Treat Yourself Tuesday's: Coconut Oil Hair Saviour

There's been a lot of buzz on the beauty circuit about coconut oil and reading up on the subject, it does seem that it can really work wonders however you use it. From health benefits when used in cooking and baking to being a natural, effective moisturiser, coconut oil seems to be a must-have for anyone who wants a beauty treat.

I started looking into the benefits of coconut oil as I'm interested in DIY beauty treatments and heard it's a good scalp treatment, which is music to my ears as I hate the treatments I have for my psoriasis as they smell awful and really dry my hair out.

So, this is the first of my Treat Yourself Tuesday's where I'm going to look into simple, natural treatments you can try at home to give yourself a little beauty boost.

If you believe the hype, the benefits of coconut oil include the following:

- Contains Vitamin E which helps rebuild protein in hair that's often lost through heat and styling
- Keeps hair shiny and builds strength
- Can be used as a deep conditioning treatment for hair and scalp
- Has a long shelf life, unlike other hair care products
- Can be used as a medicinal treatment for dandruff and scalp complaints, including psoriasis, plus it's anti-fungal
- Smells good enough to eat which means your hair / skin will too

What to look for when buying coconut oil:

- Choose 100% organic, extra virgin oil to be sure it is completely pure and not hampered by any refinement processes
- Buy it in glass containers because plastic containers may seep BPA and parabens into the oil

How to use it as a hair mask:

1) Take a small amount of oil, around the size of a grape, and rub it into your hands until it melts.
2) Start by massaging into your scalp, rubbing it all over from the front of your head to the back.
3) Divide your hair into two sections and work the oil through the lengths and down to the ends. Use as much oil as you need for your thickness and length - just make sure it's all well covered but not drenched, a little oil goes a long way.
4) Tie your hair back with a clip / clasp instead of a hair tie as these can sometimes damage your hair.
5) Leave to soak into your hair for at least an hour. For extra nourishment, let the oil do its thing overnight or pop a plastic hair cap over the top and use a hair dryer to gently heat the treatment.
6) Apply some shampoo straight to your hair, rinse then repeat. Follow with your usual conditioner and style as per normal.

I've followed the method above a couple of times in the past week and have been pleased with the results. For my psoriasis, it has thoroughly moisturised my scalp and helped soften the flakes, but I have had to really shampoo my hair to remove it all afterwards. The lengths of my hair have felt soft and much more manageable. My tip would be to adapt the application method to your own hair's needs. If you have a problem scalp, either greasy or dandruff, massage the oil thoroughly into your scalp, just make sure you really shampoo afterwards. If your hair is very dry at the ends, apply a little more oil and leave for longer.

I've also used it as a skin moisturiser, just rubbing a small amount into dry areas like my elbows, and it's been absorbed well. It's a cheap treatment to use as a little oil is all you need each time, it really makes a difference and you know it's natural so it can only do good things for you.