For years I have had a big pot of coconut oil in the kitchen cupboard. I first bought it to cook with during one of my many health kicks. Coconut oil is a great oil to use for cooking due to its high smoke point and health benefits. It is known to contain essential fats and vitamins all needed as part of a healthy diet. However, I have discovered so many other uses for coconut oil in my daily life and beauty regime that make it so much more than just another cooking oil.
Makeup Remover
Coconut oil is one of the best makeup removers, if not the best. Admittedly any oil will remove makeup but not all oils are kind to the eyes (trust me I have tried!) Coconut oil is so soft and gentle it doesn’t irritate the eyes whilst it removes every last trace of make-up. Even waterproof mascara. No more waking up in the morning with panda eyes adamant you had removed all make up the night before.
Facial Cleanser
As well as removing the makeup coconut oil is an amazing facial cleanser. Some people are really nervous about putting an oil on their already oily skin. But here’s the thing; if you have oily skin then putting oil onto the skin is exactly what you should be doing. We all have natural oils that the skin produces; some of us have more than others. Each time we wash our faces with soaps and other chemical products our natural oils are washed away. This, in turn, causes our skin to produce more oil to replace the stuff that has been washed away. It becomes a vicious cycle that leads to super oily skin and lots of spots. By cleansing your face with coconut oil you are not washing away the natural oils of your skin, simply the daily dirt is removed. This leads to softer, more moisturised and less spotty skin. I have also found my pores are much smaller and fewer since using coconut oil.
Heat Rashes & Eczema
The coconut oil instantly soothes the pain of heat rash and calms the redness. With just one application the heat rash will often disappear, for really bad heat rash it may need to be applied a few times.
My two girls don’t suffer horrendously with eczema (not like some children I have seen) but they do get it. We have tried all sorts of creams both prescribed and over the counter but the only thing that consistently works is coconut oil. Of course as will all things this may not be a cure for everyone’s eczema but I certainly recommend giving it a good go.
The same goes for nappy rashes for all the Mommies out there. It works wonders. My daughters now ask me for ‘Mommy’s special cream’ if they are feeling a little sore anywhere on their bodies.
*A quick disclaimer for this one: it will not work on all rashes and if you are unsure what a rash it you must always get it checked by a doctor.
Hair Mask
I have never really worried about chemicals before, but now I have bleached and toned hair I am becoming more conscious of the drying effects some chemical products do have. Coconut oil is different and makes an extremely effective hair mask. Rub a good amount of coconut oil into the hair and tie it up out of the way, leaving the oil to work its magic for 2-3 hours. Then wash off as normal; it may require an extra shampoo just to be certain no oil is left which will cause a greasy look when dry. The coconut oil mask will leave your hair feeling softer than ever, even better than the freshly cut feel.
Cuticle Cream
Adding a small amount of coconut oil to the cuticles as part of your manicure regime will both soften the cuticle and help you grow strong and healthy nails. It can even be used as a hand moisturizer between manicures as it will not strip nail varnish off.
With so many varied uses for coconut oil in its raw form, it is one of the most cost-effective and versatile items I buy. It has become one of my desert island items and as I fall more and more in love with its skin and hair care abilities the more I am looking into other uses for it. The health advantages of cooking with coconut oil are widely recognised and now it is time to unlock the other benefits it holds.
Big thanks to Kirsty from Winnettes for writing this post!
