Coo-Coo for Coconut Oil? Here's 7 Uses for Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a favourite for food but it can also be used for natural beauty treatments, natural medicine and much more. The coconut tree is considered as the "tree of life" in many parts of the world. Here are 7 beauty uses for coconut oil.

1) Coconut Oil for Pre-poo Treatment

Apply coconut oil to your dry hair before you shampoo. The coconut oil protects your hair from the stripping effects that shampoo can have.

Start by parting your hair into three or more sections and apply a moderate amount of the coconut oil into your hair. Rinse the coconut oil from your hair with warm water and then continue with your usual shampoo routine.

2) Body Moisturizer

Coconut oil is an excellent massage oil that acts as an effective moisturizer on all skin types, including dry skin. Unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin from the application of coconut oil.

Therefore, it is a safe solution for preventing dryness and the flaking of skin. It also delays the appearance of wrinkles and sagging of skin, which normally comes with aging.

It also helps in treating various skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. For that exact reason, coconut oil forms the base ingredient of various body care products like soaps, lotions, and creams that are used for skin care.

3) Eye Makeup Remover

Using coconut oil as an eye makeup remover is a much more gentle alternative than your traditional eye makeup remover.

It works just as well as your traditional oil based remover, but without all of the fragrances and harsh additives. Just apply a small amount to a cotton pad and rub over the eyes to remove the makeup. Continue until the cotton pad wipes clean.

4) Cuticle Treatment

Rub coconut oil on and around cuticles in order to prevent dryness and cracking. Try to apply it three or four times a day after washing your hands. If you have severely dry cracked cuticle, you should start seeing results within 24 hours!

5) Lip Balm

Apply coconut oil to lips to use as a lip balm. One thing to keep in mind is that using it as lip balm is best by itself. Using it as a base for lip colour may prove to be unsuccessful.

6) Shaving Cream

Coconut oil is a great alternative to shaving cream or gel. It will leave your skin feeling hydrated and smooth after your shave with less of a chance for irritation. Just apply it as if you are going to moisturize your skin and then just shave!

7) Mouthwash

Calcium is a very important component of our teeth. Since coconut oil facilitates absorption of calcium by the body, it helps in developing strong teeth. It also stops tooth decay.

Recent research suggests that using coconut oil is beneficial in reducing plaque formation and plaque induced gingivitis. Just take a tablespoon of it and swish it around like mouthwash for about 15-20 minutes. This method is also known as "oil pulling".