The overwhelming amount of “all-natural, at home” remedies and recipes that the media says “Everyone should try!” can sometimes drives readers nuts. It’s almost impossible to discern which fad is ACTUALLY the healthiest and best for you. I’m the type of person who loves to try all these DIY money saving health and beauty concoctions, but I absolutely wasting the time, money, and energy on making up mixtures that simply do not work.
Being a woman is exhausting, and I was about ready to give up on trying all these all-natural fads for good. But then I found coconut oil, and it’s my new go to for just about everything. Coconut oil is just about the closest thing to a magical elixir that exists in the world. I personally like to buy the organic, unrefined extra virgin coconut oil from Hyvee. However, there are many different types that you can purchase depending on what you want to use it for and how much you are willing to spend. You can use coconut oil for just about anything, but I love to use it as a deep conditioning agent in my hair, a moisturizer for my skin, and as a healthy alternative to olive oil in my food.
Hair
If you have super dry hair and it is feeling a little frizzy, using a coconut oil treatment on it is perfect for you! Wet your hair and comb it out with a fine-toothed comb. Scoop out a tablespoon sized dollop of coconut oil onto your palm. The consistency should go from solid to liquid in a matter of seconds, as your body heat melts the coconut oil. I would recommend using it as a night treatment, and washing it in the morning, but leaving it in for about a half an hour before rinsing it also does the trick (less effective, but it works). It makes a HUGE difference with my hair, leaving it feeling less damaged, soft and smooth.
Skin Rejuvenation
I’m from Arizona, and with the dry, hot summers and the dry, cold winters, I’m always in need of a skin moisturizer to keep my skin from transforming into scaly alligator skin. Following the same directions as with the hair, grab as much coconut oil from the jar as needed, warm it up between your hands, and apply it on your arms and legs. I only like to use it at night because it’s super greasy and will rub off on everything, but I love the baby smooth skin that I get once I shower and it rinses off.
Cooking
This is the most fun use for coconut oil, as there are literally limitless options for you to try out. Use coconut oil as a replacement for regular cooking oil. It is healthier, organic, does not contain those dreaded and pesky trans fats, and is gluten free! When making homemade dressings, baked goods, even an interesting twist on pasta! It smells really good and adds a different spin on classic recipes!
If you’re interested in trying coconut oil yourself, you can go ahead and order it on Amazon or check it out at Whole Foods! You can also read up more about the health benefits here!
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