I have to say, I’m addicted. I have always been a coconut oil fanatic, and for good reason too. It is so cheap and can honestly be used in such a variety of different ways. I usually buy mine online, but places like Superdrug now sell very cheap pots of it, so there is no excuse to not give it a try. Hopefully by the time you’re done reading you’ll be as obsessed as I am.
1. Cooking
This has been a recent discovery for me. I remember stumbling across an article which explained why coconut oil is actually amazing to cook with. Virgin coconut oil is high in healthy saturated fats which have the beneficial effects of providing your body and brain with an energy boost and aiding fat burning. One thing to remember though, do not use the same oil as you do for beauty purposes. A lot of coconut oils for your body contain other ingredients that are not suitable for eating, so you’re better off going to the supermarket for this one.
2. Hands and nails
I hate having dry skin on my hands, but it always seems to be inevitable during the winter. I have found that a few drops of coconut oil rubbed into my cuticles makes my nails look 10x better and also makes my hands feel so soft. Sometimes I do this after I’ve painted my nails (because that’s what they do in nail salons so it makes me feel fancy) or after I’ve used nail polish remover which really dries your skin out. For those of you who don’t like any sort of greasy feeling, although it doesn’t last long I promise, try a cream with coconut oil in it.
3. Body moisturizer
In my mid-teens I went on an acne medication called Roaccutane, which (as my doctor warned me) sucked all of the moisture out of my body. I had never really had a problem with dry skin before, so I was at a bit of a loss as to how to deal with this. No matter what cream I put on my body the next day my skin was dry again, so I decided to try coconut oil. I swear, my skin lapped it up and coconut oil was the only thing that took the dryness away. I also find that if I can see a stretch mark starting to appear, putting coconut oil on it for a few weeks stops it developing. If you like an intense body moisturizer this works a treat.
4. Hair
I have an oily scalp but dry ends, so finding haircare products to combat these two issues can be a nightmare. However, I find that a few drops of coconut oil smoothed through the ends of my hair (damp or dry) makes my hair way less frizzy and also doesn’t make it feel greasy as long as you don’t use too much. Another great tip is to comb oil though your hair, and leave it in for half an hour or even overnight if your hair really needs it (I would use a towel to protect your pillow) and then wash it out. It makes your hair feel very soft and nourished.
5. Post waxing
Waxing is painful enough as it is, but it’s so annoying when you have left over bits of wax on your body that just won’t come off. I do a lot of waxing at home, and I have found that most sets do come with oil wipes to use afterwards. However, they always run out and I’m left desperately trying to get the little remnants of wax off my skin. A cotton pad soaked in coconut oil works amazingly and gets the wax to painlessly slide off. You’re welcome.
6. Makeup remover
Running out of makeup remover wipes or micellar water is a nightmare; however a cotton pad with coconut oil works just as well. I find that this is really effective when I’m taking off stubborn eye makeup, and works a lot quicker than other makeup removers (not quite as quickly as Mulan’s sleeve…I could only dream). However, I wouldn’t suggest doing this to take off your face makeup if you have sensitive skin. It can be quite heavy and sometimes cause breakouts, so you’re better off sticking to using it on your eyes.