By now, you're well acquainted with the bountiful benefits of coconut oil – but did you know there's another coco-licious ingredient that's just as much of a powerhouse for soft, luscious locks?
Coconut extract is the hydrating, strengthening, split-end-defeating ingredient your strands have been craving. And today, we're putting this haircare hero under the ring light to give it the attention it desperately deserves!
Extracted from the humble coconut, this natural elixir is making waves in the haircare industry – offering a hat-full of benefits you'd be (coco)nuts to miss out on. Read on to discover the wonders of coconut extract and how (and why) to use it in your routine.
What is coconut extract?
So, first thing’s first. What is coconut extract – and how does it differ from that other hair- and skincare fave, coconut oil? Appearing on an ingredients list as Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, coconut extract is just as beneficial as its cousin coconut oil.
Like coconut oil, coconut extract nourishes and strengthens the hair follicles and can repair dry and brittle hair when used regularly. It just comes from another part of the fruit.
While coconut oil is extracted from the kernel, coconut extract comes from the coconut meat – the white, fleshy part you can eat (yum). It’s the key ingredient in our cult Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Hair Masque, referred to as AcquaSeal® Coconut due to its exceptional ability to lock moisture in your strands.
Is coconut extract the same as coconut oil?
Coconut extract and coconut oil, while both derived from the same fruit, serve different purposes in beauty products. Coconut extract, obtained from the meat of the coconut, is a concentrated liquid used primarily for its hydrating properties and tropical scent in skincare. In contrast, coconut oil, which is pressed from the coconut meat, is rich in fatty acids and known for its deep moisturizing and nourishing benefits in both skincare and haircare. Understanding this distinction can help you choose the right product for your beauty needs, whether you're seeking hydration or nourishment.
What are the benefits of coconut extract for hair?
Whether your hair is dull, dry or ravaged by heat styling and city life, coconut extract is here to help. Rich in fatty acids, AcquaSeal® Coconut provides intense moisture and hydration for parched strands. But the benefits don’t end there! Let’s take a closer look at this smoothing and strengthening wonder.
1. Moisturises and hydrates
One of the primary reasons coconut extract has become a haircare staple is its exceptional ability to moisturise and hydrate. Rich in fatty acids, it works wonders in restoring moisture and revitalising strands. Used regularly, it’s your secret weapon for transforming parched, lifeless locks into a cascade of soft, hydrated tresses!
2. Strengthens and protects against pollution
Hair is composed of a protein called keratin, and external factors such as heat styling, chemical treatments, and environmental damage can lead to protein loss, resulting in weakened and brittle strands. Enter our haircare hero, coconut.
More than a moisturising marvel, coconut extract has been hailed for its ability to reduce protein loss in hair, effectively strengthening the hair fibres. Forming a protective barrier on your strands, it also protects against environmental stressors such as ever-present pollution.
3. Boosts shine, smooths and prevents split ends
Hydration is crucial to prevent split ends and fight frizz – and coconut extract handily seals the cuticle to make sure precious moisture won’t escape. Smoothing your strands and supercharging shine, it improves the softness and elasticity of the hair. This in turn helps reduce damage and prevents those pesky split ends from ruining your day.
4. Repairs damage and reduces breakage
One of nature’s hardest working conditioning agents, coconut extract tames tangles and improves combability for a reduction in snagging and breakage. Packed with vitamins and minerals, it’s renowned for its reparative properties. Regular use can help your strands maintain their structural integrity and revitalise strands. Meaning? You’ll soon be admiring your healthier, more resilient hair.
How to use coconut extract for hair
While you can apply coconut oil straight from the jar to nourish hair and skin, it’s more potent (and less messy) when combined with other strand-loving ingredients in haircare products and treatments like masks. And the same goes for coconut extract.
For the ultimate hydrating and softening hair routine, double (or triple) down on the good stuff with a coconut-enriched shampoo, conditioner and hair mask. You’ll find all three in our Deep Condition Bundle – and save when you purchase products in the set!
Ideal for thirsty strands, the Coco & Eve Super Hydrating Shampoo is enriched with coconut oil and free from stripping sulphates. Gently cleansing the hair, it also delivers 26 times more hydration with ResistHyalTM Hyaluronic Acid technology.
For your regular, day-to-day routine, follow up with the coco-charged Super Hydrating Cream Conditioner to moisturise and detangle. Or, for an intensive deep conditioning treatment one to three times per week, apply our ultra-nourishing Like A Virgin Hair Masque – powered by AcquaSeal® Coconut.
To use, apply the mask to the mid-lengths and ends of freshly shampooed, towel-dried hair. Comb it through your hair using our tangle tamer, leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
Or apply before bed, cover with our microfibre towel wrap, and wash out in the morning to transform super dry and damaged strands into soft, silky locks! For more on coconut extract and oil, read Coco & Eve’s guide on properly applying coconut oil!
Written By: Pip Jarvis
Edited By: Iris
