What Is Coconut Oil? Uses for Hair and Skin
A friendly guide to coconut oil for Afro and textured hair and skin, covering what it is, how to pre poo, seal and layer it, honest notes on who it suits, and where to find it in the UK.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Coconut oil is a rich, natural oil pressed from the flesh of the coconut. On Afro and textured hair it is used before washing and to seal in moisture, and on skin it works as a simple moisturiser. African Stores lists beauty supply shops across the UK that stock it. Patch test first.
What to remember
- Coconut oil is pressed from coconut flesh and is solid at cool room temperature, melting to a liquid in the hand.
- On Afro and textured hair it is popular as a pre wash treatment and as a sealing oil to lock moisture in.
- In the LOC method it is the oil step, applied over a water based leave in and under a cream or butter.
- On skin it is used as a straightforward moisturiser, though some find it too heavy for the face.
- Patch test first, and note that low porosity hair may not absorb it well and anyone with a coconut allergy should avoid it.
Coconut oil carries a whole climate in a jar. Scoop a little out and the scent alone can call up market stalls, home cooking and grandmothers rubbing oil into hair on a Sunday, a small ritual passed down without much fuss.
That is part of why it stays on so many bathroom shelves. It is humble and familiar, it does a few things well, and it links a modern wash day routine back to the way skin and hair have been cared for at home for a very long time.
What Coconut Oil Actually Is
Coconut oil is the oil pressed from the white flesh of the coconut, and it has been a kitchen and beauty staple across the tropics for generations. At cool room temperature it sits solid and creamy white, and it melts to a clear liquid as soon as it warms in your hands or in a warm room, which is part of what makes it so easy to work into hair and skin.
You will usually see two kinds on the shelf. Virgin coconut oil is pressed from fresh coconut without heavy processing, keeps its soft coconut scent, and is the one most people reach for on hair and skin. Refined coconut oil is processed further, so it has little smell and a plainer feel. Both are the same core oil, and the choice tends to come down to whether you like the coconut aroma. It sits comfortably alongside other traditional beauty staples used on textured hair and skin, and it is worth remembering it is a grooming ingredient rather than a cure for anything.
How to Use Coconut Oil on Afro and Textured Hair
On Afro and textured hair, coconut oil earns its place in two main ways. The first is as a pre wash treatment, sometimes called a pre poo. You warm a little between your palms, work it through dry or damp hair from the mid lengths to the ends, leave it on for anywhere from twenty minutes to a few hours, then shampoo as usual. Many people find this takes some of the strip and squeak out of wash day and makes detangling gentler.
The second is as a sealing oil. After you have added moisture, on damp hair with a water based leave in, a light layer of coconut oil over the lengths and ends helps slow water loss and keeps hair feeling soft for longer. This is the oil step in the LOC method, which stands for Liquid, Oil and Cream: you start with your water based leave in, add the oil to seal, then a cream or butter such as shea butter to lock everything down. Use a small amount, because a little goes a long way and too much can leave hair looking greasy or weighed down. As general grooming guidance rather than proven fact, some people with low porosity hair find coconut oil sits on top rather than soaking in, so if your hair feels coated or heavy, a lighter oil may suit you better.
How to Use Coconut Oil on Skin
On skin, coconut oil is used as a simple, inexpensive moisturiser. Smoothed onto slightly damp skin after a bath or shower, it helps soften and seal in moisture, and many people like it on drier areas such as elbows, knees and legs. A common routine is to cleanse with something gentle like African black soap and then follow with a light layer of oil while the skin is still a little damp. Warm a small amount between your hands first so it melts and spreads thinly.
A patch test is sensible before you use it more widely: dab a little on the inside of your forearm and wait a day to check you do not react. Coconut oil is not a food allergy concern for most people, but anyone with a known coconut allergy should avoid it. Some also find it too heavy or too rich for facial skin, so if your face feels clogged or looks shinier than you would like, keep it to the body. This is general cosmetic and grooming information, not medical advice, so if you have a skin condition, speak to a pharmacist or doctor.
Where to Buy Coconut Oil in the UK
Coconut oil is widely sold, and African and Caribbean beauty supply shops are a natural place to look, often stocking it near the shea butter and black soap, in the larger tubs that suit hair and body care rather than the small cooking jars. Buying in person lets you check whether a jar is virgin or refined, have a smell of it, and ask staff how others in your area use it. You can find beauty supply shops near you and visit one that stocks it.
World food shops and supermarkets carry coconut oil too, though the food grade jars are usually smaller. For hair and skin, the pure, unscented or naturally scented virgin oil is what you want, rather than anything blended with added fragrance.
Frequently asked questions
Is coconut oil good for Afro and textured hair?
Many people find coconut oil useful on Afro and textured hair, mainly as a pre wash treatment to make wash day gentler and as a sealing oil to lock in moisture. It suits a lot of hair, but not everyone. As general grooming guidance, low porosity hair can struggle to absorb it, so if your hair feels coated or heavy, a lighter oil may work better for you.
How do you use coconut oil as a pre poo?
Warm a small amount between your palms until it melts, then work it through dry or damp hair from the mid lengths to the ends, where hair is oldest and driest. Leave it on for twenty minutes to a few hours, then shampoo and condition as usual. Many people find this makes detangling easier and leaves hair feeling less stripped after washing.
Can you use coconut oil on your face and skin?
Coconut oil is often used as a simple body moisturiser, smoothed onto slightly damp skin to soften and seal in moisture. Some people use it on the face too, but others find it too heavy or rich there, so keep it to the body if your face feels clogged. Patch test first, and note this is general cosmetic information, not medical advice.
Is coconut oil safe to use?
For most people coconut oil is a gentle cosmetic oil, but do a patch test first by dabbing a little on the inside of your forearm and waiting a day to check you do not react. It is not a food allergy concern for most people, though anyone with a coconut allergy should avoid it. This is general cosmetic and grooming information, not medical advice, so see a pharmacist or doctor about any skin or scalp condition.
Where can I buy coconut oil in the UK?
African and Caribbean beauty supply shops are an easy place to find coconut oil in the larger tubs suited to hair and body care, often near the shea butter and black soap, and world food shops and supermarkets stock it too. Buying in person lets you check whether it is virgin or refined and ask for advice. African Stores lists beauty supply shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks coconut oil.