Beauty Uses Of Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is without question deserving of its title as a "Superfood" and I'm sure most of us have heard the benefits eating it can bring to our health. However, it also has many cosmetic benefits.
A jar of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (and this is definitely the type you should go for as it has no added chemicals) retails at about £5 a jar in larger Boots stores, Holland & Barrett, Amazon and most Supermarkets. 
In this post I'm going to list some of the cosmetic uses of this versatile product.

Moisturiser 

Coconut Oil is incredibly rich, moisturising on the skin and anti bacterial making it a great natural and safe moisturiser. I love using it after a bath and feel as though my skin is drinking in the goodness. There are also studies that suggest it acts as a mild sunscreen due to its ability to blocks out 20% of the Suns damaging Ultraviolet rays, not that they are ever a danger to me anyway living in Britain... But one of the best things about using this Coconut Oil as a moisturiser for me is the way it leaves your skin smelling like Cookies!

Hair Conditioner

An easy, all natural and effective deep conditioning hair mask. Scoop roughly a tablespoon of Coconut Oil into your hand and work it until it has melted, then apply to freshly washed, damp hair all over. Cover with a shower cap or cling film then wrap a hot towel around your head. The heat from the towel will let the Coconut oil further infiltrate into the hair follicle. Try and leave the treatment over night if you can then wash the Oil out thoroughly the next day and your hair will be super soft and shiny! 

Makeup Remover

This is probably my favourite use for coconut oil, as it works so well. Just take a small blob and smear it onto a cotton pad and gently rub this onto your eye area. Not only will this remove even waterproof mascara but the oil will also nourish and moisturise your lashes and the skin around your eyes. However, this should really only been done at night time as mascara won't sit well on the residue of the oil left behind. I use Olive Oil in this way too as it works to remove makeup but is also supposed to work wonders on lashes.

Shaving Cream
Using Coconut Oil to shave with is a great alternative to all those chemical cocktail shaving creams available on the market AND it moisturises in the process. 

Teeth and gums
You might have seen a bunch of celebs on social media posting about 'CocoWhite', a home teeth whitening kit made from Coconut Oil. This technique of swirling Coconut Oil around in your mouth is called Oil Pulling and it originated in India. The idea is that you swish a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for around 20 minutes each day and it is supposed to draw toxins and bacteria out of you into the oil which you then spit out while whitening your teeth in the process. Some people swear it can even cure a hangover!? This all seemed too good to be true to me when I researched it and decided I had to give it a go. The sad part was I HATED the texture of this so much I couldn't swish it around for more that 2 minutes before feeling like I was going to be sick. I tried it once and won't again that's for sure but I would definitely still encourage anyone reading to give it a try and see if it works for them, after all the health benefits speak for themselves on this one. 

Cuticle conditioner

Nail care is something I wish I took more time with and I only really bother with the whole shape, buff and polish routine every so often but when I do I always rub a little Coconut Oil onto my cuticles. For all the time it takes I do notice a slight difference and if your cuticles are in good condition the nails usually are too which is definitely a good thing.