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If there is one beauty “secret” I can vouch for 1000%, it would be coconut oil.
You cannot even begin to imagine how it has turned my hair around – my hair, which has suffered several perms, years of back combing (since I always tie my hair up; or at least I used to). Still, nothing was as bad as the digital perm, which, just left my hair broken, frail, brittle, dry and completely damaged. Nothing worked to bring my hair back to normal except my favorite coconut oil hair product.
Coconut oil isn’t just great for hair, though. What makes it such a good “beauty oil” is its small molecular structure – this allows for complete absorption into the skin. For example, what sold me on coconut oil for my hair was that coconut oil was the only oil proven to actually penetrate the hair shaft and go into it, as opposed to other oils that just sit on the top, which only moisturizes it – no inner repair.
Though I’m not a fan of the scent – though others disagree with me and say the smell is really quite lovely – I can put up with it because it’s that good. Here are some beauty ways to enjoy coconut oil:
7 Coconut Oil for Beauty Tips
1. Coconut oil as a moisturizer. First and foremost, coconut oil is great for your skin. But what makes coconut oil so good? Cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank explains:
Coconut oil has always been a accepted moisturiser and antioxidant to “skincare gurus”. Coconut oil has beneficial uses, both internally and externally. It has pure fatty acids essential for moisturising and also has anti-bacteria and anti-fungal properties. Comuaric acid is an antioxidant present in coconut oil and decreases inflammation and increases over health of the skin. It is also very moisturising and sooth for sunburns and helps skin’s luminosity and gives a nice temporary glow.
Celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas agrees, saying “Coconut oil is amazing for the skin – it is very soothing and contains fatty acids that help maintain the skin’s lipid layer. I would also recommend it for people who have eczema, due to its calming properties.”
You can use it for the face as a natural moisturizer (though those who are acne-prone may want to skip this), but I love it on the body. Apply it on your body immediately after a shower when your skin is a little damp, and it will absorb immediately without any greasy or sticky residue.
2. Coconut oil for dry, flaky lips. Coconut oil can be used as a lip balm to relief dry and flaky lips.
3. Coconut oil as a scrub. Coconut oil is a great oil to make some beauty recipes with. Mix coconut oil with some brown sugar for a facial scrub, a body scrub, a foot scrub, or a lip scrub… the possibilities are endless! (Check out more about them at Lip Scrubs 101.)
4. Coconut oil for dry, cracked heels. The skin on your feet can get very dry and cracked due to not taking care of them, especially with wearing high heels (by the way – here’s how to make high heels more comfortable). Apply coconut oil liberally to your foot, wear a pair of socks over it, and sleep with it on over night. The next day you’ll get super soft feet.
5. Coconut oil for hair. Ah, my favorite way to use coconut oil! As Rita Hazan, celebrity hair colorist says, “Coconut oil gives hair a high shine since it contains fatty acids, more than any other oils. I recommend it for over bleached, coarse and thick hair.”
What I personally do is to use coconut oil as a pre-shampoo hair conditioner. Apply generous amounts of it to your hair, leave on for 30 minutes, and then rinse off and shampoo in the shower. It also acts as a leave in conditioner, so after I shampoo and towel dry my hair, I apply a very tiny amount, rub it through the palms of my hands, and apply it from scalp to the ends of my hair.
6. Coconut oil for dandruff. Coconut oil is excellent for preventing and controlling dandruff. Seriously – stop using all those dandruff shampoos that are just full of chemicals. Coconut oil does the trick. Just apply it to the scalp of your hair for 30 minutes before shampooing, 3 times a week, and you’ll see less flakes in about a week (or however frequent you shampoo your hair).
7. Coconut oil as eye makeup remover. Careful with this one – but coconut oil can be a great eye makeup remover. Apply it to a warm cloth and be very careful not to put too much (this can cause milia seeds, those tiny, hard-to-get-rid-of oil ducts) or get it in your eyes.
The Best Coconut Oil Beauty Products
Natural coconut oil is the best way to go – products labeled “with coconut oil” as an ingredient are usually not able to give the full benefits of coconut oil (because there’s so little of it in the product), and also sometimes they are using synthetic coconut oil. So real, 100% natural coconut oil is the best. Here are some of my top picks:
- Dabur Vatika Coconut Oil. Again, I’m mentioning this product but it is really so good. It contains added ingredients of lemon and henna to keep your hair clean and rich in colour. It’s kinda hard to find, so I buy it in bulk at Amazon.com.
- Cococare 100% Coconut Oil. This product is self explanatory! It is 100% coconut oil and nothing else, and can be used for hair and skin. Buy it on iHerb.com.
- Viva Labs #1 Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. One of the best-selling coconut oils, ever. USDA certified organic, non-GMO project verified, non-hexane and free of bleach or deodorizers, this coconut oil can be used as a dietary supplement, for cooking, baking and for your natural beauty routine. A best seller on Amazon.com, where you can buy it, too.
- Nature’s Way EfaGold Pure Extra VirginCoconut Oil. A product of the Philippines, this coconut oil is certified organic and non-GMO. Good for cooking, taken as a supplement or hair and skin. Buy it at Amazon.com or Walgreens.com, an exclusive online.
- Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. This natural coconut oil is so “pure” you can use it for cooking as well as beauty. Made without pesticides, GMOs or hexane, you can buy it on Amazon.com or iHerb.com, my favorite place to buy all my groceries.
Want more? You can find plenty more coconut oil at Amazon Beauty at some of the best prices I’ve seen so far. Just remember to purchase ones with the best reviews!
Do you use coconut oil for beauty?
Have I convinced you yet? Coconut oil is the best! I know Argan oil is now becoming a big “competitor”, but as I have not tried it yet, so I cannot say for sure… but coconut oil is an incredible natural beauty ingredient and would recommend it. Have you tried coconut oil yet? What do you use it for? Let me know on Twitter.