Using Coconut Milk As A Deep Conditioner

Since going natural, I’ve become an avid reader of any and everything regarding caring for your hair using natural ingredients. I don’t try every suggestion I read either. I take my time and decide what I really want to try and what sounds like will benefit my hair. I’ve heard nothing but good things about coconut milk and how wonderful it is for hair growth, among other things. I’m already an avid coconut oil user, but never tried coconut milk. Money is tight so I couldn’t get the good stuff (organic coconut milk) so I opted for the canned version that you can get from your local grocery store, about $1.70 a can.

One of the things that coconut milk does besides aid in hair growth is relax and soften your hair. No, it does not straighten your hair like creamy crack relaxers. Rather, it naturally elongates your hair because coconut milk (and oil) are full of rich emollients. Many articles I’ve read suggested mixing honey, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, or olive oil with the coconut milk as a pre-poo treatment. Others suggested mixing coconut milk with your favorite conditioner to use as a deep conditioner. Since I didn’t have any honey on hand I opted for the deep conditioning method, and this is what I did:

1/4 cup of conditioner (I use the Wen brand – I LOVE that stuff)

1/2 can (give or take) of well shaken coconut milk

1  1/2 teaspoon of olive oil

In a small bowl I mixed the ingredients with a fork. I immediately noticed that the mixture began to thicken up like whipped cream. I mixed it until the olive oil was mixed in well. Then I began to apply the mixture to my freshly washed scalp and hair. (Note to self: You don’t need to make so much next time!) I didn’t want to waste my mixture so I used all of it on my hair. I then spent about 3-4 minutes massaging the mixture into my scalp. After the scalp massage I finger detangled and finger combed my hair, giving a lot of attention to my ends. During this process, I noticed how much my hair stretched and how loose my curls were. I covered my hair with a plastic shower cap and let the mixture sit for about 45 minutes while I did laundry and other things around the house. The suggestion was  to leave the mixture in anywhere from 1-5 hours. Because I waited so late in the evening to wash my hair, I didn’t have time to let my mixture sit that long.

I rinsed the mixture out using lukewarm water and loved what I saw afterwards. My hair was definitely hanging longer and looser instead of being close to my scalp like it normally is. I went on with my hair care routine, oiling my scalp and applying other products to do a plait out. I plaited my hair in small plaits, and this let me see just how much my hair has grown. The next morning I gently took my plaits down, separated my hair and then styled it.

In the above picture I pinned my hair up on one side. My bangs have NEVER hung down across my forehead like this! NEVER. To say that I was very pleased with the results of using coconut milk in my deep conditioning process would be an understatement!

This photo is the next day. I should have fluffed my hair before I took this picture, but oh well! I re-plaited my hair the night before (I had to. I have 4c hair, need I say more?), gently separated it and left it alone to do what it wanted. I think I look like Side Show Bob from the Simpsons (I LOVE his hair by the way!), but many people at work said they liked my hair today, lol! They are beyond sweet. 🙂 I like letting my hair do what it do. In closing, if you haven’t tried coconut milk as a deep conditioner or a pre-poo, please try it! I think you’ll be pleased with the results.