Ever since I went blonde, I know my hair hasn’t been at it’s healthiest. Bleaching and highlighting hair does take a serious toll on it, and I was left with lots of split ends and broken, brittle hair. While I’ve found a fab shampoo and conditioner to help restore the majority of my hair, there are all the ends which were so damaged that I knew nothing could save them. Now there are a million different masks and treatments that claim to fix and restore your hair, but the truth is that you actually can’t mend it once it gets past a certain point. I made the decision a couple of months back to chop my hair to a long bob to cut off the majority of the broken ends and start a fresh.
Straight after I cut my hair it instantly looked thicker and healthier, and I knew I wanted to keep it that way. I’m not the best when it comes to hair, and I don’t do nearly the amount of treatments and masks that I know I should. So once I had cut my hair, I was determined to take better care of it and keep it as healthy as possible.
I started to look into various masks designed for blonde and colour treated hair, but with so many on the market and so many varying reviews, it’s really hard to find one that actually works. Many mainstream masks are packed with silicones that make your hair look and feel glossy, but don’t actually do anything to assist with the structure of the hair. For a while I considered Olaplex but the problem with Olaplex is that it best works with the other two salon steps and I don’t get my hair coloured nearly enough to make the most of this. It’s also brutally expensive, coming in at $55 for 100ml, which is about 4-5 applications. Ouch.
In my research, I found a lot of people talking about coconut oil. I’ve always wanted to give this a go, but sort of really never got around to it. I decided to do a bit of a test. I’d use a coconut oil hair mask once a week for a month and see if it made any difference to my hair by the time the month was up. Of course, what sort of blogger would I be if I didn’t document this test, so here we are!
First up, I thought this would be an absolute mess to apply but it’s really not that bad at all. I originally used organic coconut oil, and applied it to damp hair. I used probably about a 2 tablespoons for my whole head, placing a small amount in my hands, warming it up and running it through my hair in sections. I focused the oil mainly on the ends and mid-lengths, with just a small amount near the roots and scalp. I then tied my hair up for about 2 hours before washing it out.
Surprisingly it was actually super easy to wash out. I gave my hair a rinse in warm water, before applying two rounds of shampoo. Quite often I’d use my ACURE Volume Shampoo first, before following up with my Innersence Hydrating Hairbath. I didn’t bother to condition on the days that I applied the coconut oil.
The next few times I tried this, I actually opted to use my Leahlani Pua Lei Coco Infusion. This product is designed for both skin and hair, and I actually found it a quite a bit easier to apply to my hair than the coconut oil as it melts a lot nicer. It also has the extra addition of kukui, macadamia, and sea buckthorn oils, so it’s extremely rich and hydrating. I applied it exactly as how I would the coconut oil, tied my hair up, and left it in this time for around 6 hours.
I have to say, I’m impressed with both the coconut oil and the Coco Infusion as hair masks. Both leave my hair feeling super smooth and soft, and not greasy or flat at all (just make sure you rinse and wash throughly!) I still easily get 3-5 days before I need to wash it again, so applying oil to my hair is definitely not weighing it down.
Personally, I’m loving using the Coco Infusion with the extra added oils, and I can honestly say it’s the best hair mask I’ve ever tried. The regular coconut oil also works wonders too, so if you are looking for something a little more affordable that you already have in your cupboard, then you can’t go past it. Just make sure you are using the highest grade coconut oil you can, and that’s it’s not processed and preferably organic. Without a doubt, coconut oil is the most effective hair treatment I’ve used to date!
Have you tried this? What hair mask do you swear by? Let me know below!
