When people (especially women) learn I’m a beauty editor, their eyes light up and they want to know what advice I have for them. They frequently inquire about my biggest beauty secret. I have a few, I tell them, but extra virgin coconut oil is probably my best-kept secret.
It’s the ideal beauty product because it’s organic (no more putting questionable ingredients on your skin that could be absorbed into your bloodstream and cause who knows what to happen to you a few years down the road), super moisturizing, versatile, and smells great.
Coconut oil is available in most grocery stores and health food stores. Look for the words “extra virgin” on the label. You want the real deal. Here are five incredible things you can do with it. And believe me when I say that one jar will last a long time.
Use It to Fight Dandruff
Coconut oil can help prevent dandruff. Massage coconut oil into your scalp, then shampoo and rinse. Continue doing so until dandruff disappears. My intuition tells me that this will result in extremely greasy hair, but some people swear by coconut oil. If you have oily hair, I recommend trying something else instead. It could be ideal for people who have dry hair.
Coconut Oil Is a Great Hair Conditioner
Because I have fine hair that gets oily quickly, I keep my jar of coconut oil away from my hair. However, for women with dry, coarse hair, coconut oil can be a low-cost, natural hair conditioner.
Coconut oil has long been used by women in Southeast Asia and India. That’s how brilliant it is. Simply rub a dime-sized amount into your hands (a little goes a long way with this stuff) and then palm the coconut oil onto your dry ends. You can also tame frizzy flyaways by running your palms through your hair.
Coconut milk is also beneficial to the hair. Check out my recipe for a Coconut Milk Hair Mask.
Use It as a Foundation Primer
If you use a foundation or tinted moisturizer, you may notice that it applies much better after you’ve applied a primer or moisturizer. Coconut oil is an excellent primer for foundation.
Apply a pea-sized amount to your face, allow it to absorb, and then apply your tinted moisturizer or foundation. You’ll notice a difference in how smoothly your makeup applies.
Use It as a Body Moisturizer
Water is commonly found in store-bought moisturizers. When you first apply it, your skin will feel moisturized, but as soon as the water evaporates, your skin will feel parched again. Certainly not with natural oils. Coconut oil is my all-time favorite moisturizer for dry, parched skin. I use it in the winter when my skin becomes dry from the heat of the furnace, and in the summer when my skin becomes dry from spending a lot of time in the ocean and basking in the sun.
Coconut oil solidifies below 75 degrees Fahrenheit and liquefies above. I keep a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil in a screw-on container in my purse during the winter. When my hands become dry, I dab a little on them. It’s also an excellent massage oil. I enjoy using it on my newborn son and have used it to massage my husband. Massage your partner on a towel on the bed (again, coconut oil can be MESSY). It smells delicious and feels great on him.
Use Coconut Oil to Treat Acne and Heal Wounds
I had no idea coconut oil could be used to treat acne until I started researching this article. According to Allure Magazine dermatologist Jeannette Graf, coconut oil contains lauric acid, which naturally fights the bacteria that cause acne. Graf says it “has potential” for treating acne, which suggests to me that it hasn’t been thoroughly tested. If you have acne, I figure it wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot.
According to Graf, coconut oil contains anti-inflammatory fatty acids that aid in wound healing. I use it instead of Desitin on my son’s diaper rashes, and it works great.
CapriClear Natural Moisturizing Oil, which is 100 percent fractionated coconut oil, is currently my favorite coconut oil.
Coconut Oil as a Body Scrub
I like to exfoliate my body in the shower with special exfoliating gloves. They are available at any drugstore or health food store. They work like magic to remove the dead skin that accumulates throughout the year. I always have soft and supple skin afterward. They are even more effective when combined with a body scrub.
You can buy a store-bought body scrub or make your own with coconut oil, sugar, or salt. I prefer sugar because it is gentler on the skin than salt, which can irritate it.
Use 1 part coconut oil to 2 parts brown sugar or table salt to make your own body scrub. Heat the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. When it’s warm, add the brown sugar or table salt to the pot and stir it in. I like to add a few drops of vanilla extract to make it smell delicious. You don’t want all of the sugar or salt to melt or the exfoliating benefits will be lost, so remove the mixture from the heat after a couple of minutes of stirring.
Exfoliate Your Face With It
My skin became dry and flaky after I turned 35, necessitating weekly exfoliation and daily moisturization. In my bathroom cabinet, I have expensive moisturizers and a $60 facial scrub that I adore. But lately, I’ve found that exfoliating and moisturizing with coconut oil and a washcloth works just as well.
It’s far more convenient and less expensive.
Here’s how I exfoliate with coconut oil: I apply a dime-sized amount of coconut oil to my palms and then to my face. I then dampen a washcloth and scrub my face in a circular motion, beginning at my brow and working clockwise around my face.
I have baby-soft, fully moisturized skin. No questionable man-made ingredients penetrate my skin, and I’ve spent pennies rather than dollars for amazing skin.
Use It as a Makeup Remover
For years, I used Vaseline to remove my eye makeup. It turns out that using Vaseline near the eyes is not a good idea. Nonetheless, I never had any issues and continue to use Vaseline in a pinch.
Coconut oil, on the other hand, is an excellent makeup remover. It even gets rid of waterproof mascara. Simply apply a small amount to a cotton ball or tissue paper and press it against your eyelid. Once the oil has soaked in, remove the makeup. Wipe away any excess oil with a clean tissue.
