Coconut milk has been used on hair since Ancient Egyptian times, and together with the flesh, water and oil, the produce from the Cocos nucifera tree have been benefitting man for well over 4000 years.
The milk is an emulsion of coconut cream and coconut water, and is crammed full of easily absorbed nutrients. It’s a great source of:
- Iron
- Sodium
- Selenium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Proteins
- Vitamins C, the B group, and E
- Lauric Acid – This provides the milk with its anti -fungal/viral/bacterial and antiseptic properties.
It also contains large amounts of sugar and calories, so isn’t recommended to be eaten in large quantities, but it is, however, excellent for our natural Afro Caribbean hair.
Coconut milk conditioners, shampoos, serums and more have the ability to bestow condition and health upon our hair, increasing growth, strength, and softness all around. Excellent for dry, damaged hair and scalps, it’s also great for hair loss by encouraging blood circulation while preventing oxidative damage.
Coconut hair products, and in fact, coconut milk itself, can be easily and cheaply made at home with very little effort. Here’s my favorite coconut milk serum, as well as a couple of my favorite homemade coconut milk hacks for black hair.
Ogx Coconut Milk Serum
This lovely serum can be combined with other ingredients, or used neat. It smells tropical fresh and delicious enough to drink – (best not), and that gorgeous scent remains with you for days! My hair feels soft, healthy and manageable after using this milk, and it definitely grows faster and thicker than before.
Ogx Coconut Milk Serum Anti-Breakage 4 Ounce (118ml) (3 Pack)
- 3 Pieces - 4 Ounce (118ml)
- Nourishing Formula,
- Helps Add Strength,
- Anti-Breakage
Homemade Coconut Milk
This freshly made coconut milk will last for four days in the refrigerator, and several months if frozen.
Combine 4 cups of boiling water and 2 of grated coconut in a bowl, and leave to cool. Use fine gauze to strain the mixture, once cool, into another bowl. Squeeze all the liquid out so that you are just left with dry pulp. This is your coconut milk. Pour it into a screw top bottle and use as required.
Coconut Milk Pre Shampoo
In a saucepan, mix 4 tablespoons of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of honey – preferably manuka honey, and a few drops of rosemary, tea tree, or nettle essential oils. Heat gently, but don’t allow it to boil. Once warm, massage well into your hair and scalp, and cover with a heating cap or warm towel. Leave it on for at least an hour, before rinsing thoroughly and washing your hair as normal.
Coconut Milk Hair Mask
Combine 1 tablespoon of coconut milk with 1 teaspoon of olive, jojoba or castor oil with some hot water. Mix well and massage into your hair and scalp, making sure you cover every inch, root to tip. Use a warm towel to cover your hair, and leave for about 10 minutes before rinsing well and styling as usual.
Coconut Milk Mask for Hair Loss
This highly intensive mask can be applied up to three times a week, and will make a huge difference to hair loss.
Mix about half to three-quarters of a cup of coconut milk with 2 tablespoons of plain, unsweetened yogurt. Break open and add the contents of a vitamin B complex vitamin capsule. Massage this mixture throughout your hair, paying particular attention to areas where the hair is thinner. Leave the mask on for 1 – 2 hours and rinse. Dry naturally without the aid of a hair dryer, and style as normal.
If you enjoyed this page and would like to find out about other natural hair care products, then have a look at these other pages too!
