13 Healthy, Beautifying, Money-Saving & Sexy Ways To Use Coconut Oil

We love coconut oil! Not only does it taste oh-so-delicious, it’s also super healthy and can be used in place of many conventional body care products. Since we also love the earth and saving money, swapping out coconut oil for traditional products is a no-brainer. From cooking to skincare to hair treatments to mouthwash, the coconut oil possibilities are endless. Buy yourself an industrial-sized tub of it at Costco, and check out the list below for loads of fun ways to use this “magic oil”…

1. Face wash + makeup remover. Ever heard of the oil cleansing method? If not, you have got to try it because It’s AMAZING. We’re talking soft, glowing skin, fewer breakouts, increased elasticity, and a multitude of other benefits — all from simply washing your face with coconut oil. Here’s how to do it: melt about a half tablespoon of coconut oil between your fingers and massage over your face in a circular motion for a couple of minutes. Gently rub your eye area with eyes closed to remove eye shadow and mascara (if you’re wearing a lot of makeup, it will kind of smear all over your face, but that’s OK). Next, cover your face with a hot, damp washcloth to open pores and remove oil. Do this at night and wake up with dewy, lovely skin!

2. Leave-in conditioner/de-frizzer. Coconut oil can replace about a million hair products when used correctly. Say goodbye to defrizzer, leave-in conditioner, smoothing cream, and shine serum and get yourself a tub of coconut oil instead. The secret is to start with a VERY small amount, because if you use too much you hair can appear weighed down and greasy. Melt a tiny amount in your hands  (the size of a dime or smaller), then rub between your hands and rake lightly through the ends (not the roots!). If you have very thick or dry hair you can always add more as you experiment to see what works best for your hair. This method works on wet, damp, or dry hair. Again, we recommend trying it on all three to see which works best for you.

3. Body moisturizer. Never buy lotion again! Seriously. Give coconut oil a try instead. Unlike commercial lotions that just sit on the surface of your skin, coconut oil actually absorbs into your skin. Plus, its natural antimicrobial and antibiotic properties mean you are actually healing your skin as you moisturize. The trick to using coconut oil as a body moisturizer is to apply a small amount and really work it into your skin until it’s fully absorbed. Reapply as necessary. The thing you want to avoid is putting on so much that it becomes a thick, oily mess all over your body. Bonus: spending a little more time working the oil into your skin becomes a mini self massage. Blissful!

4. Massage oil. Speaking of massages, trust us, you don’t need to spend a ton of money on expensive massage oils (so many of them are loaded with chemicals anyway) next time you want to give your partner (or yourself!) a luxurious rub down. Just melt a spoonful of coconut oil (or apply directly to whoever you’re massaging) and rub it into the skin, enjoying the relaxing, tropical, all-natural scent as you go. An awesome side effect is there is no need to wash it off — let it soak in and moisturize your skin long after the massage is over.

5. Nutritional Supplement. Eating 1 tablespoon of coconut oil a day has been shown to have a ton of health benefits. Mixing it into tea, coffee, or your morning smoothie imparts a subtle tropical flavor to your morning  beverage and gives you a great energy boost for the day.

6. Conditioner. In the shower, work a small amount of coconut oil through the ends of wet hair, leave it in for a few minutes (if you want extra conditioning) then rinse, comb, and style as you normally would. You may find your hair feels “weird”  in the shower while using this method because  it won’t feel like traditional conditioner, but afterwards, as your hair dries, you’ll reap all the benefits of your usual conditioner and more.