"Nicole Richie's weekend hair trick sounds crazy, but trust me: it's actually genius."

That rainbow-haired vixen, Nicole Richie, has done it again. Never one to shy away from, well, anything, the reality TV star has shared an extreme beauty secret: she likes to put coconut oil in her hair as a treatment… and leave it in for two days.

Yikes! That’s a long time. Or is it? The fashion mogul and mother of two says, “It just looks like product.”

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She describes her coconutty routine thus: “On the weekends, I soak [my hair] in raw coconut oil and slick it back for two days.” And this is after a week of not washing her hair. The result? Nicole reports: “My hair responds well to it, and it’s easy.”

So, is this crazy or genius?

Well, believe it or not, we’re definitely Team Nicole on this one. As the 33-year-old says, coconut oil can be used as a leave-in treatment, adding gloss, softness and moisture to hair. It’s natural and easy. Who wouldn’t try it?

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The reason why coconut oil has such outrageously good results is because, unlike other oils and treatments, it can actually penetrate the hair shaft. This strengthens the hair, and keeps it strong, too, because the oil stays “inside” the hair strand. Isn’t it great when natural products can produce supernatural results? (Post continues after gallery...)

To try this yourself, grab a jar of virgin, unrefined coconut oil from the supermarket, and massage tablespoons of it into your hair. Don’t worry if the oil is solid; as you work it through your hair, it will slowly melt and ooze amongst the strands. I use enough oil that my whole head of hair is coated, but not dripping.

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I usually tie my hair up in a bun, and leave the oil in for a few hours. Upon washing it out, my hair is ultra-shiny, bunny-soft and it just smells delightful. Keep in mind, though, you’ll probably need to shampoo it twice to get it all out.

When my hair was bleached a light brown, I relied on my coconut oil treatments to keep my hair looking healthy and natural. I’ve read that it can even be used as a leave-in, pre-bleach treatment. Check with your hairdresser, but I’ve also heard that if you leave coconut oil in your hair for a day, and then turn up to the hairdresser with it still in your hair, the strands of hair remain protected during the bleaching process.

Personally, I don’t think leaving coconut oil in your hair for two days is really necessary. One day, max, should suffice — but you do you, okay?

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As for using coconut oil as a hair styling product, well, it sounds outlandish, but it also works.

It’s perfect for creating a wet, slicked-back look. In fact, if I were to create a wet-look for my hair, I wouldn’t even use the dozens of hair styling products on the market – I’d reach for my trusty jar of coconut oil. Of course, I'd wet my hair first, before applying the coconut oil.

Ta-da! The coconut oil is doing double-duty: your hair will look chic, and you'll be sneakily wearing a hair mask at the same time.

I have tried coconut oil for other hair styling purposes, but have found that it wasn’t the ideal product. I’ve used it to tame flyaways and make my ends less frizzy, and it worked initially, but as the day wore on, my hair just looked greasy. But it may work on your hair as we all have different textures.

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And, if all else fails, you can use your leftover coconut oil to whip up a mean batch of vegan buttercream frosting. If you can’t beat them, eat them, right?

Have you ever put coconut oil - or anything else strange - in your hair as a treatment? Share your secrets in the comments!

For colourful hair that's subtle, look no further than Instagram hair. It's inspired by Instagram filters.