A. How To Remove Coconut Oil From Your Hair
Coconut Oil is an all-in-one natural beauty ointment that has over a million different uses. Some use it as a moisturizer (be careful, it’s highly comedogenic!), body moisturizer, and even a hair mask. It’s richly hydrating, locks in moisture, and is incredibly affordable and versatile, so it’s hard to beat. When you need a good hair mask to revitalize dry and damaged hair, coconut oil is a great and effective option. The only thing you have to worry about is how to remove it completely! Coconut oil is difficult to completely remove from hair as it can be hard to see and feel on wet hair. The best way to remove coconut oil from your hair is to wash your hair with a soapy shampoo and rinse with hot water. There are also methods that involve alcohol, lemons, and baking soda, but save these for a last resort as they are drying and damaging.
1. How do you get coconut oil out of your hair
There are several ways to remove coconut oil. I think the best way to do this is to use a soapy shampoo and take your time massaging the shampoo. Then wash your hair longer in warm water. Coconut water solidifies in cooler temperatures, so cold water isn’t as effective. You can also use lemon, rubbing alcohol, or baking soda to remove coconut oil. The problem with these 3 ingredients is that they are very drying to your hair. They basically neutralize all of the moisture that has been added to your hair by the coconut oil. Coconut oil can sometimes take a few washes to wash off completely, so don’t be discouraged if it disappears on the first try. Using alcohol or lemons should only be used as a last resort.
a. Wash your hair with a soapy shampoo
The key to this is using a sulfate-resistant shampoo. (Basically, any cheap drugstore shampoo.) If you have colored hair, it’s best not to use sulfates as they remove the color, but they can help remove the coconut oil completely during lathering. Apply a generous amount of shampoo to scalp and massage in. Let the goodness of the soap do the work of removing all of the coconut oil. You can also wash your hair twice if you feel the need. A clarifying shampoo works great too, as it’s designed to remove product build-up from the hair and scalp.
b. Rinse your hair with warm water
Coconut oil solidifies in cooler temperatures, so wash it off with warm or hot water. It will also work more efficiently.
c. Use dry shampoo or powder
Use dry shampoo or powder if you have small traces of coconut oil on the roots. The powder absorbs the coconut oil in a similar way to an oily scalp. So next time you wash your hair, make sure you get rid of the shampoo and all of the coconut oil.
d. Eggs, lemon, baking soda and alcohol (not combined!)
So the coconut oil won’t come out of your hair no matter how many shampoos you’ve tried? Here are a few different methods for stubborn coconut oil.
- Egg: Add 2-3 eggs to 32 ounces of water. Beat the eggs into a liquid mixture and pour it over your hair. After 5-10 minutes it should be washable and all of the coconut oil should come out of the hair easily. We don’t hate this method because eggs don’t damage your hair! It’s just a little more effort.
- Lemon: Mix the juice of 2 lemons in a glass of water and pour it on the hair. Many believe that acid helps remove oils. The problem with lemon is that the acid can dry out and damage hair. Dyeing your hair will seriously expose it and damage the color! The purpose of using a coconut oil hair mask is to add moisture and repair damaged hair. Pouring lemon juice on your hair negates all of that. Use this as a last resort and avoid it if you can.
- Baking Soda: Make a paste of baking soda and water and massage into oily areas of hair and scalp. Then wash it off and all of the coconut oil should come out with the paste. Be careful as baking soda can dry out your hair. But it’s better than lemons, and baking soda is a pretty basic household ingredient that you probably have around. It’s not the best option for your hair’s health, especially if it’s colored, so use it as a last resort.
- Alcohol: That’s right, some say alcohol or vodka can strip coconut oil from your hair. Ah, this option hurts us! Firstly, when you color your hair, the color is completely removed. Second, it dries out your hair, reversing all the improvements that coconut oil has brought about.
There’s no point putting coconut oil in your hair and then washing it with vodka. This should be the very last resort as the alcohol dries very quickly and will damage your hair.
B. How To Get Coconut Oil Out Of Hair: 13 Step-by-step Methods
Coconut oil is a curly hair favorite known for its amazing moisturizing properties. But if it builds up on the hair or if too much is accidentally applied, it is important to remove it as soon as possible. If you’ve ever tried to remove coconut oil from your hair but it didn’t work, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we share how to get coconut oil out of your hair with 13 easy methods.
1. Wash your hair with a strong shampoo
Replace your regular shampoo with whitening shampoo. As someone with naturally curly hair, you’ve probably been told to stay away from sulfate shampoos, but if you’re noticing coconut oil buildup, a sulfate shampoo may be just what you need to get rid of those goo bumps. Apply a generous amount of the clarifying shampoo to the scalp, massage in for a few minutes, then rinse well with warm water.
2. Use shampoo powder to soak up excess oil
Another effective way to get rid of coconut oil is by using dry shampoo or powder. Dry shampoo helps absorb excess oil without drying out the hair. To use dry shampoo, spread it all over your hair (or wherever the coconut oil is) and let it sit for a few minutes. Then massage the dry shampoo into the roots and hair to complete the process. Note that this method will not remove all of the coconut oil from your hair. Only the excess is removed. This approach works fairly well, but using liquid shampoo to wash coconut oil out of your hair is the preferred solution.
3. Mix mint, rosemary and lemon water
Lemon contains citric acid and has powerful cleansing properties, and when mixed with rosemary and mint it effectively reduces excess hair oil (i.e. greasy hair). To try a lemon blend, squeeze a lemon in a glass and add a tablespoon of rosemary and mint to the blend. Boil the mixture for up to 10 minutes, then allow to cool. Wash your scalp and hair with the mixture and towel dry to remove unwanted coconut oil. Repeat this method no more than twice a week. Lemon can dry out your hair. If you notice your hair getting dry, follow your lemon wash with a conditioner or deep conditioning treatment.
4. Rub in some alcohol
A great way to remove stubborn coconut oil from your hair is to use rubbing alcohol. Mix a tablespoon of vodka with two cups of water and pour it over your hair. Make sure you do this in a well-ventilated area and avoid getting the mixture in your eyes. Leave the alcohol and water mixture on your hair for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Keep in mind that alcohol can dry out your hair, so be sure to use a moisturizing conditioner or hair mask.
5. Combine aloe vera gel and anti-dandruff shampoo
Applying a mixture of anti-dandruff shampoo and aloe vera is also helpful to remove coconut oil. Anti-dandruff shampoo is powerful enough to remove hardened oil and aloe vera removes excess oil from the hair and scalp. To try it, add a teaspoon of aloe vera to an anti-dandruff shampoo and apply to your scalp. Lather the mixture and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse off the shampoo mixture and enjoy coconut oil free hair!
6. Wash your hair with eggs
Eggs not only get rid of unwanted oil and grease, but also provide your hair with additional nutrients. In a small bowl, crack an egg and add a tablespoon of water to aid in mixing and application. Rub this conditioner on your scalp and hair and leave it on for five to ten minutes. After washing it off, the coconut oil is long gone! While using egg works in many cases, we recommend using a strong shampoo to ensure you remove all of the coconut oil.
7. Exfoliate with a scalp scrub
A scalp scrub is another simple and effective way to remove coconut oil from your hair. Look for a sulfate-free scrub that’s rich in minerals and vitamins to ensure it removes all of the built-up dirt and oil. As an added benefit, scalp exfoliation also helps maintain healthy hair, promoting a refreshed scalp and promoting healthy hair growth.
8. Apply baking soda paste
Baking soda makes it easy to remove coconut oil from your hair, and many people swear by it. If you want to try a baking soda paste, mix 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Apply the paste to the scalp and hair and massage in for five to ten minutes. Rinse your hair with warm water and then apply conditioner. As a side note, this method can be used with many different powders or powder mixtures. Some ladies have used baby powder, arrowroot powder, cornstarch, and even henna powder.
9. Try lemon juice
We’ve already discussed that lemon juice contains citric acid and has cleansing properties, making it a good candidate for removing excess coconut oil. However, the fact of the matter is that lemon is strong enough to be used for this purpose on its own. The acidity of lemons helps break down the fat molecules in coconut oil for easy removal. To try it out, squeeze the juice of a lemon into a glass and apply it to your hair. Leave the lemon juice on your hair and scalp for five to 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
10. Try black tea leaves
Black tea has great astringent properties that help break down excess oil on the scalp. Boil a handful of packets of black tea and allow the tea to cool for five to ten minutes. When the black tea has cooled, pour it over your hair and leave it on for up to ten minutes. Then wash your hair with warm water to drive out the tea and coconut oil.
11. Soak up with a paper towel
Using paper towels is a moderately effective way to rid your hair of coconut oil. To do this, take strands of hair, wrap a paper towel around them and gently squeeze them. The paper towel absorbs the coconut oil in seconds. Know that this will not completely remove the coconut oil from your hair, but it can work very well in a pinch!
12. Get some laundry detergent
Dishwashing liquid contains powerful detergents designed to remove grease in seconds. While it should be used in dishes, if other methods on this list don’t work for you, it’s worth a try. Simply apply about a teaspoon of detergent to wet hair and massage in as you would when washing your hair. After a few minutes, rinse the shampoo out well and then condition your hair intensively. We encourage you to read this soap dish article which focuses on hair health and growth and ensures you avoid damaged hair by using strong detergents.
13. Diluted apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is often used in hair detox treatments because of its ability to eliminate buildup and excess oil. It can work very well for you if you are trying to remove coconut oil. Simply combine apple cider vinegar and water in a 1:5 ratio and apply as a post-wash conditioner. Use the diluted mixture on your scalp and hair strands and leave on for five to ten minutes. Then rinse your hair with cold water. If you regularly apply coconut oil to your hair, read related articles that encourage you to keep coconut oil in your hair at different times and describe how to apply coconut oil to your hair strands for many different benefits.
14. Summary
So next time you can’t wash coconut oil out of your hair, it’s best to wash it a few times and gently remove it from your hair. Lemon, eggs, rubbing alcohol, and baking soda work well, but they can definitely damage and dry out your hair. The purpose of using coconut oil is to moisturize and revitalize damaged hair. Using lemons, rubbing alcohol, and baking soda kills all the good that coconut oil has done!
