Coconut oil is probably one of the most versatile oils in both the kitchen and bathroom cabinet. It’s a saturated fat made up of medium-chain fatty acids which are very easily digested when taken internally and is the only oil that I use to cook with as it has the highest burn point of all the oils, it also makes a good skin moisturiser or base for adding essential oils to. It’s important that you get a good quality oil that is not hydrogenated (all hydrogenated oils should be avoided as they have been proven to be very damaging to your health). Look for ‘cold pressed raw virgin coconut oil’ when buying to make sure you are getting a good quality oil, I like Biona coconut oil which I buy in an 800g tub from Amazon. It’s solid in cold temperatures and liquid in warmer temperatures so the consistency will change depending on the weather.
Here are some of my favourite uses for coconut oil:
- As a face and body moisturiser massage a small amount into the skin so it’s fully absorbed and there’s no oily residue left sitting on the surface.
- Use as a base for aromatherapy essential oils. Soften the oil down if its hard using a bain marie, when the oil starts to cool down add your essential oils, mix and transfer to a pot while it’s still liquid. You can use this oil on the face, body, scalp or as a massage oil.
- A scalp oil for dry skin and hair or just as a nourishing treatment. Massage into the scalp pulling the oil through the hair and leave on for as long as you can (a minimum of 1 hour is good).
- If you have dry or frizzy hair then rub a very small amount into the palms of your hands and apply to your hair the same way you would use a serum. This should add in some moisture and tame down the frizz, don’t use too much as your hair shouldn’t look greasy.
- Use as a cuticle and nail oil especially after removing nail varnish as the acetone strips off all of the nails natural moisture so massage in some coconut oil to instantly replenish the nails.
- As a make-up remover especially for water-proof or stubborn make-up, massage into the face to help break the products down then wipe and rinse off.
- As a massage oil, add in your essential oils when the coconut oil is liquid (but not too hot).
- Oil pulling is an ancient remedy from India that claims to remove bacteria and toxins from the mouth improving tooth and gum health. Swirl the oil around the mouth swishing in between the teeth for 20 minutes then spit out to keep the gums healthy.
- The number one healthiest oil for cooking as it doesn’t go rancid at high temperatures. This makes it a very stable oil for frying and baking. It can also be used to replace the unhealthier fats in some recipes.
- Its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral action can sometimes help skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
- May help with protecting the skin from the sun although the SPF in very low.
