Where cooking meets beauty! Strange statement I know, but I am talking all about that very fashionable ingredient of the moment, Coconut Oil. I am sure that most of us by now have a jar of this in our cupboard as it's a great healthy alternative used in cooking and baking but it also has so many beauty uses too! You may indeed already know this but seeing as I am crazy over coconut oil I thought it deserved a spot here on my blog and to share with you some of my favourite uses for this ingredient that you may not know about.
My first tip, use a good quality coconut oil. I have found an amazing one from a great company called Indigo Herbs who sell a massive range of top quality health foods, supplements, teas etc and deliver worldwide (so worth checking out!). This coconut oil is certified which means it's basically free from any nasties what so ever. It is an age old super ingredient that multi-tasks so well ... and it's so cheap! 100% Pure Organic Virgin Raw & Cold Pressed
The texture of this particular coconut oil is beautiful and different from other ones that I have tried as the scent is very subtle (in case your not a fan of the coconut smell or taste) and you can tell how good a quality this one really is being totally organic. It melts almost instantly once it comes into contact with your skin and feels incredible.
So let's get into my personal best recommendations for using coconut oil as part of your beauty regime ...
1. Make-Up Remover
The tip I am sure most of us know about! As it is a natural oil, it melts into a liquid which is ideal for removing all types of eye and face make-up and beats of lot of expensive cleansing oils on the market today and this is a 100% natural oil that costs far less! Just warm between your hands and massage all over your face to remove all of your makeup in one or apply to a cotton pad and remove.
We all know that oils and serums are very important in a skincare routine and there are so many choices from many brands today but using a small amount of this before your daytime or night time moisturiser shall help to nourish and smooth your skin!
3. A Hand Cream & Cuticle Oil
You can indeed treat your hands and nails! I religiously apply cuticle oil and hand cream every night as I get into bed because using an oil treats those dry areas to keep them nice and soft and nourished. So if you suffer with dry hands and cuticles, get some coconut oil on them!
Lip oils have become a huge trend over the last few months with brands such as Clarins and YSL have both been using oils in their lip products - here you have a less expensive version!
Massage into your feet to help with cracked heels and mix with some salt to remove any dry skin. A DIY pedicure!
6. Body Moisturiser
After a bath or shower, massage coconut oil all over your skin and it shall smell, feel and look so healthy and especially great on any dry skin areas like the elbows and knees. You can also mix together the oil with any of your favourite body lotions or body butters to get the scent you like whilst increasing the amount of nourishment and softness that your skin shall get by using the coconut oil.
I havent tried this one out but it has been proven to help with the appearcane of varicose veins when used as a moisturising treatment.
Again not one I have tested but it has been proven that when rubbed directly into the skin, it helps to lighten age spots. Nothing to lose from trying this one!
As you may have seen on my blog already, I am a BIG fan of using coconut oil to whiten my teeth as I get such amazing results and it makes my gums feel so much cleaner too. I usually use the pre-made sachets from brands like Cocowhite as they are handy for travelling but when at home, this is perfect. Simply get a teaspoon amount of coconut oil into your mouth, let it melt and swoosh about your teeth and mouth for around 5-15 minutes, however much you can manage. Then brush your teeth and your good to go. It is so easy to do and again, a lot cheaper than most whitening systems and a lot less harsh. You can get such incredible results from doing this trust me!
You can use it in a few ways - simply apply as an oil to the mid lengths and ends of your hair prior to washing, leave on for however long you want (I try for 20 mins - 1 hour) then shampoo and condition your hair as per usual. I love treatments you apply before washing your hair as you can carry on doing chores and not have to wait in a bath or shower! As a Mask, leave on overnight with your hair tied into a bun or wrapped in a towel or shower cap, sleep with it on then shampoo as usual the next day. Both of these methods shall add shine and nourishment to the hair, making it feel super soft. As a Serum, use as you would on the ends of hair to tame flyways and add shine. Be sure not to use too much as remember it is an oil so less is more.
11. For Dry Scalp & Hair Growth
Rubbing coconut oil into the scalp can help with treating dryness and also help to stimulate hair growth.
12. Remove Stubborn Gel Eye Liners!
If you use long wear gel liners you shall know how stubborn they can be to remove and you can see below how the oil literally melts it off the skin ... it's a perfect solution!
I think you can agree how incredible it is that a product so simple can be so universal. There are literally hundreds more uses for coconut oil but under the beauty category, it's a little gem and a product worth having in your cupboard. I highly recommend this one from as it's only £7.49 for a gigantic 500ml size jar and the quality and price of this is unbeatable. I think this one shall last me quite a long time ...
What's your best or most used tip for Coconut oil?
