Coconut oil hair mask: The Benefits and the Bummers

Your mane can become stripped of natural oils due to over shampooing and/or even poor diet. Hair masks are all about the hydration so coconut oil hair mask is a great way to replenish moisture in your hair. It does this by penetrating the hair shaft and repairing your hair within.

Coconut oil is very nourishing and can prove to be beneficial to your hair because of the essential fatty acids and vitamins that naturally occur in the oil. Using this hair mask can also help reduce excess sebum buildup on your scalp.

Sebum is a waxy oil substance that your body naturally produces through glands all over your body.

It is recommended that if you're going to deep condition your hair, it should be done once a week for the best results.

How to use coconut oil hair mask

The coconut oil on its own can be used as a mask for your hair, just a few tablespoons is all that you need depending on the length and thickness of your hair. This is because coconut oil works best in small amounts.

Infusing and mixing coconut oil with other ingredients can yield better results. For example, take coconut oil, avocado, and rosemary essential oil combining them in a bowl. This combination will not only hydrate your hair due to the fatty acids in the avocado and coconut oil, but the rosemary oil will add shine as well.

Or take some coconut oil, an egg yolk, a bit of honey and you have yourself a protein boosting hair mask! Add your favorite essential oil in order to enjoy an aromatherapy experience as well.

Keep in mind that you don't have to stick to homemade recipes in order to enjoy the benefits of coconut oil in a hair mask. Many deep conditioners or hair masks which are infused with coconut oil are widely available and produce excellent results.

How often and when to use

The thing is, what if coconut oil is not for you? Coconut oil can come with mixed reviews with some people claiming that it doesn't do them any good.

Studies have shown that coconut oil produces the best results on people with fine to medium hair. This is because fine to medium hair tends to have trouble retaining protein. People with much thicker and/or more coarse hair report that coconut oil can tend to make their hair more dry and brittle.

This is because thicker, more coarse hair has a better ability to retain protein in the hair naturally. Also keep in mind that if you have an allergy to coconuts, coconut oil is not for you- no matter what your hair type is.