What's with coconut?

curlywavybeauty

I see alot of people talking about using coconut milk and oil...what's so good about coconut?

curlyjenn

I'm going to try some coconut milk. I love using Suave Tropical Coconut conditioner! It gives great slip and it's very moisturizing! I'm thinking that the milk will be even more moisturizing.

curlywavybeauty

But I mean, like what is so good about it?
What does it do that makes it such a good mosturizer?

curlyjenn

I'm not sure what about it makes it so moisturizing, but it keeps my hair from looking and feeling dried out on the ends. I guess I also had dry scalp and thought it was dandruff at one time, but since using the coconut conditioner, my dry scalp has cleared up. Some things just naturally attract moisture into your skin and hair, I think. Glycerin is really good for moisturizing, too.

CurlyMom73

If I remember correctly, and I could be wrong, just about every part of a coconut has oil in it and is packed full of moisturizing amino acids. On top of that, unlike many other oils, coconut oil in it's natural form is actually a solid not a liquid, so it's like a natural lotion for your hair.

mushaboom

I use the coconut oil as a pre-shampoo mask,it's excellent

mushaboom

double post oops :oops:

Megnificent

About once a week or so, I finger comb coconut oil into my hair and then twist it into a bun and sleep on it. It washes right out in the morning, but my hair soaks up the moisture at night. It is a lifesaver in this heat! I don't have to deal with humidity, but I would imagine it would be really beneficial in a umid climate as well.

Rheanna

Ooooh, I need some I think. I was wondering what to look for to use for DTs and that sounds awesome to me. Where do you guys get it? Like in drugstores or do you have to order online?

What's the diff. between coconut and jojoba oil?

Megnificent

I get Coconut Oil at the drugstore. It is usually sold in a jar. When it is chilly outside, it may be a white solid but it will melt in your hands immediately. Jojoba oil I get at Whole Foods, so any type of health food store should have it.

The difference is that Coconut Oil is a much more deep treatment, so I only use it once in awhile so it doesn't weigh my hair down. Jojoba Oil is very light. Some people even use it on their face. It is good for a nightly or every other nightly defrizzing treatment.

I hope you find them as fantastic as I have!

Rheanna

Meg, thanks for the information. So coconut oil added to condish for a DT every week or two is how you use it. And jojoba oil - could that be used like to smooth over hair (in place of finishing cream or biosilk) to tame flyaways without being too "weighty"?

That's awesome. I need to get some of both

one way street

i use coconut milk as a DT when I shampoo. I love it! I just saturate my hair with it while its damp and leave it in for 20 min! You can use the canned kind and just put it in the fridge. It leaves my hair soft, sliky, and smooth.

yogawaves

angiecurls, Is it light enough for a fine haired wavey to use with out too much wieght??? I asked because when I used a coconut oil in my hair it was way too heavy and caused breakage..tia

yogawaves

angiecurls, Is the coconut milk light enough for a fine haired wavey to use with out too much weight??? I asked because when I used a coconut oil in my hair it was way too heavy and caused breakage..tia

yogawaves

angiecurls, Is the coconut milk light enough for a fine haired wavey to use with out too much weight??? I asked because when I used a coconut oil in my hair it was way too heavy and caused breakage..tia

one way street

yogagirl wrote:

angiecurls, Is the coconut milk light enough for a fine haired wavey to use with out too much weight??? I asked because when I used a coconut oil in my hair it was way too heavy and caused breakage..tia

its a lot lighter than the oil. my hair is thick, so i wouldn't know how it would work on fine hair, try diluting it with water (that's basicly what it is)

lynnc72

Coconut oil has been used on hair in Asia for many years. Here's why:

"Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid), has a high affinity for hair proteins and, because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, is able to penetrate inside the hair shaft."

Read more about it here:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=47766

futurehope

This might be a stupid question.

But are you saying using Coconut Oil is more of a protein treatment?

I have some of this in my cabinet, but have been afraid to use it because I wasn't sure how to use and how much.

I would love to try it as a deep treatment.

TIA!!

lynnc72

futurehope wrote:

But are you saying using Coconut Oil is more of a protein treatment?

Coconut oil reduces protein loss, helps to prevent future damage. An hour before washing, I just slather on as much as my hair will take. I use CO washing method and it works great when left on for 10 minutes.

SmallFry

angiecurls wrote:

i use coconut milk as a DT when I shampoo. I love it! I just saturate my hair with it while its damp and leave it in for 20 min! You can use the canned kind and just put it in the fridge. It leaves my hair soft, sliky, and smooth.

I have this in a can. I know that you can leave it in the refridgerator but how long is it good for once it has been opened?

I want to use this for a DT but I'm trying to figure out what to do after I put it on. Should I just rinse it out afterwards? or Rinse then condition with conditioner?

Thank you!!

futurehope

Thank you LynnC72 for the info.

I will do this!!!

teela1978

CurlyBlasian wrote:

I have this in a can. I know that you can leave it in the refridgerator but how long is it good for once it has been opened?

I want to use this for a DT but I'm trying to figure out what to do after I put it on. Should I just rinse it out afterwards? or Rinse then condition with conditioner?

Thank you!!

I've noticed that I have to shampoo it out or I have greasy hair for about 3 CO's.

Oh, and I wouldn't keep it in the fridge for more than 4 days or so after it's opened. Maybe you can learn some recipies? I usually cook something with coconut milk and then use the rest for a DT.

HTH

HalfWavyHalfCurly

teela1978:

If you left your CO several minutes in your hair the surfactancts would have enough time to dissolve the excess oil. I used the straight oil last week and removed it with Suave Tropical Coconut CO and my fine hair which gets easily overwhelmed was not greasy at all. If you have VO5 Kiwi & Lime that may be an even better alternative for you.

jujucabana

i use to run coconut milk in my hair before i went to sleep, but i ran out! it really helped with preventing breakage!

echokitten

Further extolling the virtues of coconut milk...
I transferred mine to a mason jar and so far it has kept in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
I just tonight used it as a DT for about 10-15 min, and man oh man my hair is soo soft.
I find that when I keep it in the fridge it is easier to handle and distribute through my hair.
It is a great super cheap DT, it costs less than $2 a can. It lasts in the fridge for long enough to use it all and it is really easy to rinse out. Not super greasy like coconut oil, or other oils. I also think it works great for fine hair curlies when diluted with water or even a bit of peppermint tea.
The can I got was organic too for those of us that prefer organic hair care, and it was not very coconutty smelling so it could be scented if you want.

stellaBaby

I really like using coconut oil because it really moisturizes my hair, esp when it's really dry. And it ends up being really soft every time i use it.
I think you should try it for yourself. You might end up feeling the same way

sessac81

Sorry guys, newbie here still trying to read all the great posts. I gotta bump this so I can finish reading at the office tomorrow. Yeah... I read nc.com at work all day. That's not so bad, right? :angel9: .

GeminiLeslie

I bought a jar of Coconut Oil last school year, and at first I really liked it, but after a while it seemed like it was causing damage to my hair. I also didn't like the way my hair felt when I used it.

But I've been hearing a lot of good things about Coconut Milk so I think I will buy a can today and use it as a deep treatment. I hope I'll have great results!!

curlquest

I just picked some up at the store that's for cooking, but when i got home, i realized that the ingredients also included

water, guar gum, polysorbate 60, sodium metabisulphite (for color retention)

could any of these things be bad for my hair? i hope not, because i am impatient to try it :bounce: so i will post results tomorrow

curlquest

i tried it and nothing bad happened to my hair, it felt a little softer, but no huge improvement. maybe i have to try it a few more times until i see results

jujucabana

i just used it before i went to the gym. i'll see what my hair is like after i shower.