The Type of Coconut Oil to Avoid If You Don't Want a Breakout

This depends on the type of coconut oil you're using, though. "Different oil extraction methods used by coconut oil brands, usually involving heat, change the pH of the oil itself, and the pH can greatly affect the efficacy of a hair product or treatment," Kenyon said. "For instance, when we do a single process hair color, we are using a developer, or peroxide, to open the hair cuticle so that we can successfully deposit the hair color inside the hair cuticle. We then use ingredients and products with a low pH to close the cuticle, sealing in the color. The varying methods of oil extraction and different degrees of heat make raw coconut oil unpredictable and effectively unreliable as a hair treatment."