Nature’s Secret Weapon: Coconut Oil

12 Oct 02:24

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Written by Talya Cayce

12 Oct 02:24

·

Written by Talya Cayce

Dry skin? Coconut oil. Lifeless hair? Coconut oil. Chapped lips? Coconut oil. Feeling down? Coconut oil. As the saying goes, coconut oil fixes absolutely everything! Coconut oil is a wonderful gift from nature, with a list of uses and benefits that could go on forever. We are absolutely obsessed with this oil, and we’re about to tell you why you should be too.

Coconut oil is derived from the flesh of the coconut, and contains medium chain fatty acids such as Caprylic acid, Lauric acid and Capric acid. Coconut oil contains the saturated fats necessary for optimum health and vitality. The fat absorbed into the body from coconut oil is not easily stored as fat in the human body, making this baby perfect for those who are interested in maintaining or losing weight. Due to the pathway that medium chain fatty acids take to absorb into the blood stream via the liver, these fats are able to absorb into the body very quickly, giving you a healthy burst of energy, minus the stimulants.

Coconut oil has made a comeback in recent years, with many switching over to this nourishing substitute for other oils in cooking to reap the health benefits. Coconut oil has been proven to boost energy levels and increase mental alertness, promote weight loss, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation and arthritis, treat Alzheimer’s disease, boost the immune system by acting as an antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral agent, prevent gum disease and tooth decay, and the risk of heart disease when consumed regularly.

It can be incorporated into many recipes, smoothies, as cooking oil or taken straight from the tablespoon. Although, the uses for coconut oil span much further than just the kitchen. There is no other individual ingredient that we can think of that does so many amazing tricks for health and beauty. We have listed our favourite coconut oil hacks for you below.

Skin Moisturiser

Swap out or alternate your regular moisturiser for coconut oil, it leaves your face deliciously hydrated, minus the harsh chemicals found in store bought creams. Oily skin? Not to worry, coconut oil will help to balance out your natural oils so don’t be afraid to give it a go. This doubles as a serious money saving hack as well, we all know how expensive moisturisers can be.

Hair Treatment

Coconut oil aids in improving split ends, when applied to the ends of your hair regularly. This super product can also help stimulate hair growth by massaging it into your roots, leave it on overnight and shampoo twice the next day for the best results. If you apply a small amount to your finger tips and gently rub over any fly-a-ways or frizz, it will give you an instant fix!

Lips, Lips Baby

Coconut oil is a life saver for chapped lips. Apply it regularly as a natural lip balm, and for super-soft lips, mix it with some raw sugar to create a nourishing lip scrub.

Makeup Remover

Swipe this bad boy over mascara laden eyes with a cotton pad for a luxurious feeling of relief, watch the black residue slide straight off. It works great for the rest of your face too!

Natural Sunscreen

Believe it or not, Coconut oil has a naturally occurring SPF factor of about 4+ which is low in comparison to synthetically made sunscreens, although the benefits of avoiding harsh chemicals can really outweigh this. Coconut oil blocks out approximately 75% of UV rays in comparison to 90-98% in synthetic sunscreens, this can be a real life saver if you compare it to using nothing at all.

Natural Deodorant

Coconut oil can be used as a natural deodorant, minus the nasty chemicals such as aluminum. It is great for those with sensitive skin who can’t wear regular deodorant. Remember it is not claiming to be an antiperspirant, you will still sweat, it is just a mild deodorant for sensitive skin and noses.

Oral Hygiene & Teeth whitening

The ancient art of oil pulling is a dental hygiene practice performed by swirling coconut oil in the mouth for 10 – 20 minutes and spitting it out. The coconut oil removes toxins from the mouth by drawing out bacteria, the most important part is don’t forget to spit!

Rashes & Skin Irritations

Coconut oil can alleviate and improve many skin conditions and rashes such as yeast infections, fungal infections, acne, eczema, psoriasis, & rosacea. Apply directly to the affected area.

Shaving

Apply generously to the skin prior to shaving, the coconut oil won’t rinse off immediately like other creams, so no need to continuously re-apply. As a carrier for other essential oils, coconut oil can be blended with other essential oils to dilute them and act as a carrier, this enables harsher essential oils to be more comfortably absorbed on the skin.