Coconut Oil Is Hailed In Hair Care: 6 Ways To Use It For Shiny, Moisturized Strands

There are few hair care ingredients hailed more than coconut oil. Used for centuries as a hero ingredient, the thick, buttery oil has quite the impressive resume of natural beauty benefits—for both the hair and scalp.

If you don't yet coat your strands in coconut oil, you're probably wondering what makes it such a hair care mainstay (subtle hint: versatility, moisture, and shine). Below, we explain what makes coconut oil so nourishing for hair and exactly how to apply it for maximum benefits. 

There are a few reasons coconut oil reigns supreme in the hair care department. First, it's super moisturizing for the strands: Since coconut oil has a low molecular weight1, it's able to penetrate easily into the hair shaft and absorb better than other common oils. Coupled with its naturally high moisture content, coconut oil can effectively condition the strands (rather than sitting on top of it). 

It can also help the hair retain protein: Because the specific type of fatty acid in coconut oil is drawn toward protein (it's called "lauric acid," according to celebrity hairstylist Nick Stenson, artistic director of Matrix), your strands are able to hold on to those proteins2 better when they're coated in coconut. All that is to say, the oil makes for a pretty effective hair care treatment. 

How you apply coconut oil to hair depends entirely on how you intend to use it. Read: A deep conditioning hair mask requires a slightly different application than a detangler or split end treatment. Below, six ways to use the oil on your hair: 

For a deep conditioning treatment, coconut oil works wonders. Here's an at-home friendly DIY mask, courtesy of hairstylist Miko Branch, co-founder of natural hair care brand Miss Jessie's:

"Melt a few tablespoons of coconut oil over low heat, and transfer to a bowl," she says. "Apply warm coconut oil to hair—section by section—massaging into the roots and saturating hair throughout the tips. Then run a wide-toothed comb throughout your entire hair to gently detangle. Cover hair with a shower cap or warm towel, and relax for 10 to 30 minutes. Use a curl-friendly shampoo to wash out the coconut oil in warm water, and rinse in cool water." 

Don't sleep on that last step: You'll want to thoroughly wash out the oil, so as to not accumulate any buildup. 

Up for a tension-relieving scalp massage? Try wetting the pads of your fingers with coconut oil beforehand: "At the root, a coconut oil product will help moisturize the scalp while promoting healthy hair growth," says Branch. After all, a moisturized scalp is a happy scalp—and happy follicles up top tend to influence speedier (and healthier) hair growth.

Generally, scalp massages themselves have been shown to promote hair growth3, as they encourage blood circulation to the area, which helps deliver vital nutrients and oxygen to the hair follicle. Nonetheless, using coconut oil is a scalp-healthy add. 

Coconut oil makes a worthwhile styler: If you're partial to an air-dry or wash-and-go, try sliding the oil through your strands post-shower. According to Branch, the oil can help define your curl pattern while moisturizing the hair and reducing frizz. 

You can even use the oil in between washes to help curls keep their spring. "To replenish curls, a coconut oil product brings brilliant shine while protecting hair against seasonal elements," Branch adds. 

For all hair types (but especially tight oils or kinks, as these hair types are drier and more breakage-prone), some sort of physical barrier is necessary before detangling your mane. And as Branch alluded to above, coconut oil makes for a great detangling product to use before raking through the strands: Simply coat the hair before combing. Some also like to warm the oil and keep it in a spray bottle to spritz on the hair before detangling—that works, too.

"To care for fragile baby hairs, a coconut oil product is perfect for necessary control without unnecessary residue," notes Branch. That way, you'll have enough hold to swirl them into place without weighing them down or making those fine hairs feel crunchy. 

While there's no way to truly "mend" split ends (the only way to save them is to snip them off and start fresh), applying coconut oil to your ends can help seal down the cuticle. For those with split ends, it can help the hair look healthier and less brittle by hiding those frays. The oil can also add some density to the strands, in case your hair is looking thin and tapered toward the bottom. 

While many are quick to sing the praises of this versatile hair care savior, coconut oil isn't for everybody. Case in point: Coconut oil can be comedogenic. That said, if coconut oil breaks you out, you might not want to add it to your hair routine (remember: Hair care products can remain on your skin post-shower and seep into your pores, which can cause irritation for some). And because scalp pimples are most definitely a thing, those with acne-prone skin might want to steer clear of the scalp treatment in particular. 

Branch also notes that if your hair is oily or you don't typically reach for any type of oil in your hair care regimen, "it's best to not use coconut oil." Better to start with a more lightweight option if you're making your first foray into using hair oils (perhaps jojoba since it's the closest to your skin's own sebum). 

And, of course, if you have a coconut allergy, don't use coconut oil in your hair care routine. Even if you consume coconut all the time, you might want to patch test and see how it works on your skin—some people can face irritation from using those same ingredients topically.

If you think your hair could benefit from fatty-acid-rich coconut oil, feel free to give it a whirl in one of the six ways above. And because you're probably wondering: You can definitely use the straight-up oil on your strands (just make sure it's unrefined and organic, says Stenson). You can also find some market options for all your beauty needs: See here for our favorite coconut oil selects, for both hair and skin.