I use two kinds of coconut oil: virgin coconut oil and refined coconut oil. The virgin coconut oil has a "coco-nutty" smell and taste. The refined does not. The oil I use depends on whether I want my end product to taste like coconuts or not. Here is an excellent article about finding good coconut oil.
This is the virgin coconut oil we first bought at Costco when we were in Mexico. I'm happy to be able to find it here!
1. As a Skin Moisturizer
I was very reluctant to try this because I don't like greasy oils or lotions. Well, while this is greasy, it doesn't stay that way. It soaks into your skin quickly and leaves it feeling really soft and moisturized. My husband uses just plain coconut oil, but I prefer to mix in Young Living Peace and Calming oil into my coconut oil. It smells wonderful! I just mix it up and store it in a clean baby food jar.
2. As Toothpaste
Again, I was hesitant, but once I tried it, I really like it! I have used coconut oil plain, but I prefer a mixture of coconut oil and baking soda. I've read about adding sea salt as an extra scrubbing element, but I haven't done this yet. In the oral care department, you can also use coconut oil for oil pulling. I've also done this and, while I'm still unsure of any actual benefits of this, it did leave my teeth and mouth feeling incredibly clean. :)
3. As a Deodorant
Because of its antibacterial properties, coconut oil works great to combat odor-causing bacteria. I just slather a small amount on my armpits. This has been great for my husband since he has had some real problems with commercial deodorants.
4. For Diaper Rash
Coconut oil is solid when under 76 degrees. So it melts really quickly when held against the skin or in the palm of the hand. So for diaper rash, I grab a small blob of coconut oil and either rub in onto the diaper area or melt it in my hand and then apply it.
5. As a Lip Moisturizer
6. Nursing Mother Nipple Moisturizer
7. Personal Lubricant
Smells so much better than other products!!
8. Shaving Cream
9. Hand cleaner
My husband spent some time doing handyman jobs. He found that coconut oil worked great to clean and moisturize his hands after a day of painting or construction.
10. Hair treatment
Coconut oil works great in the hair. It is a wonderful conditioning treatment. And if I use it very sparingly, it is good to control frizzies and fly-aways. I just put a very small amount in my hands and rub it in well, so that it is barely there. Then I work my fingers over/through my hair. If I use too much my hair will look greasy, so I'm pretty careful, especially if I'm in a hurry and don't have time to wash that greasiness out. I like to use my Peace and Calming Skin Moisturizer for this, since I LOVE the smell of it!
11. Lice Treatment
Speaking of hair, coconut oil proved to be the key to removing head lice, when I found several of my long-haired little beauties infected with the nasty buggers a while back. I tried over-the-counter lice shampoos, but kept finding lice. Finally, hesitant to keep adding more chemicals to my daughters' heads, and wanting badly to be rid of the lice, I slathered their heads with coconut oil. Then I used the fine lice comb that came with the OTC shampoo and just combed and combed. It worked! The comb slid through their hair really easily and the lice could not hold onto the greasy hair. After two or three treatments, we were finally rid of the head lice!
12. To Condition Cast Iron
I love to use the cheap Louana coconut oil from Walmart to condition my cast iron pans. Works great!
13. For Frying
Since I don't fry foods very often, coconut oil is a great oil for me to use. Frequent use would probably prove to be too costly for me. Coconut oil is much healthier for frying than other oils because it can withstand much higher temperatures than other oils.
14. For Baking
I made my daughter's birthday cupcakes with virgin coconut oil and she and her friends loved the added coconut flavor to the chocolate cupcakes.
15. For HEALTHY Fudge!!
What could be better than truly healthy chocolate??? I love to keep these fudge treats in the freezer for nibbling! I tweak the recipe a tad for my family's taste. I will post my own recipe soon. These don't last long in our freezer!
Have you discovered the benefits of coconut oil? What are your favorite ways to use it?
Linked Up:
