Ingredient Spotlight

SPOTLIGHT: Coconut Oil

I recently reviewed the EDEN BodyWorks Coconut and Shea CoWash and Masque. One of the hero ingredients is obviously Coconut Oil. And any new or old naturalista knows that for a lot of us, Coconut Oil is an essential ingredient. Now while I liked it in the EDEN BodyWorks, me and Coconut Oil have fallen out. It’s gone from Holy Grail to holy fail. Yes I did just say that!

In the beginning of my journey I would have sworn down that Coconut Oil was The One. But lately, I’ve found that raw Coconut Oil makes my hair feel dry, like straw, dare I say brittle. I’ve stopped using it as a pre-poo or as a DIY deep conditioner because I can’t risk it damaging my hair. And it’s not just in this cold weather. I stopped using it before the summer got into full swing. So I’ve been on both sides of the coin when it comes to loving/hating Coconut Oil. But for some it will be an essential and here’s why…

Are you thrifty?

Do you like natural products?

Organic?

Vegan?

Do you like multi-purpose products?

Then Coconut Oil may be for you. In its raw form, you can use it for cooking, oil in your hair, straight onto your skin, you can even use it to oil wood. Yup, it fits equally as well in the garage with your tools as it does in the kitchen or bathroom cupboard. It can be used pretty creatively. And if you’re looking for more exotic uses, Chrissy Teigen uses it on her nipples.

It’s sometimes described as a sealing oil and others describing it as a moisturising oil. Then there are people who say that oils can’t moisturise. But when it worked for me, I loved it. There were times when my routine was as simple as just water followed by oil. Super easy using water from the tap and a jar from the kitchen.

It’s also a little magical, solid at room temperature but turns to liquid after rubbing in your palms. However, as I learned the hard way, room temperature is a changeable thing as the oil often turns liquid during the hot summer. Therefore, if you go on holiday somewhere hot, make sure the tub it is in is closed TIGHTLY.

Before I realised me and Coconut Oil were no longer cool, I was saving DIYs like crazy on Pinterest. You’ll be hard pushed to search for make-your-own recipes for natural hair that don’t contain Coconut Oil. I even did a few DIYs a couple of Christmases ago for family and friends, sugar scrubs and lotions all heavy on the Coconut Oil. It’s also a great accompaniment to whipped butters like Shea or Cocoa. I say Cocoa Butter like my first attempt was a success!

There are a multitude of ways to use it in your hair, such as a pre-wash treatment, overnight mask, frizz tamer and conditioner. That info is from Good Housekeeping so it must be legit!

Unlike some of the more exotic oils like Manketti or Mongongo Oils, Coconut Oil is so easy to find. You don’t have to go to specialist retailers like Holland and Barrett or your local oil merchant (is that a thing?). Although I can imagine a time when H&B was the only sort of place on the high street you could find it easily, but it’s readily available in supermarkets and not just one brand or type. Refined, unrefined, fractionated, raw, organic. It’s a like a normal household item these days.

One of my favourite products on this journey so far is the As I Am Coconut CoWash which has made it to my Holy Grail page and has yet to be toppled. I even recently  loved the Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave-In Conditioner. Although I am a little scared to try the CoWash again due to my falling out with its main ingredient. I doubt that would happen but you never know. But to find out why people are crazy about this oil, here’s a list of some of its amazing benefits according to Lucy Bee

  • Coconut oil stimulates hair growth getting deep into its follicles.
  • Coconut oil promotes the scalp health fighting against such problems as insect bites, lice and dandruff.
  • Coconut oil moisturises dry hair.
  • Coconut oil adds lustre, shine and softness to the hair.
  • Coconut oil prevents hair breakage and split ends, contributing to hair length.
  • Coconut oil slows down hair loss.

Now if all that is true, then you can see why I was eager to give it a go in the first place. Why, when we saw it on offer, we bought over 10 jars in one go. It sounds like the ingredient to end all other ingredients.

Stop your search now!

However, it’s not that simple.

As my journey has progressed, I have come across more people NOT loving the stuff. Including one of the original natural hair megabloggers – Naptural85. She developed an allergy to it after using it faithfully for years. It’s a bit of a blow when you think you’ve found the secret to hair success. I know it’s not uncommon to develop allergies over time. Luckily, I don’t think I’m allergic but it has started making my hair feel like crap.

So what do you do? Well for those of you starting your journey, there is no harm in giving it a go a few times. You might be someone who loves it. Go for it. But listen to your hair and drop it as soon as you think it’s affecting your hair.

For vets, you might not believe that it’s Coconut Oil that’s negatively affecting your hair but if you’re having problems, it might be. It’s probably a staple in your routine but sometimes you have to let things go.

Or you may face your whole journey loving it the way I expected to and good for you because it’s in everything and it’s so easy to get.

One thing I would say is, think twice before you eat the stuff, I’ve been reading so much lately, I suppose the backlash of it becoming so popular, about it being described as “pure poison.” What I’m saying is that there is 86% saturated fat…EIGHTY SIX PERCENT!!! And I’m not even that health conscious.

Let’s keep growing together!

xx Lee xx

Comments welcome below! Now you know a little bit about it (if you didn’t already know), are you going to give it a go or steer well clear?

 

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Main Image Source: Dana TentisStop Sign Image: Pixabay

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