Coconut oil can be found in nearly every kitchen. It is extremely popular for its cooking purposes but it also works well for the skin and hair care. What’s more, many people use it to whiten their teeth. The problem arises when we want to apply it to the hair. The opinions about the effects are inconsistent and we no longer know who to listen to: does coconut oil increase frizz or not? Let’s determine who can and who shouldn’t apply coconut oil to their hair.
What’s coconut oil made of?
Coconut oil differs from other oils. It is a lot different than argan oil, macadamia oil, flaxseed oil, jojoba oil because it comprises saturated fatty acids.
However, it also stands out among its “unsaturated” fats family because it contains lauric acid, which is a specific fatty acid: it has antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Combats fungi and bacteria, cleanses and provides skin detox.
Apart from this unusual fatty acid, coconut oil abounds in minerals, such as: zinc and magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and iron which are supported by vitamins: E, A and C, and also folic acid, or vitamin B9, which is responsible for skin regeneration.
Does coconut oil increase hair frizz?
No wonder that an oil with such a rich composition is so willingly applied to the hair. However, it turns out that it is not suitable for damaged hair at all: it has too small particles that are not able to adjust themselves to large gaps and holes in the hair cuticle. As a result, the hair becomes more frizzy and brittle.
This type of hair (dry, damaged, brittle – high porosity) requires care with different oils that are made of large molecules and match the hair structure.
Therefore, coconut oil will work best for low porosity hair. This type is the opposite of damaged and brittle strands: it has closed scales, but at the same time lacks volume, and it is heavy and quite stiff. Such hair gest oily very quickly, it is difficult to style, takes a long time to dry, and the scalp has a disturbed circulation. Hair with low porosity requires care without overburdening, which is exactly what coconut oil will provide: it will protect the strands from damage, it will cleanse the scalp, prevent the growth of bacteria, get rid of toxins and deliver lightness and softness.
