Use coconut oil for shiny curls

Feel envious of those with smooth silky hair when your own curly mop turns into a frizzy, unruly mess? Well, there's hope. Curly hair requires more care and attention than straight hair but at the end of the day, it will all be worth it; shiny, natural curls can look as good, or even better than dead straight locks, when set properly. Frizz on the hair is an indication that the hair lacks moisture and oil content. The reasons could be many, from a dry climate, chemical treatments, excessive blow-drying, over-exposure to the sun, lack of proper water intake/nutrition, even stress. A quick solution would be generous use of hair serum but serum only coats the hair and is of no use in the long term. But no, you don't have to spend thousands on high-end products or hair spas for healthy, moisturised hair. The best answer is right under our noses, which is totally free of side-effects, chemical free and inexpensive - coconut oil. Unlike mineral oils, coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft and replaces natural moisture in the hair. "The benefits of coconut oil for the scalp and hair have been mentioned in ancient ayurveda as well," says Dr Sureshkumar, an ayurveda doctor. "It also has a cooling effect." Give your hair a hot oil massage and leave it on for at least an hour. Follow with a mild shampoo but do not blow dry. An additional tip would be to comb your hair with a wide toothed comb before it dries. Coconut milk is also a good alternative but again, it takes a bit more of effort. Grind a coconut in a blender. Add lemon juice to this and refrigerate. After a while a layer of cream will form on the top. Apply this to your hair and cover the head with a hot towel. Wash off with shampoo after an hour. This concoction is even said to relax tight curls and make them more manageable. Do any of these treatments once a week and you are assured of frizz-free, healthy curls!