10 Beauty Related Ways to Use Coconut Oil

I am always intrigued when I hear about how a household item can be used in a less conventional way. What’s even more appealing to me is when it is health or beauty related. I mean, lets face it I am a girly girl to the core. I love makeup, hair, clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry…. The list could go on for days.

A few months ago I was on Pinterest and came across something that is life changing. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic but it is definitely something I swear by! This little miracle product that I use, numerous times a day, goes by the name of (drumroll please)… Coconut oil. Chances are if you’re into anything beauty related and have Internet access, you’ve probably heard of how awesome coconut oil is.

So what is coconut oil? Simply put, it is an edible oil that is extracted from coconuts. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that provide a wide range of benefits. It is also rich in antioxidants and is said to boost your body’s immune system.

While there are hundreds of different ways to use coconut oil, below are 10 of my favorite ways to use it.

Overnight Hair Treatment: Once a week I like to pamper my hair with a coconut oil hair treatment because I dye it often and heat style it practically everyday. Simply heat up some coconut oil in the microwave and slather it on. I generally avoid my roots but if you have dry hair don’t be afraid to apply it there too (it is good for the scalp). I typically do this a night, throw a shower cap on, and wash it out in the morning. However if you’re pressed for time you can coat your hair with coconut oil, cover it with a shower cap, and heat up your hair with a blow dryer.

Decreasing Hair Static: My hair, especially in the winter, gets super staticy. I like to take a very small amount of the oil, rub it in my hands, and apply it to my dry hair. The result- nice, shiny, static-free hair!

Body Moisturizer: Coconut oil is extremely moisturizing but doesn’t leave you feeling oily and sticky like baby oil does. Scoop some out and apply it all over your body. It will take a few minutes to fully absorb into the skin but it will leave your body feeling moisturized all day long. This is especially good for elbows, knees, and feet, since those are often the driest areas of skin.

Face Moisturizer: Let me start off by saying the initial the idea of slathering any type of oil onto my face was terrifying. I have extremely oily skin. Why would anyone with oily skin want to put additional oil onto his or her face? After the initial fear wore off I decided to give it a try and let me tell you, it has drastically changed my skin. My skin produces significantly less oil and I swear it looks more radiant. I have only been using it a month or so, and even though my skin is nowhere near perfect, it has definitely improved. I have concluded that years of battling acne and oily skin led me to using products that would excessively dry out my skin. In order to combat that dryness, my skin would overproduce oil to replace those that had been stripped away. So after I do my nightly skin care routine I replace my regular moisturizer with coconut oil. In the morning I mix a very small amount of coconut oil into my regular moisturizer, just to give my skin a little extra hydration. I have found this to be the best regimen for my skin at the moment. It took a few days for my skin to adjust to the extra moisture and reduce the amount of oil it was producing, but I stuck with it and couldn’t be happier with the results.

Acne: As I mentioned above, I have battled acne for quite sometime now. I remember being in 6^th grade when I got my first huge pimple; I was mortified and didn’t want to go to school cause I was afraid of being picked on. Dramatic? Sure, but at that age children (girls especially) are most vulnerable about their appearance.  So my skin is something I’ve always been most insecure about. I have tried practically everything to get rid my acne- from prescription (topical and oral) medicines to over the counter treatments- and while some helped, nothing gave me the results I was looking for. A few months ago my skin started breaking out like crazy and that’s when I decided to start using coconut oil. I have notice a significant reduction of acne, especially cystic acne that I seem prone to getting. Since coconut oil is noncomedogenic it will not clog your pores, which means it shouldn’t cause you to breakout. It also contains lauric acid, which is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral, so it helps to fight the bacteria that causes acne.  Coconut oil may not be a solution for everyone, but it is definitely worth a try!

Eye Cream: I also use coconut oil as an eye cream. I have tried several eye creams but every single one stings my eyes. I have no stinging or burning with coconut oil.

Makeup Remover: Coconut oil is great for removing makeup, especially pesky mascara (even waterproof!). Just rub some in your hands or onto a cotton pad and massage it into your skin before cleansing your face. I like removing my makeup prior to cleansing my face to make sure the cleanser is actually cleansing my skin, not just removing my makeup.

Shaving Lotion: I like to use it as a shaving lotion rather than using a shaving cream. It acts as a 2-in-1 product by giving you a nice smooth shave and also leaves your skin hydrated.

Body Scrub: You can make a body scrub using just coconut oil and sugar. Just mix equal parts of both, and exfoliate while in the shower.

Hydrating Bath Water: This is a favorite of mine. I love taking a ¼ cup (or so) of coconut oil and adding it to bath water. It gives the water a slight coconut smell (which I love and find soothing) and it leaves your skin super soft.

These are just some of the less conventional ways I use coconut oil. If you are interested in learning about more ways to use it, I found two different websites that give hundreds of examples. Check them out here and here.

In case you’re interested the brand I use is called Spectrum Organic Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil. I found it at The Vitamin Shoppe but I’m sure you can buy it (or something similar) at places like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s.

Comment down below with ways you use coconut oil. I would love to hear some suggestions!

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this product whatsoever. I just really love this stuff!