Coconut oil is a diverse natural ingredient that has soared in popularity due to its vast health and beauty benefits. One of the most popular uses of coconut oil is as a hair mask. Whether you have dry, damaged, or dull hair, a coconut oil hair mask may be the answer to rejuvenate and strengthen hair.
Let’s explore different ways to incorporate this versatile ingredient into your hair care routine and the many benefits of coconut oil hair treatment.
5 Ways To Use A Coconut Oil Mask For Hair Growth
- Coconut oil and lemon juice mask
- Coconut oil and apple cider vinegar mask
- Coconut oil and sunflower oil mask
- Coconut oil and essential oils mask
- Coconut oil and raw honey mask
Coconut Oil Hair Masks: Best Ways To Use
Whether you have long, short, curly, or straight hair, these tips will help you achieve the healthy and vibrant hair you’ve always dreamed of.
Let’s explore five effective ways to utilize a coconut oil hair mask and unlock your hair’s full potential.
Coconut Oil And Lemon Juice Mask
When combined with lemon juice, coconut oil creates a hair mask that nourishes, refreshes, and promotes vibrantly healthy hair. Combining coconut oil’s deep moisturizing properties and lemon juice’s cleansing and clarifying abilities creates a potent blend to revitalize dull, damaged hair.
Coconut oil deeply conditions the hair strands, adding shine, softness and reducing frizz. Lemon juice helps to remove product buildup and excess oil. Together, the scalp is left feeling refreshed and balanced.
Coconut Oil And Apple Cider Vinegar Mask
A virgin coconut oil and apple cider vinegar hair mask is a powerful natural remedy that combines the nourishing properties of virgin coconut oil with the remarkable benefits of apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar provides benefits like:
- Ability to balance the pH level of the scalp.
- Removing build-up.
- Restoring hair’s natural shine.
- Clarifying and detoxifying the hair.
- Eliminating product residue and excess oil.
Coconut Oil And Sunflower Oil Mask
Using a hair mask made with sunflower oil is a great way to nourish and revitalize your locks. With a lightweight, non-greasy texture, sunflower oil deeply penetrates the hair shaft, promoting hydration and moisture retention.
Sunflower oil[1] strengthens the hair follicles and reduces frizzy hair while enhancing shine and smoothness. Its natural properties also help protect against environmental damage and UV rays while repairing damaged hair, leaving it soft, lustrous, and manageable.
Coconut Oil And Essential Oils Mask
Adding essential oils to a hair mask with coconut oil is a powerful combination for nourishing and revitalizing hair. Essential oils derived from various plant sources add an extra boost to the vast benefits of coconut oil.
The soothing properties of lavender essential oil can help calm an irritated scalp while promoting hair growth.[2] Rosemary essential oil stimulates blood circulation in the scalp, aiding hair growth and thickness.[3] Peppermint essential oil provides a refreshing sensation and helps to balance the scalp.[4]
Coconut Oil And Raw Honey Mask
Coconut oil and raw honey hair masks harness the remarkable benefits of raw honey for luscious locks. Raw honey, known for its natural humectant properties, helps lock in moisture, preventing dryness and frizz.
Its rich antioxidants and enzymes promote a healthy scalp, stimulating hair growth and reducing dandruff. In addition, honey’s natural glucose breaks down into hydrogen peroxide, providing a natural lightening for your hair, free from harsh chemicals.
Can A Coconut Oil Hair Mask Help With Hair Growth?
For centuries coconut oil has been a natural remedy for various hair and skin problems. Coconut oil as a hair mask may have the ability to promote hair growth. While scientific evidence may be lacking, many people believe that using a coconut oil hair mask can help with hair growth because it nourishes the scalp[5] and hair follicles while enhancing the hair microbiome.
Maintaining a healthy scalp and nourished hair follicles are essential for promoting new hair growth. Coconut oil contains lauric acid,[6] which helps combat scalp infections that can impede hair growth. Also, the massaging motion used to apply coconut oil to the scalp may help increase blood flow, which can help promote hair growth.
While a coconut oil hair mask may not have scientifically proven hair growth benefits, it can benefit a hair care routine.
What To Mix With Coconut Oil For Hair Growth
Mix the following nourishing ingredients with coconut oil for a healthy hair mask:
- Aloe vera gel.
- Avocado.
- Rosemary essential oil.
- Banana.
Simply choose one of these ingredients loaded with nutrients, add melted coconut oil, blend the recipe in a blender for a smoother consistency, thoroughly massage the mixture into your scalp and damp hair, cover with a shower cap, and leave it on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing out.
Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Hair
Coconut oil has many potential benefits for hair when used as a mask. It is rich in vitamins and minerals that help promote healthy hair growth and improve scalp health. Here are some of the possible benefits of using coconut oil for hair masks:
- Moisturizes hair — its rich fatty acids, particularly lauric acid, help moisturize dry hair and prevent brittle locks. It traps moisture, preventing water from escaping the hair shaft.
- Strengthens hair — it helps nourish the scalp and prevents oil buildup, thus promoting strong hair.
- Reduces frizz — it helps smooth the hair cuticle, which reduces frizzy hair for a sleeker, more polished look.
- Protects hair from damage — it penetrates the hair shaft, creating a protective barrier that prevents protein loss from heat styling, environmental stressors, and other factors.
- Adds shine — it helps nourish hair from within, smoothing the cuticle and sealing in moisture to add shine and luster to hair.
- Fights dandruff — it helps control the yeast that causes dandruff and other scalp conditions through its anti-inflammatory actions and positive effects on the hair microbiome.
Overall, a coconut oil mix hair mask can help nourish, strengthen, and protect hair, making it look and feel healthier and more beautiful.
Precautions When Using Coconut Oil On Hair
Coconut oil is a popular natural remedy for hair care, known for its moisturizing and nourishing properties. However, taking certain precautions when using coconut oil on hair is beneficial. Here are a few tips to follow when using coconut oil in a hair mask:
- Use the right amount — excess coconut oil can make your hair greasy and difficult to manage. Start with a small amount, then add more as needed.
- Apply to damp hair — applying melted coconut oil to damp hair helps to lock in moisture and prevent the oil from being too heavy on the hair.
- Use a wide-tooth comb — after applying coconut oil, a wide-tooth comb helps distribute the oil evenly through hair.
- Leave it on for a few hours — allow the coconut oil to stay on the hair for a few hours before washing it out. Consider overnight treatments for deeper conditioning.
- Use a gentle shampoo — when washing out the coconut oil, use a mild shampoo that won’t strip your hair of its natural oils.
- Be mindful of allergies — avoid using coconut oil on your hair if you have a coconut allergy.
- Quality and purity — Opt for organic and virgin varieties when purchasing coconut oil or hair products. Organic and virgin coconut oil has no harmful chemicals and has undergone minimal processing, retaining its beneficial properties.
Following these precautions, you can safely and effectively use coconut oil to nourish and moisturize your hair.
The Bottom Line
Routinely adding a coconut oil mask to your haircare products or routine could be a game-changer for achieving luscious, healthy locks. Its rich, nourishing fatty acids and vitamins provide deep hydration, repair damage, and promote overall hair health for all hair types.
Whether you’re struggling with dry scalp, frizz, or lackluster hair, consider adding one of these coconut oil hair masks to revitalize your strands and unlock the power of nature for truly stunning hair.
+ 6 Sources
- Rele AS;Mohile RB (2021). Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of cosmetic science, [online] 54(2). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12715094/
- Boo Soo Lee, Jae Sung Lee and Young Ho Kim (2016). Hair Growth-Promoting Effects of Lavender Oil in C57BL/6 Mice. [online] 32(2), pp.103–108. doi:https://doi.org/10.5487/tr.2016.32.2.103.
- Panahi (2015). Rosemary oil vs minoxidil 2% for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a randomized comparative trial. Skinmed, [online] 13(1). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/
- Ji Seon Oh, Park, M.S. and Young Ho Kim (2014). Peppermint Oil Promotes Hair Growth without Toxic Signs. [online] 30(4), pp.297–304. doi:https://doi.org/10.5487/tr.2014.30.4.297.
- Saxena, R., Mittal, P., Cécile Clavaud, Dhakan, D.B., Roy, N., Breton, L., Misra, N. and Sharma, V. (2021). Longitudinal study of the scalp microbiome suggests coconut oil to enrich healthy scalp commensals. [online] 11(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86454-1.
- Matsue, M., Mori, Y., Nagase, S., Sugiyama, Y., Hirano, R., Kazuhiro Ogai, Ogura, K., Kurihara, S. and Okamoto, S. (2019). Measuring the Antimicrobial Activity of Lauric Acid against Various Bacteria in Human Gut Microbiota Using a New Method. [online] 28(12), pp.1528–1541. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0963689719881366.