Curry Leaves in Coconut Oil: Pure natural goodness for Thick, Luscious Hair

A good many of you might have come across or even be using this heaven-sent recipe for your gorgeous mane.

I was introduced to this Ayurvedic recipe by an organic, natural beauty brand that I love.

You can read more in-depth about the properties of both our classic ingredients today and why they work so well together, HERE. That article explains the scientific aspect of it.

You obviously cannot buy this concoction at any store, so you have to make it yourself at home. I love me a good DIY, homemade recipe that works wonders like this oil.

Let me give you a lowdown about my hair before we start. I have waist length hair now after years of letting it grow out. I got an extreme pixie cut once and have not cut my hair ever since, which means roughly 3 years. I can’t even remember when I last cut my hair because it is very rare that I do but it is in a nice layered form now. It’s long, thick and black (I have never coloured my hair before).

Now, for the truth about how I damaged my hair. I have been rebonding my hair ever since I was in high school, about once a year. I have wavy, coarse hair and I only did it because I wanted the silky, soft texture not because I liked straight hair. In my university days, I used to curl my hair with a straightening iron every single day. The straightener worked so much better than the curling thong to give me natural-looking, voluminous curls.

Heat, heat, heat and more heat! Led to the damaged ends, the last 2 inches of my hair looked fried and horrifyingly dry. It got to a really serious stage when my hair started to fall out a lot (although it was not noticeable because my hair is very thick) and I would feel so insecure unless I used the straightener to temporarily make it look alright.

At that point, I was really interested in looking for a natural remedy which was how I found this recipe.

My hair grows faster and my dried ends are unheard of ever since I started using this oil. What I like to do is massage the oil into my scalp and throughout the length of my hair before I go to bed. I leave it in overnight and wash the next day. I have been enjoying the results so much that I leave it in for longer periods most of the time.

I have stopped using all other hair treatment products and just stick to this and my usual shampoo and conditioner. I love how it nourishes my hair, leaving it healthy and thick with hardly any hairfall. I heard that it helps with premature greying as well.

Another tip based on my experience, shampoo twice to remove any oiliness.

Let’s begin!

You need about 30-40 curry leaves and 100 ml of coconut oil  or as much as you like. Remember, this is not a fixed recipe and honestly, the more curry leaves you use, the more gorgeous your oil will smell.

Here’s what the curry leaves will look like once they’re dried (pic below). They will get crispy and roll up. I usually just put them under the hot sun, and it takes hardly an hour to completely dry. However, if you live in a colder country you can leave them to dry indoors. It may take slightly longer but you will get the same effect.

Next, get an empty glass bottle. I recycled my spaghetti sauce bottle (pic below) which works great for this purpose. Any good, clean glass bottle will do. This is a homemade recipe so it’s supposed to be cost-effective which is why I find buying a fancy bottle defeats the entire purpose.

Once the leaves are dried, put them into the bottle.

Now heat up the coconut oil in a pan on your stove. That’s how I do it. It only takes a minute or two to heat up. Once it’s hot, pour it into the bottle carefully.

This is what it looks like once the oil has been poured in (pic below).

Allow the oil to soak overnight. You will not believe how the smell of it will change once infused with curry leaves. It’s got the most beautiful, natural scent.

I have been actively using this oil once a week for about a year now and my hair is in it’s most beautiful state: Long, silky and strong. I do believe that the natural way is always the best way. I hope that you will be able to revive your hair using this recipe and let me know how you get along with it or if you require more details. 

NOTE: This is a traditional recipe that has been used for centuries. There are hundreds of interpretations to it and this is the version that I feel works best for me. Feel free to experiment with the recipe and tailor it to your own needs.