Ditch the harmful chemicals found in your everyday beauty products, and quench your skin and hair’s thirst with one of nature’s finest gifts: coconut oil. For a price of around $10, you can get many uses out of a jar of this nutritious and versatile oil. Make sure to buy the organic, cold-pressed, extra virgin version of the oil to use it in its purest form.
1. Face moisturizer/Facial wash – I have gone through many store-brand moisturizers that actually dried out my skin. Coconut oil makes a good facial moisturizer because not only does it provide vitamin E and has been praised for its anti-aging properties, but in my experience, it has not clogged my pores. Its natural antibacterial properties also make this a great cleanser.
2. Hair – Take care of frizz and damaged hair by applying a small amount to those stubborn baby hairs or ends. This can also be used as a hair mask by applying like a conditioner and leaving it in for twenty minutes or longer. The longer you leave it in, the more time you allow the oil to deeply penetrate your hair and reverse damage. It’s also anti-fungal which can clear dandruff.
3. Food – Use this as a nutritious alternative to other oils or butters. You can use it when your baking, sautéing, frying. Add it to smoothies for a thicker consistency or simply spread it across toast.
4. Makeup Remover – Apply some coconut oil on a cotton pad or directly use it on your face to remove the toughest, waterproof makeup.
5. Oil Pulling – Used in ancient Ayurvedic medicine, this process involves swishing around a tablespoon of the oil in your mouth for twenty minutes. Do this on an empty stomach and before you brush your teeth. It claims to remove toxins in your body, gives you whiter teeth, better breath, cavity prevention, good for your gum health and even improves hangovers. DON’T swallow or gargle because you don’t want the toxins to stay in your body. Also make sure to spit it in the trash and not the sink as it can clog your drain. This process can also be combined with some drops of oregano for good gum health. If you do this while the oil is in a solid, your saliva will combine and liquefy it to make it easier to swish around. Be gentle since you will be doing this for 20 minutes and vigorous motions may stiffen your jaw. I like to do other things like finish getting ready for class while the oil is still in my mouth, to make the time pass faster.
6. Body Scrub – For a natural, moisturizing, and exfoliating experience, combine equal parts of coconut oil with sugar (preferably coconut sugar) to make a natural, inexpensive body scrub.
7. Nails – Simply rubbing a small amount of coconut oil to the cuticles will help to moisturizer and condition them while aiding in the growth of stronger, healthier nails.
8. Coffee – Instead of using creamers that have many artificial ingredients, opt for a spoonful of coconut oil with cinnamon and vanilla for a more nutritious alternative.
9. Sun Screen – The chemicals in sunscreen actually do more harm than good by blocking the good ultraviolet sun rays called, UVB which aid in vitamin D production. Use coconut oil which doesn’t entirely block UVB, but stills adds protection from the sun without the toxic properties.
10. Dogs – Take some coconut oil in your hands and rub it to warm and liquefy (if it isn’t already). Apply this to your pet’s fur in areas where he gets fleas and those itchy pests will disappear. You can also incorporate it into your dog’s diet by adding a quarter of a teaspoon to small dogs and puppies or one teaspoon to large dogs. It should improve digestion among the many other benefits.
11. Shaving Cream – For a smoother shave, exfoliate first, then use the oil as a shaving cream.
12. Body Oil – The antioxidants found in coconut oil make an ideal body moisturizer after the shower. It has been said to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars with its healing and soothing functions.
13. Topical uses – Coconut oil’s anti-microbial trait has the ability to aid in healing wounds, killing yeast infections, and reducing the itch from insect bites.
14. For psoriasis, eczema, or sunburn – As if it didn’t do everything already, coconut oil is anti-inflammatory which works great in soothing skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, or sunburn.
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