ADSactly Beauty: Just Add Coconut Oil!
Hello dear beauty lovers,
In our previous post, we talked a bit about making your own lip balms and I promised you we would follow up soon with a post about what else you can do with coconut oil (beside your own lip balm!). And while that was a pretty easy DIY trick, I promise you these ones are even easier. So, if you love taking care of your hair and skin (and teeth and overall health!), let’s get to it!
1. Beautiful From the Inside
Now the first thing I remember doing with coconut oil when I finally got myself a jar was eating it, first thing in the morning. And yeah, since it’s oil, it does taste pretty gross and might make you feel sick. But it’s worth it, and I’m sure you can get through a teeny-tiny teaspoon of the stuff, can’t you?
But why should you?
Good question. Well, I used to have really annoying acne problems (which is what got me into this whole beauty thing, in the first place) and I used to ingest the coconut oil in the idea that the fatty acids it contains can have a great effect on your health. It can increase your skin’s moisture content and so, if you have really dry skin, it can really help. Coconut oil is also rich in lauric acid, which works to kill the acne-producing bacteria.
The way I see it, it’s helping your skin from the inside out and in many ways, that’s even better than just applying it on your face, as that is only a temporary solution. So remember, taking care of your diet is probably the best thing you can do for yourself and your appearance!
Oh, and speaking of diet, coconut oil helps lose weight. The triglycerides present in coconut oil can help you burn more calories. It also reduces your hunger, when your body metabolizes the acids in the coconut oil. So, if you’re interested in losing weight, I’d check it out!
2. Starlet Hair
Now, the opinions on this one are divided, it seems. A lot of natural remedy lovers champion castor oil as the number one treatment for damaged hair (additionally, it’s supposed to increase hair growth), but a lot of people seem to prefer coconut oil.
I think they’re both great options, but as always, I think it’s important to find what’s best for you.
So, back to coconut oil. Being very moisturizing, it obviously can help repair your damaged or dry hair. The fatty acids I mentioned before soften the hair and help trap the moisture inside, which can improve the overall appearance of your hair after a few uses.
These uses are nothing fancy. While there are more complicated hair masks out there, let’s just stick to basics for now, shall we? Right, so this mask is recommended before you wash your hair. You scoop some oil into your hands and rub it into your roots, going down to the tips, until your whole hair is covered.
You can tie it up in a loose bun or pony-tail, or ideally put on a shower cap and leave it on for at least an hour. It might be a bit messy and time-consuming to get out, so don’t do this (at least, not for the first time) before a big event. Ideally, leave it on over night (mind that shower cap, so you don’t get oil on your sheets and furniture!) and then shampoo as usual.
While some recommend you also condition after this mask, I say do what works for you. For me, for example, that would be too much, as the mask itself is incredibly moisturizing, so conditioner would be a bit pointless. But it’s up to you.
This mask can really get you that glossy look we all secretly crave (as well as tame that impossible frizzy hair), so go for it!
Again, this isn’t not everybody – some types of hair react extremely well to this mask, while others are left with oil in for days. It really depends on what type of hair you have, so you can’t say I didn’t warn you.
3. Moisture is Key
Wow. I have read a lot of blogs crowning coconut oil as the best moisturizer out there. I won’t lie, I have found an article (in Cosmo, no less) claiming you shouldn’t use coconut oil on your skin, as it can block the pores and trap dirt inside, thus doing more harm than good. But that article went on to advertise specific products of the naysayers of coconut oil, so it kinda lost my respect.
Now, I’m not saying this works for everyone. It really varies from skin to skin, but I’ve heard a lot of people who love coconut oil as a simple, efficient body (and face) moisturizer. So maybe try that out?
Personally, I would recommend using it in combination with something else, like shea butter or cocoa butter. But it’s your choice.
I thought my pores would clog up with all the excess oil. But it actually helped even out my skin tone and calm down redness on my face.
source
The writer of the article does caution against using it as a daytime moisturizer, though, as it can interfere with your make-up routine, since the skin remained so slippery.
The truth is more and more trendy brand moisturizers are turning to these natural remedies (because they have great properties as well as sound cute on the side of the box!), which means, there’s gotta be something right about them, right?
Oh, and apply with moderation. Take little dollops of oil and rub them into your skin. A little goes a long way, in this case.
4. Make-up Remover
Another use I’ve heard great things about is using the oil to remove make-up. Makes sense, if you think about it, since many store-bought removers are oil-based.
It’s great having the perfect make-up and I know we all love it when that mascara we applied in the morning is still picture-perfect by two AM, but every party’s got to end, and every make-up must, eventually, be washed off. And it’s important we do so efficiently, since leftover make-up can cause rashes, infections and especially, if it gets into your eyes, it can be pretty dangerous.
So, removing your make-up is paramount for a healthy complexion and what better way to do it than with some coconut oil? It’s really efficient, even against waterproof mascara and heavy foundation and concealer, so this might just be what you’re looking for.
On the other hand, preferences vary. I know a lot of people who dislike oil-based make-up remover, as it gets into their eyes, so to each his own.
Anyway, make sure you use an efficient cleanser to get rid of all the oil and lingering grime.
5. Smile!
Yep, coconut oil is excellent for whitening your teeth. You can combine it with baking soda to get a soothing but efficient all-natural toothpaste or, you can try oil pulling. On the off-chance you haven’t heard about oil pulling yet – it’s believed that coconut oil (or olive oil, or any organic cooking oil, really) can help pull out the lingering bacteria from your teeth. You take a mouthful of oil (I know, tastes yucky, but it’s worth it) and you swish it around your mouth for at least five minutes. Spit and brush your teeth with regular toothpaste or just leave it like that, if you don’t mind the taste too much.
My favorite part about this process is that the oil gets on your lips and it makes them incredibly soft.
While there are a lot of other great uses for coconut oil (and you’re welcome to read some more in the links below), we’ll stop here, as I’ve said everything beauty-related I wanted to say.
Oh, bonus use! A really interesting one I found (though I haven’t tried it yet) says it makes for excellent natural highlighter. You just dab a little along your cheekbones after applying your normal make-up and it really makes your features stand out. And who doesn’t like well-highlighted cheekbones?
So, do you have any coconut oil adventures you’d like to share with us? Maybe you know of a great trick we’ve missed. Share with us below!
Authored by @honeydue
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Coconut oil is very beneficial for all of us. As you mentioned content in coconut oil so that it has a good influence on health and beauty. When I am small coconut oil is used to make hair neater and moist so it does not tangle. However, then came the hair care product with chemical ingredients that offered the advantages and delicious aroma, so that coconut oil began to be abandoned.
In our village, if there is a woman who spawned giving birth, she will drink coconut oil one spoonful a day. That said, with this oil birth the birth will run more smoothly.
When my goat wants to give birth but the fetus cannot go out even though I have injected oxytocin still not out yet, then I use fried food to smear my hands and take the fetus from the goat's stomach which turns out to be dead month.
See also the use of oil to emulate rusty tools. Smear the tool with coconut oil so that it will make the equipment usable again.
Thank you @honeydue
Thank you @adsactly
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What a wonder coconut oil. I love the coconut in any of its forms, I even read that mixed with castor oil is the perfect combination to make the eyelashes grow. Coconut hands.
Some say Coconut is the tree of life. It is really refreshing not just on our appetite but also our health.
I use coconut oil almost daily! In fact, I use a few drops on my skin after getting out of the shower. Weekly I make a hair mask with coconut oil. My grandmother, who was an Indian, used it a lot in her hair and never had gray hair. He always had black hair without the need to dye it. Supposedly, coconut oil prevents gray hair from coming out. Like you, I also use it in some salads and to brush my teeth. In Venezuela, it is one of the few economic products that can be found anywhere. Thanks for these excellent recommendations, @honeydue.
I love any cream, balm or shampoo with coconut as an ingredient. The oil I use as a hair mask once a month because my hair is greasy, but for the body I frequently use a coconut body oil that is a delicacy, I use it after the bath with a massage and leaves my skin soft and smooth. There are many benefits that we can take advantage of this natural ingredient and easy to get in stores. Thank you for one more beauty publication, @honeydue. Thanks to @adsactly for sharing.
Although your post is aimed especially at women, I appreciate much of the information you share. Indeed, the use of coconut oil for both skin and hair is highly recommended; I use it from time to time. I like it a lot also in salads. Thanks for your post, @honeydue.
I enjoyed this article; and I think worth noting...might have missed it...but organic is key to quality coconut oil. All brands are not alike....reading the labels and dyr on processing.
I had to toss a store brand because it was clearly poor quality. Coconut oil is one of those products where it's worth paying a little more for. That said, blessed are those who can master the art of cracking open a fresh coconut and gleaning the benefits fresh off the tree.
Peace.