Wednesday, April 16, 2008

My Staple

I washed my hair last night and as I reached for one of my staples, I realized that I never blogged about it, so today is the day that I reveal the powers of unrefined coconut oil. The first time I read about using unrefined coconut oil on my hair I was thinking, they can't be talking about the coconut oil that you can cook with, that's just sick. Indeed it is the very same oil that you can cook with, that I now use on my hair. At one point in time unrefined coconut oil was thought to be an unhealthy oil to ingest because of it's fat content, but scientists soon came to realize that it is actually one of the best oils that you can ingest. Over 50% of the coconut oil is lauric acid which is supposed to help in fighting off viruses and other germs.
Anyway I read about so many women using this oil in an attempt to tame their new growth, as a part of their pre shampoo ritual or to make their hair just glisten. I was feeling a little adventurous so decided to try it out on my hair. The results were fabulous!
I should first mention that as soon as you buy the unrefined coconut oil it may be a hard but as soon as you scoop some into your hands it will melt almost instantly. I use this oil most often to add shininess to my hair and it works each and every time. If you put this oil on your hair an then sit under a hair dryer your hair will shine for days, honestly even if you don’t sit under the dryer your hair will shine for days. I also use it when my new growth is out of control because it manages to keep it soft enough to allow me to comb through my hair. Yes, it does smell like coconuts but for me that is not a bad thing. I get the unrefined coconut oil because the unrefined oil is the one that has not gone through and chemical process so it is natural. I do not use this product for cooking but you certainly can if you find yourself using oils.
Some women also ingest about 1 teaspoon of this oil daily to lose weight. I was really skeptical and though that this idea was also insane. One day while walking through Target I saw a book on keeping your body healthy and as I flipped through the pages, the author mentioned how important it is to have at least 1 teaspoon of coconut oil a day if you want to lose weight. That still didn't motivate me to eat the oil especially after tasting it (the taste is not nearly as good as the scent) but I am considering it. It also helps to keep germs in check within your body.
When I have a body lotion that just isn't giving me the shininess that I need, I have no problem adding some coconut oil to boost the shine factor. I could really go on and on about this powerful little oil but I think I will leave the rest to you.
How do you use coconut oil and what results have you found? Those of you who have never used it, would you ever consider trying this oil?
You can purchase any brand as long as it is unrefined coconut oil. The price varies based on the size of your jar but you can easily get a bottle for $5.99.

20 comments:

antithesis said...

hmm. im curious about that. ive been trying natural home remedies lately so i may add this to my list.

Don said...

i'm happy for you that you were pleased with the results on your hair. i once heard a relative say (back in the days) that she used to massage mayonaisse into her scalp. i thought she had lost it...

Product Junkie Diva said...

@Antithesis you are into home remidies now? great I will do a few posts on some great finds.
@Don I have heard of people using the mayo but I can even tolerate it on my food let alone my hair.
Product Junkie Diva

TravelDiva said...

i'm going to have to try this.

Anonymous said...

I used olive oil on my hair before washing this weekend. I will be picking up this coconut oil. thanks for the info.

Phyllis Bourne said...

Thanks blogging about this. I just bought a jar last week, but really had no idea how to use it.

Usually use Ojon as my pre-shampoo conditioner, but will break open the coconut oil next time.

Anonymous said...

I was wondering what the major differences are between unrefined and refined coconut oil? I've been using refined coconut oil is that horrible????

--Belleifille84

Product Junkie Diva said...

Yes travel Diva give it a try
@Frugalista extra virgin olive oil is good also.
@PBW glad I could help. You can also mix coconut oil in your conditioner whenever you deep condition your hair.
@bellefille good question- I think this answer should be seen by everyone so I will make this a post right now.
Product Junkie Diva

Anonymous said...

For some reason, coconut oil feels too heavy and kind of just sits on my hair. When I lay down at night, I can feel my pillowcase soaking up all of the oil. It does the same thing with castor oil.

Product Junkie Diva said...

Hi Jewells, Do you happen to use cotton pillow cases? Everything isnt for everybody so coconut oil may not be for you but you should only use a little to seal in the moisture if you use too much it can become a greasy mess. What do you use?
Product Junkie Diva

Anonymous said...

I use coconut oil on my skin and hair. My boyfriend loves it when I use it on my skin because of the intoxicating smell.lol
You should only use a little on your hair (and skin) or you'll end up being too oily. but thats what it is... an oil. Too much of any oil looks bad on hair.

Product Junkie Diva said...

SO true Anonymous. I also like jojoba oil which I may do a post on soon, but the scent isn't as good.
Product Junkie Diva

Mischo Beauty said...

I must try this! My relaxer is just about all grown out and my new growth/hair is thick and course and needs all the TLC it can get. Thanks for this! :)

Product Junkie Diva said...

Great Mischo! You may want to get a small jar first just to see how you like it.
I hope everything works out well.
Product Junkie Diva

Anonymous said...

you said in your post 1tsp of cocount oil must be injested to lose weightg; do you mean literally scooping it up and eating it? :-\

Product Junkie Diva said...

@Anonymous some people have decided to take the oil and mix it in with their oatmeal. Although the scent is good I do not apprecaite the taste of coconut oil so eating it is something I can not do. Some other people have decided to put it on their bread.
Product Junkie Diva

KrioSole said...

Hi,

Have you ever used the coconut oil while wearing braids. I am definitely thinking about buying some coconut oil and but I just don't know if I should wait until I take my braids out.

Thanks.

Product Junkie Diva said...

@Jennifer I am sorry but I have never worn braids. ( My mom used to braid my hair when I was a little girl but I have not worn braids since).
I know while you have your briads in you will need to still moisturize your hair. The coconut oil can seal in the moisture. Also be careful not to put on too much oil or it will become a greasy mess.
maybe a good moisturizer could be pure aloe vera juice mixed with rose water. This is basically a moisturizer that Tracyee of KiSS came up with. You can find the link to her hair blog on my blog roll.
I hope this helps please feel free to write back.
Product Junkie Diva

Anonymous said...

I am Caucasian with very thick, waist length, slightly coarse hair. Coconut oil has not been THE ANSWER to my damaged hair woes. But I like it and it has helped a bit during the colder months when my hair feels the most dry, or if I have been doing a lot of swimming. I normally use it right after or before a trim (no reason for both, really, I just do these things when I realize my hair needs help!). I heat it, brush enough in just a little, leave it for an hour and wash. I also rub a bit into my skin, and it makes it feel very soft. I occasionally cook with the oil and put it into southeast Asian style dishes. I have been experimenting with it in baked goods. I'm not a good baker, though, so I'd like to hear from someone who is and has tried it.

Tamera said...

I have had some sitting on my counter that I used for baking (anon - I've used it in coconut/lime cupcakes - delicious)...so glad it IS the same coconut oil people use for hair! I'm starting to transition and it looks like this will move to my bathroom. LOL Thanks!