From Dryness To Dullness: 5 DIY Coconut Oil Hair Masks For Every Hair Concern

Ahead, we rounded up the best coconut oil hair masks for a smattering of hair concerns. Grab your coconut oil (unrefined and organic, always), and cue the softest strands, ever. 

Simply rake some melted coconut oil through your hair, leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition as usual. You'll really want to thoroughly shampoo, here, so as to prevent buildup (coconut oil is an occlusive, and a heavy one at that). Either repeat the treatment once a week or once every other week if your scalp is oily. 

After covering your hair with a shower cap, you can either relax for half an hour or sleep on those coated tresses overnight for some deep conditioning. Again, make sure to completely rinse out the coconut oil in the a.m. 

While coconut oil makes a mighty fine hair mask on its own, you can always chuck in other hair-healthy ingredients for a little something extra. Namely, aloe vera and honey make for quite the soothing experience: Both aloe and honey have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help manage scalp inflammation and irritation (read: a flaky, dry scalp). They're also super moisturizing in their own right; pair them with coconut oil, and you'll increase the hydration threefold.  

Your favorite gourd is actually a hair-care star: Pumpkin contains beta-carotene1 to neutralize free-radical damage in the hair strand (because, yes, your hair does face oxidative stress, too2). Blackstrap molasses is also chock-full of nutrients and antioxidants—while you might see molasses and immediately think sticky mess, know that the coconut oil does thin out the mixture quite a bit. Plus, it gives the mask even more proteins and fatty acids.

Now, you may be familiar with a good apple cider vinegar rinse—the acidic solution brings your hair's pH back down and seals the cuticle shut, which results in shiny strands. But let's chuck some coconut oil into the mix, shall we? In fact, many ACV-formulated products on the market come buffered with hydrating oils (like coconut) to simultaneously soften the hair while making it shine. 

Coconut oil also has a low molecular weight4, so it's more able to easily penetrate and absorb into the hair shaft—aka, more moisture to parched strands. 

To learn more about the benefits of coconut oil for hair type (and who should probably steer clear), take a look here.  

There are more than a few ways to use up your jar of coconut oil, so feel free to play around with the deep-conditioning masks above. Although, no matter which mask you use, be sure to wash it out completely after letting the oil seep into your scalp, and perhaps keep the treatments to once a week at most. It's so easy to go overboard with coconut oil, which can backfire!