Bump what ya heard! Coconut oil is NOT the best thing since sliced bread. Although an overwhelming amount of popular YouTube and Instagram bloggers/vloggers have stood behind the oil – alleging it’s the end all for dull, dry, and frizzy hair – Rachel Grante, Colour Director at Arthur Christine salon, nestled in Vienna, Virginia, says there’s a homogenous mixture of myths and facts about coconut oil in the world today.
So, in an effort to rediscover the true value behind the natural hair product, Grante is breaking down 3 major myths—because knowledge is power!
Myth #1: Coconut oil alone is a great way to moisturize your hair.
On the contrary. “While the use of coconut oil is a good starting point for moisturizing your coif, in order for your style to last, you’ll have to lock it in with a delivery system like Eco gel. While it may feel hard to the touch—causing you to think it’s dry, the gel works as a sealant, protecting your hair from the inside out. Not only will using a product like Bee 9, Miss Jessie’s Curl Pudding or a Shea Butter help seal your style for up to 2-3 weeks, it’ll prevent you from having to reapply daily—making sure you can make the most of your time.” said Grante. “Cream gives more of a whimsical curl. Gel gives more of a defined curl.”
“Think of it like this. When you combine water and oil, the oil floats to the top. The same applies to your hair. Your scalp consists of little sebaceous glands, which produce an oily residue known as sebum. It is the sebum, secreted around the hair follicle that keeps it moist and soft. While using light oils to form a protective barrier around your strands is okay, when you use an absorbed oil like coconut oil or shea butter, it blocks water’s ability to penetrate the hair’s cuticle.”