Clean Beauty Tips & Techniques How to Make an Easy Coconut Oil Hair Mask With 2 Ingredients By Starre Vartan Starre Vartan Writer Columbia University Syracuse University Starre Vartan is an environmental and science journalist. She holds an MFA degree from Columbia University and Geology and English degrees from Syracuse University. Learn about our editorial process Updated May 5, 2022 Fact checked by Elizabeth MacLennan Fact checked by Elizabeth MacLennan University of Tennessee Elizabeth MacLennan is a fact checker and expert on climate change. Learn about our fact checking process Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Clean Beauty Products Tips & Techniques Overview Working Time: 5 - 10 minutes Total Time: 10 - 15 minutes Yield: 1 hair mask Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $4 A coconut oil hair mask is a simple, inexpensive, and effective way to soothe dry, frizzy hair. It is a very potent hair treatment because it contains lauric acid, a type of fatty acid that helps moisturize your hair. It can also penetrate the hair shaft and nourish your strands from the inside. And its antibacterial properties are great for your scalp. Follow these instructions to make an easy coconut oil hair mask at home. What You'll Need Materials Medium Mixing bowl Spray bottle filled with water Shower cap Towel (to cover clothes) Ingredients 3 tablespoons coconut oil 1 tablespoon olive oil Instructions The coconut oil and olive oil mix is the simplest hair mask you can make and it works for most hair types. Feel free to add other ingredients to the mask (see below for suggestions) to suit your hair's specific needs. You can also double the quantities in this recipe if your hair is very long or thick. Warm the Coconut Oil Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Coconut oil solidifies at around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so chances are, the jar in your cupboard is solid. You'll want to scoop out what you're using into a bowl and warm it. You can do this in the microwave (10-12 seconds on high) or you can simply place the bowl into a bigger bowl filled with piping-hot water from the faucet. Add Olive Oil and Other Ingredients Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Add the olive oil to the coconut oil and mix gently. If you are using other ingredients (see variations below) like Aloe Vera, honey, or essential oils, add them in at this point. Mix again, more vigorously this time, to ensure ingredients are evenly combined. Prepare Your Hair Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Brush or comb your hair well to get any shed hair, dirt, and dust out. Then, spray it down with water until it's damp but not dripping wet. Separate your hair into sections so you can apply the mask and ensure that you get it on all your hair. Apply Treehugger / Sanja Kostic You can apply using your fingers or a comb. Apply more to the dry areas like the ends, and less to the top near the scalp. You might want to drape a towel around your neck to catch drips—be aware that coconut oil can stain clothing easily. Gently scoop up your saturated hair into a shower cap. Let Mask Penetrate Treehugger / Sanja Kostic Give the mask at least an hour to work (or two if you have the time). You can even leave it on overnight. You might want to put a towel over your pillow or other linens to prevent staining. Rinse Mask Out Treehugger / Sanja Kostic When you are ready, get into the shower and work the coconut oil hair mask out by rinsing it in warm (not hot) water for a few minutes. Then, use shampoo and conditioner as you usually do. If you normally co-wash (use conditioner only to wash your hair), you'll probably want to use a small amount of shampoo here—keep it away from your scalp as best you can. You will need a small amount of soap or shampoo to get the excess coconut oil out. Your hair shaft will have absorbed what it can. Style as usual. Variations Treehugger / Sanja Kostic This basic recipe can be easily modified to address different hair needs: For extra-nourishing (and de-frizzing) action, add half a smashed avocado.To fight dandruff, add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil and 1 teaspoon of honey.For an itchy, irritated, or sunburnt scalp, add 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel. Make Time for Self-Care You can always apply your hair mask and do household chores, work, or almost anything else while you wait. But you could also take your hair mask time as a good opportunity for a little self-care—maybe whip up a face mask at the same time, or run a bubble bath. Frequently Asked Questions How often should you use coconut oil in hair? You can use a coconut oil hair mask two to three times per week. The appropriate number may change based on how dry your hair is. Will coconut oil make hair greasy? Coconut oil should not make hair greasy. If the oil is weighing down your hair, try using less of it and shampooing again after rinsing. If your hair tends to be greasy on its own, keep the coconut oil away from your scalp when applying to avoid clogging pores. View Article Sources Muhammud, Adida, et al. "The Effectiveness of Coconut Oil Mixed With Herbs to Promote Hair Growth." International Journal of Ethics in Engineering & Management Education, vol. 1, no. 3, 2014, pp. 27-30. View Article Sources Muhammud, Adida, et al. "The Effectiveness of Coconut Oil Mixed With Herbs to Promote Hair Growth." International Journal of Ethics in Engineering & Management Education, vol. 1, no. 3, 2014, pp. 27-30.