No matter who you speak to, it seems that coconut oil is a BIG deal these days. If someone had told me a few years ago that a single product could solve so many of my beauty and health woes, I would have found it hard to believe them, but it seems that coconut oil is the solution! In this blog, I am going to share with you five ways you can incorporate it into your own lifestyle…Enjoy!
Coconut oil is not just for the kitchen! Oh no ladies, I use coconut oil every day on my skin and my hair and it works an absolute treat. In fact, should any of my friends come to me asking for a quick beauty fix or skin remedy, more often than not I am likely to say: “just put some coconut oil on it.”
1) Moisturiser for the face and body.
Is your skin feeling on the dry side? Winter is the worst for our skin feeling dry and flaky but if you rub a little coconut oil between your hands, the effect will be immediate as its moisturising qualities get to work! Coconut oil is much more hydrating as a face and body moisturiser, in comparison to your average store-bought moisturiser. The oil is able to penetrate deeply into the lower layers of the skin and actually helps to strengthen underlying tissues.
Coconut oil is a god-send if you are suffering as it also help to remove them and any flaky or rough texture from your skin’s surface, resulting in skin that glows with beauty and radiance. Coconut oil is also a brilliant moisturiser for your face, although I tend to put it mainly on my lips and under my eyes before bedtime so I wake up feeling rejuvenated! And if you’re a bit confused or put off by the word ‘oil’ – don’t you worry. The best part about this natural product is that it doesn’t feel greasy or oily once absorbed into the skin – yay!
2) Hair Mask
Well I’ve told you how wonderful coconut oil is for the face and body but did you know it also works wonders for the hair? Yes, that’s right! It will also give your hair a silky texture and tons of shine. You can use each day after you wash your hair, or incorporate as a treat if you often find yourself running late of a morning like I do! Just heat up about 3 to 5 tablespoons of coconut oil in the microwave, so that it’s a warm liquid. Then, after it has cooled slightly (we don’t want any burning scalps here ladies so be careful!), apply it to your hair as you would any hair mask.
The best results come if you leave it on overnight so dig out a plastic shower cap or put a towel around your head, and leave the oil in while you sleep. Then, when you have your morning shower, wash your hair as normal and you’ll be guaranteed your best hair day yet!
3) Use it as a Cooking Oil
If you’re trying to eat healthy like me, then coconut oil is your friend as it is one of the healthiest oils to use when cooking. Unlike animal fats, which are made up of long chain triglycerides, coconut oil is made up of medium chain triglycerides which are metabolised more rapidly in the body, so there’s increased fat burning potential. For cooking, it’s best to use unrefined coconut oil, also known as raw or virgin.
4) A Useful Ingredient when Baking
Love baking? Then coconut oil is a must have in your cupboard because it is a saturated fat, which makes it a great substitute for butter. When baking, saturated fats are the typical fat of choice due to their favourable effects on texture. Although they might not have the same beneficial effect on good cholesterol as mono- and polyunsaturated oils, they do play an important role in various body and brain functions so should be part of every healthy diet.
5) Makeup Remover
Do you ever find that some makeup removers can have a really harsh impact on your skin? Yes – me too! So… it goes without saying that one of my favourite and most relied on uses for coconut oil is it’s gentle power to remove makeup. Before washing your face, gently rub downward on your eyes and eyelashes with your finger and a little bit of coconut oil. This will gently remove your eye makeup from the day. And, there is a bonus to this, coconut oil can actually help your eyelashes to grow so you don’t have to worry about rinsing off completely afterwards – win win!
