DIY: How to make coconut oil

Coconut oil
Eyin temi,

When I cut my hair April, 2016, I began to read hair blogs and watch YouTube videos on how to care for natural hair. I found an article on the benefit of coconut oil and I knew I had to have it. Here in Western Nigeria, coconut oil is sold in the local market as 'Idi agbon'. I used it at one point as a child but didn't think much about its useful for my hair or skin. Guys, I think coconut oil and shea butter are the unappreciated skincare heros in Nigeria. 

So I bought a 75 cl bottle of coconut oil (idi agbon) from the local market for two thousand naira (2k) and it didn't smell like coconut. I wanted to buy the branded one but the price of branded coconut oil is scary guys. I saw a jar for 6k and I'm like in this Buhari government, hell to da no! So I decided I'll make my very own coconut oil.

Coconut oil is a light oil and it's wonderful because it penetrates the hair shaft. Your hair will soak it all up unlike some other oils that coat the hair. I find it very useful for hot oil treatment or as a deep conditioner. The first time I did the coconut oil hair mask (click to watch the video), my hair didn't break on the comb, it stretched and stretched but it didn't break and it also left my hair soft and shiny. 

I also use the oil for my skin as you noticed in the DIY:Whipped Shea Butter post that I added coconut oil to the mix. I find it very light for the skin too. It moisturizes my skin. It doesn't leave my skin greasy or make me feel very hot and uncomfortable after use. I also hear it's good at preventing stretch marks (maybe why my skin isn't covered in stretch marks). Plus during harmattan (dry season), it cared for my elbows, knees and feet

I have a friend, Toyosi, who uses coconut oil to cook. She tells me all the time that coconut oil is healthier than vegetable oil. If you use coconut oil to cook, please share in the comments.

So are you ready to make your own coconut oil? I made mine with just 500naira.

Things I used to make coconut oil
  1.  I used 4 coconuts. I bought 5 coconuts for five hundred naira but one was bad so I ended up using four
  2.  A blender 
  3.  A sieve
  4. A muslin cloth. I didn't have this at home so I improvised and used a chiffon top
  5. Bowls
  6. A knife to cut the coconut flesh into to smaller pieces to blend
Let me show you how in steps

Step 1: I broke the coconut and extracted its flesh. I found out that if its mature coconut, the flesh easily comes off. I didn't know that before I made coconut oil. Gosh all those years of struggling with the coconut, I have a scar on my little finger from one of such struggles

Step 2: I cut the coconut flesh into smaller pieces to blend. If you don't have a blender, you can grate the coconut (I don't envy you though, grating coconut flesh is hard work)

Step 3: I boiled water to use to blend the coconut flesh. So I read somewhere that warm water helps bring out more coconut milk from the coconut flesh

Step 4: I blend the coconut flesh. I did this more than once. I would blend then pour it in a sieve to separate the milk from the shaft. Put the shaft back in the blender and blend again to get more milk out. I did this twice so I got a lot of milk from the coconut flesh

Step 5: I then sieve the milk to remove any particles or shaft in it. I did this twice with the sieve and twice with the chiffon top (please if you have the muslin cloth, use it)



Sorry this picture isn't so good

Step 6: I put the milk in the fridge overnight to solidify. After a while you will notice that the oil will separate from the water.

Step 7: Good morning guys. Go get your coconut milk out of the fridge. Now what I did was scoop the whitish oil part on the top off. Try not the stir it. Just scoop it off. That's the part you need for Step 8


Step 8: I then put the whitish oil in a frying pan and left it till I saw the oil and then some golden brown particles in it. Once you see the golden brown particles, you're done.


Step 9: I poured the oil out of the pan into a plate to cool and then use the chiffon top to sieve any particles.

Step 10: Then I transferred my coconut oil into a easy to use bottle and viola! c'est fini. I had my very own coconut oil.

I want to add that I didn't get enough oil at first so I decided to boil the WHOLE coconut milk. I just poured everything in a pot and left it to boil. I kept checking it though. I used the same process in Step 8. So I got more oil eventually as you can see in the picture.

In all I spent 500naira to make my coconut oil and I'm sure of what is in it. 

You can use this oil for your hair, skin and cooking your meals. I don't suggest you use it to fry food because of the quantity you may need to fry and how coconut oil reacts in high temperature.

This coconut oil is different from virgin or cold pressed coconut oil. I'll show you how to make that in another post.


Sharing is caring guys, share the post with your family and friends and let me and others know how you use coconut oil.


3 comments

  1. I didn't know you can make coconut oil yourself. It's quite affordable here though 500g for £2.50. I love your writing, your sense of humour always show through. 👍👍👍
    I will share it on my Facebook wall for my naija friends who tell me how oil is in Naija

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    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot Kenny. I appreciate the support.

      Delete
  2. WOW! This is amazing

    www.raetalks.co.uk

    ReplyDelete