A couple of weeks ago, I was fudging around on YouTube and came across this two part series on using coconut milk as a hair treatment. I was immediately intrigued for two reasons. First, I love me some coconut oil! DON’T NOBODY better say nothin’ bad about COCONUT OIL. ‘Cuz that’s when Bonita goes OFF! *teehee* Second, the YouTuber’s hair is RIDIC! I mean, long as all get out and so healthy looking without a broken strand visible to the naked eye (whereas I have a ton from a rough, dry winter)! Now, I know her hair is not curly, kinky, or coily. However, I have always believed that we can learn things from a variety of sources and different textures/ethnicities as so many of the practices that promote healthy hair are the same, regardless of race/texture/hair type (i.e. moisture, protein, protection). And, given the benefits of coconut oil (did you see this recent article on CurlyNikki about the amazing penetrating capabilities of coconut oil?!?!?) and how great it works for me, I figured coconut milk (which has coconut oil in it) might be just as awesome.
Now, though I love the IDEA of using fresh coconut milk, #aintnobodygottimeforthat. *LOL* So, I broke out a can of coconut milk that I had in the cabinet. I had picked up a couple of cans a long time ago for a post-wash avocado/coconut milk/honey DC that didn’t work out too well (made my hair hard). But, I was ready to give this new use of it a go! But first, I decided to research a little more to see if I could find naturals who had used coconut milk with success. And, I just so happened to come across these posts by my virtual curlfriend, Petra/Emily CottonTop, Coconut Milk Deep Condition and Results – Coconut Milk Pre-Poo. In these posts, Petra shares a pre-poo recipe:
The recipe
Coconut Milk – 4 tablespoons
Honey -2 tablespoon
3 of Your Favorite oils – 1 tablespoon each
… and her awesome results. I was sold!
So, I whipped up a batch of coconut-milk with Vatika Oil and EVOO, using only two tablespoons instead of three. I heated the mix and applied to my dry dirty hair. Then I donned a plastic cap and my thermal heat turban for about an hour. I will say that the application process was messy and a bit sticky. But, my wash process went very smoothly and my hair that first week felt stronger, moisturized and my twists were so plump, juicy and shiny!
I made a coconut milk pre-poo again this past weekend with the leftovers from the prior week. This time, I added some Aubrey Honeysuckle Rose conditioner (I was hoping that it would thicken the mix, but it didn’t really) and applied and massaged plain, warmed coconut milk to my scalp too. Though the application process was still a little messy (I think I’ll use a dye applicator bottle in the future), I had great results again. So, I’m really thinking this will become a staple in my regimen!! I will keep an eye on my hair to make certain that the coconut milk doesn’t begin to make my hair hard or brittle (due to the protein content). If it does, I will reduce the frequency of the treatment.
Finally, I don’t use much coconut milk for the treatment and it only keeps in the fridge for about two weeks it seems. So, I was worried about spoilage and wasting it. Fortunately for me, I discovered that it can be frozen into ice cubes to form convenient “serving sizes” for future use!!!
So yeah, all engines are a go!! Coconut milk pre-poo treatments are my new boo!! Time will tell if it results in strands as seemingly perfectly long, uniform in length and unbroken as that YouTuber!! One can only hope!!
