This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SMCVT chapter.

Coconut oil is not only great for cooking, but also great for beauty purposes as well! Here are uses for this versatile product:

1. Substitute for butter and other oils

Personally, I use coconut oil a lot as a replacement for butter in baking and it works great! However, it can also be used as a substitute for other oils in cooking as well; however, sometimes the oil can add a coconut flavor to your dish, so just be wary of if the coconut oil has an overwhelming flavor or not.

2. Mouthwash

This one is kind of strange, but some of my friends and family have tried this and say that coconut oil makes for a pretty good mouthwash! It is referred to as oil pulling and prevents gingivitis, helps with bad breath, and whitens teeth.

3. Moisturizer

Coconut oil is an overall great moisturizer. Whether it is your face, hands, arms, or legs, this oil will leave your skin moisturized (and it doesn’t take too long to soak into your skin either).

4. Hair conditioner

Coconut oil is a good conditioner and helps with split ends as well. It leaves your hair looking shiny and smooth!

5. Lip balm

Coconut oil is also a great moisturizer for your lips. It’s especially helpful for when your lips are chapped in the cold weather. If you add sugar to the oil then it makes a great lip scrub to remove dead skin as well.

6. Makeup remover

Oil is used in a lot of makeup removers, so why not just use coconut oil instead? It removes makeup and moisturizes your skin at the same time! Just rub it on your face with (clean) hands and remove excess with a warm washcloth.