after which it's packaged and sold as coconut oil. There are different types of coconut oil products. Some of them are refined, whereas others are partially or fully hydrogenated. Regardless, they are all made of the liquid substance found in the kernel of coconuts.

How Coconut Oil Can Benefit Your Hair

If you regularly experience dry hair -- or frizz caused by dry hair -- coconut oil may help. With its high concentration of fatty acids, coconut oil is an effective hair moisturizer. It will penetrate deep into your hair where it adds valuable moisture.

Another way that coconut oil can benefit your hair is by improving its health. Hair can damage. Split ends, for instance, involve the hair strands splitting at the shaft. Coconut can protect your hair from split ends and other forms of damage by coating it in a fat-rich liquid. Your hair will be better protected against damage thanks to this protective coating.

Coconut oil is somewhat thick. When applied to your hair, it will act in a similar way as a conditioner. Coconut oil will coat your individual hair strands while providing them with essential fatty acids. There's even some belief that coconut oil stimulates hair growth. Whether true or not, it will certainly moisturize your hair and protect it from damage.

Coconut oil also has a long shelf-life, so you don't have to worry about it spoiling after applying it to your hair. The fatty acids within it slows the process of oxidation. Oxidation is ultimately what causes plant-based products to spoil. When plant-based products are exposed to oxygen, they'll break down and spoil. Coconut oil contains fatty acids that prevent it from spoiling.

How to Apply Coconut Oil to Your Hair

You can use coconut oil by rubbing it into your hair and letting it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. It's recommended that you wash your hair beforehand. After washing your hair and allowing it to fully dry, lather a small amount of coconut oil into your hair. Wait about 30 minutes to one hour and rewash your hair.