Coconut oil and its applications in body & hair care

Coconut oil is commonly used not only for cooking but also to improve our skin and hair. It has many qualities that are proven to be beneficial for human health.

Coconut oils is one of the most multi-purpose natural cosmetics that can be used by anyone no matter their age. Oh, and the best bit is that coconut oil is easy to get – you can buy it in all supermarkets and stores selling organic products.

What is coconut oil?

This is vegetable fat obtained from the meat of the coconut palm tree kernels. It melts in 20-28ᐤC. Currently you can find a few types of coconut oil, and the very difference is determined by the extraction method. Here are the basic kinds of coconut oil: refined, unrefined and virgin.

• REFINED COCONUT OIL – is obtained from the dried meat of coconut kernels. Later it’s exposed to numerous procedures when it’s heated, purified, whitened, deodorized and often even hardened. When the coconut oil undergoes all the processes, it expires slower.
• UNREFINED COCONUT OIL – it’s obtained from the cold-pressed coconut meat. Its quality is strictly connected with both the raw material and the drying method used.
• VIRGIN COCONUT OIL – this is the most natural method of obtaining coconut oil that includes: fermentation, drying and cooling. This method is definitely the best one because it allows the oil to preserve all its bio-active constituents.

Refined coconut oil may seem to be the best because it doesn’t spoil fast. Indeed, this is an advantage but after realizing that the refining process either significantly reduces or completely deprives the coconut oil of all its nutrients, the long expiration date isn’t perceived as an asset any longer.

Application of coconut oil in body and hair care

First and foremost, coconut oil has a nourishing and moisturizing effect, therefore it can be used as a replacement for a regular body balm. High quality coconut oil keeps our skin in a perfect condition. Apart from that, coconut oil is proven to be effective in encouraging skin’s self-healing processes, reducing discolorations and pigmentation spots as well as refining skin’s texture by getting rid of dead skin cells.

When it comes to hair care, unrefined coconut oil can be successfully used as a hair conditioner. All you have to do is apply a small amount of the coconut oil to the damp hair ends, wrap the head with a towel and rinse after a few hours. Additionally, coconut oil is proven to reduce dandruff and replenish scalp with water. Scoop a few spoons of the coconut oil and massage them into the scalp. Wash the head after a few hours with a shampoo. The number of dandruff flakes will be significantly reduced.

Coming back to the body, you can use coconut oil instead of your shaving foam! Coconut oil is antibacterial which is why there will be no irritations once you finish shaving the legs. And the best part is that you don’t have to follow with a body balm because your leg skin will be already moisturized and pleasantly soft to the touch.

Have you run out of makeup remover? No worries! Reach for coconut oil and use it as your all-natural makeup remover. It deals even with waterproof makeup products. You don’t have to use much to take off all the color cosmetics you applied in the morning. Once you finish, you can leave some coconut oil on your eye area to prevent dryness.

You don’t have to worry about brittle nails if you have coconut oil close at hand. This natural cosmetic will leave the nails significantly stronger. Also, it will replenish them with nutrients and water. If you happen to have more time at your disposal, you can use coconut oil as a nail serum. Apply a thick layer of the coconut oil to the fingernails, wrap the hands with foil, let it sit for a few minutes and rinse.

Have you heard about oil pulling? Swishing coconut oil around in your mouth keeps you away from tooth decay. As mentioned above, coconut oil is antiseptic and as a result it deals with bad breath, improves the health of your teeth and soothes gum irritations. The best effects can be achieved if you spend 20 minutes on oil pulling twice a day.

Finally, you can use coconut oil as a natural body moisturizer. Apart from that, the oil fixes the lipid barrier of the dermis which is why the skin becomes damage-resistant. Last but not least, you can eat coconut oil, or add it to your cakes and cookies!