You’ve probably seen a friend or two own a jar of coconut oil in their house and heard their praise on how fantastic it is, yet you yourself have always been skeptical about it. It’s just oil, how great could it be? Well here’s the truth: Yes, coconut oil is a gift from the gods. Now I know that that’s a bold statement, but trust me on this when I say you can use coconut oil for almost anything.
Here are some awesome and very surprising ways to incorporate coconut oil in your life that I’ve personally used to convince me to jump onto the coconut-oil-bandwagon, and has saved me hundreds of dollars with everything from face washes to medicine
1. Face Wash For Oily Skin
Everyone who has oily skin knows how much of a hassle it is, from wiping your face off every day of that gross face-oil to trying to find products that won’t make your skin as dry as a dessert. Instead of wasting money on products that won’t get the job done, give coconut oil a try!
To give a short chemistry lesson, like dissolves like; similar to how oil will dissolve oil. When you put coconut oil on your skin(or any oil, for that matter), you’re washing away all of that bad oil on your skin and replacing it with nice, clean oil! So instead of reaching for that face wash that has questionable chemicals in it, slather on some coconut oil, let it sit for a minute, and wash with warm water!
2. Teeth Cleaner
If you’re like me and are super prone to dull teeth, it’s difficult to find products to safely whiten them. That’s where coconut oil comes to the rescue! If you’ve heard of the “oil-pulling” method, you’ll know where I’m going with this:
To briefly explain, what oil-pulling is putting a tablespoon of oil in your mouth, swishing it around for 15 minutes or so, spitting it out, and brushing your teeth as normal. What this does is help fight gingivitis, plaque, and microorganisms that cause bad breath. This works because, as Jessica T. Emery, DMD, explains, “Most microorganisms inhabiting the mouth consist of a single cell…covered with a lipid, or fatty, membrane, which is the cell’s skin. When these cells come into contact with oil, a fat, they naturally adhere to each other”.
So why coconut oil? While any other oil can give you the benefits of oil pulling, “coconut oil has the added benefit of lauric acid, which is well-known for its anti-microbial agents”(Emery), which makes it more effective.
3. Sugar Craving Blocker
We’ve all had those days where you really, desperately crave chocolate but you feel like if you take another bite of that Hershey’s bar, your acne will flare up and you’ll spend yet another week attempting to cover up those face-demons. Fear not, friends, for coconut oil is here to smite those harsh sugar cravings!
Coconut Oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids, which produce a ton of health benefits, but most importantly send these acids straight for your liver for instant energy without the insulin spike carbohydrates give you and leave you in a slump. Put a tablespoon of it on your morning toast to replace your butter or mix it with some raw cacao powder for a healthy, energy-filled snack!
4. Make-Up Remover
Seriously, who wants to spend hundreds of dollars on makeup remover that will potentially make your face burn more than just leaving your makeup on? Why not try something more natural!
“Coconut oil solubilizes or breaks up water-resistant substances used in eye shadow and mascara, releasing them from the skin and lashes,” says cosmetic chemist Joseph Cincotta. But, unlike makeup removers found at the store, virgin coconut oil is all-natural, and won’t irritate your skin. Not only that, but it’ll leave your skin smooth and healthy!
5. Menstrual Cramps
“What?! This stuff can even alleviate period cramps? No way!” I hear you nay-sayers shout. But it’s true, my friends, coconut oil really does help with cramps when that time of the month rolls around.
Virgin coconut oil helps absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in your body such as vitamin A, D, E and K, which help alleviate the pain of cramps. If you can predict your period in advance, start taking a teaspoon of coconut oil 1-3 times a day to help ease that horrible visit from Aunt Flow. Not only will it help fight that pain, it’ll also clean your teeth and fight those cravings like I mentioned before!