Is Coconut Oil Bad or What? The Truth About Coconut Oil

Coconut oil works great for high porosity hair that loses moisture quickly and fine to medium hair that needs shine and protein protection, but it is terrible for low porosity hair that struggles to absorb moisture and coarse or protein sensitive hair that gets stiff and brittle. The difference comes down to your hair's porosity and protein sensitivity: coconut oil penetrates deeply and adds protein, which helps some hair types and destroys others. I am going to show you exactly who should use it, who should avoid it, and how to use it if it is right for your hair.

Coconut oil is everywhere. Celebrities swear by it. Beauty influencers call it a holy grail. Your favorite TikTok guru probably has a video about it. But here is the truth: coconut oil is not a miracle product for everyone. For some people, it transforms their hair. For others, it makes everything worse.

I'm Bri, a stylist at The Warehouse Salon in Fairfield. I have seen people waste money on coconut oil treatments that ruined their hair because nobody told them it was not right for their hair type. I have also seen it work beautifully when used correctly on the right hair.

Let me tell you about two clients who had completely opposite experiences with coconut oil.

When Coconut Oil Was a Game Changer

My client Maria is a 31 year old teacher in Caldwell with fine, high porosity hair. Her hair absorbed moisture quickly but lost it just as fast. By the end of the day, her hair looked dry and frizzy even though she used hydrating products.

"Bri, I feel like my hair drinks up conditioner and then spits it back out an hour later," she said. "Nothing holds moisture. Should I try coconut oil? Everyone online says it is amazing."

I looked at her hair. High porosity, fine texture, not protein sensitive. Coconut oil could actually work for her because it seals the cuticle and prevents moisture loss. Her hair needed a barrier to keep hydration in.

"For your hair, yes," I told her. "But we need to use it the right way. Small amounts, on your ends only, and not every day."

When Coconut Oil Was a Disaster

Then there is my client Jen. She is a 28 year old nurse in Montclair with thick, low porosity, coarse hair. She tried coconut oil after seeing it all over Instagram. It made her hair feel like straw.

"I did a coconut oil mask overnight like everyone said to do," she told me. "The next day my hair felt disgusting. Stiff, sticky, impossible to wash out. I had to shampoo it three times and it still felt coated. What did I do wrong?"

I looked at her hair. Low porosity, protein sensitive. Coconut oil was the worst thing she could have used. Her hair cuticles are tightly closed, so the oil sat on top instead of absorbing. Plus, coconut oil is high in protein, and her hair gets brittle with too much protein.

"You did not do anything wrong," I said. "Coconut oil is just not right for your hair type. It is never going to work for you no matter how you use it."

Who Should Actually Use Coconut Oil

If You Have High Porosity Hair

High porosity hair has cuticles that are open or damaged. It absorbs moisture quickly but also loses it quickly. Coconut oil acts as a sealant, locking moisture in and preventing it from escaping.

Maria has high porosity hair from years of heat styling and coloring. Coconut oil transformed her hair because it finally gave her cuticles something to hold onto. Her moisture stayed in instead of evaporating.

This works for any hair texture, curly or straight, as long as you have high porosity.

If You Have Fine to Medium Hair

Fine to medium hair benefits from coconut oil because it enhances shine and protects against protein loss during washing. A little goes a long way with fine hair. Too much will weigh it down.

Maria has fine hair, so I told her to use tiny amounts. A dime sized amount for her whole head, focusing on ends. That is it.

Who Should Skip Coconut Oil Completely

If You Have Low Porosity Hair

Low porosity hair has tightly closed cuticles that struggle to absorb moisture. Coconut oil cannot penetrate. It just sits on the surface, creating buildup and making your hair feel greasy and coated.

Jen has low porosity hair. The coconut oil never absorbed. It just sat there, attracting dirt and making her hair feel heavy. Then she had to clarify it out, which stripped her hair and left her back at square one with dry hair all over again.

If you have low porosity hair, skip coconut oil entirely. Use lighter oils like argan or jojoba that can actually penetrate your cuticle.

If You Have Coarse or Protein Sensitive Hair

Coconut oil is high in protein. If your hair is already rich in protein or gets stiff and brittle with protein treatments, coconut oil will make it worse. Your strands will feel hard and snap off.

Jen's hair is protein sensitive. The coconut oil made it feel like straw because it added protein her hair did not need. Any hair type can be protein sensitive, curly or straight. It is not about texture, it is about how your hair reacts to protein.

How to Use Coconut Oil If It Is Right for Your Hair

Okay, so you have high porosity hair or fine to medium hair that is not protein sensitive. Here is how to actually use coconut oil without making a mess.

Overnight Mask

Apply coconut oil in sections, focusing on the ends, not the scalp. Unless your scalp is very dry, skip it on your roots. Cover with a shower cap and wash out in the morning.

Maria does this once a week. She warms a small amount of coconut oil in her hands, applies it to her ends, wraps her hair in a silk scarf, and sleeps on it. In the morning, she shampoos twice to get it all out.

Pre Shampoo Treatment

Apply coconut oil 15 to 30 minutes before you shampoo to minimize protein loss during washing. This is especially good for fragile or damaged hair.

Maria does this before she colors her hair or uses clarifying shampoo. The coconut oil protects her hair from getting stripped too much.

Conditioner Booster

Mix a tiny amount of coconut oil with your regular conditioner to boost moisture. Apply as usual and rinse thoroughly.

Use a pea sized amount mixed into your conditioner. Any more and it will be hard to rinse out.

Figure Out If Coconut Oil Is Right for You

The key is understanding your hair's porosity and protein sensitivity. You cannot just slather coconut oil on and hope for the best. You need to know if your hair can actually use it.

Test Your Porosity

Take a clean strand of hair and drop it in a glass of water. If it sinks quickly, you have high porosity. If it floats, you have low porosity. If it sinks slowly, you have normal porosity.

High porosity hair can probably use coconut oil. Low porosity hair should skip it.

Test Your Protein Sensitivity

Use a protein treatment or product with protein and see how your hair reacts. If it feels stronger and more elastic, you need protein. If it feels stiff, hard, or brittle, you are protein sensitive.

Protein sensitive hair should avoid coconut oil completely.

What Happened With Maria and Jen

Maria started using coconut oil once a week as a pre shampoo treatment. Her hair holds moisture better now. It looks shinier and feels softer. The coconut oil sealed her cuticles and stopped moisture from escaping.

"My hair used to be frizzy by noon," she said. "Now it stays smooth all day."

Jen stopped using coconut oil completely. She switched to lighter oils like argan that her low porosity hair can actually absorb. Her hair feels soft and hydrated now instead of coated and stiff.

"I wasted so much time trying to make coconut oil work because everyone online said it was amazing," she said. "I wish someone had told me it just was not for my hair type."

Your Coconut Oil Questions

Can I use coconut oil if I have curly hair?

It depends on your porosity and protein sensitivity, not your curl pattern. I have curly haired clients who love coconut oil and curly haired clients who hate it. Test your porosity first. High porosity curly hair usually loves coconut oil. Low porosity curly hair hates it.

How much coconut oil should I use?

Way less than you think. Start with a dime sized amount for medium length hair. You can always add more, but too much is hard to wash out. Fine hair needs even less, like a pea sized amount.

Why does coconut oil make my hair feel hard and stiff?

You are probably protein sensitive. Coconut oil is high in protein, and protein sensitive hair gets brittle with too much protein. Stop using it and switch to a protein free oil like argan or jojoba. Your hair will feel softer immediately. If you are not sure if you are protein sensitive, come see me and I can assess your hair.

Use Coconut Oil Only If It Is Right for Your Hair

Coconut oil is not a miracle product. It works beautifully for some hair types and ruins others. Maria's hair loves it because she has high porosity. Jen's hair hates it because she has low porosity and is protein sensitive.

Stop following trends blindly. Figure out your hair's needs first, then decide if coconut oil makes sense for you. If it does not, that is okay. There are plenty of other oils that will work better.

At The Warehouse Salon, we use a variety of natural oils for different hair types. Coconut oil is part of our selection in products like Apira, where it is balanced with other hydrating ingredients to suit a wider range of hair needs.

If you are confused about what oils or products are right for your hair, book a consultation. I can assess your porosity, protein sensitivity, and damage level, and recommend exactly what will work. Follow me on Instagram @themanebri for more product tips.

Book at The Warehouse Salon in Fairfield at 1275 Bloomfield Ave, Building 1, Unit 3 by calling 973-500-4536.

The right oil changes everything.