I’m sure I’m not the first person on the planet to tell you that coconut oil is the hot new thing on the market. It can literally be used for anything! I especially love the fact that there are so many beauty uses for coconut oil… who would have thought that you could use it in place of shaving cream or as the main ingredient as a homemade deodorant? Not this girl. Check out these other awesome ways to use coconut oil in your beauty routine:
1) Eye Makeup Remover: Anything oil based is great to remove stubborn eye makeup and coconut oil is no exception. It breaks down even the toughest of eye makeup (Inglot Gel Eyeliner – I’m looking at you).
2) Hair Conditioner: I’m not usually a proponent of using an oil as a conditioner but I have to say, coconut oil does wonders on my hair to control frizz and add shine without making it look greasy or funky.
3) Cuticle Oil: Dry cuticles? Rub a little coconut oil onto your cuticles every morning/night and watch them transform!
4) After Shower Oil: I like to use oil on my skin right after I get out of the shower because they help to hydrate my skin more than a typical lotion would. Coconut oil absorbs into the skin quickly and, bonus! It also makes me smell awesome.
5) Facial Moisturizer: Because coconut oil absorbs so quickly it can be used (sparingly!) on your face without issue. Just make sure to start off with a tiny amount and add more if needed so you don’t overdo it!
6) Cooking Oil: Ok, so this one is kind of a cheat tip because it’s *technically* not beauty related. But cooking with coconut oil adds tons of great (and tasty) fats to your food which translate into helping your hair and skin look awesome!
7) Massage Oil: Tight muscles after a long day at work? Use coconut oil as a massage oil to help massage them out!
8) Face Scrub: Mix coconut oil and raw brown sugar together (equal parts) to make a gentle face scrub. Use up to twice a week for glowing skin!
9) Lip Scrub: Mix 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and 1/4 teaspoon sugar together and apply it to your lips to exfoliate them.
10) Breath Freshener (Oil Pulling): Honestly this one freaks me out a little bit but you can use oil to do something called oil pulling which, apparently, is great for freshening your breath. If we’re being honest I’ll tell you that I’ve tried this a few times and could never make it through the full cycle but I do know people who have tried it with some success. If you oil pull comment below and let me know how it works for you!
11) Makeup Brush Cleaner: Oil is GREAT for cleaning your makeup brushes because it breaks down products. Take a little bit of coconut oil, put it on a paper towel/clean hand towel, and rub your makeup brushes into it to release the product. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the makeup comes off!
12) Lip Balm: Chapped lips? No problem – just slap on some coconut oil! I admit – I’ve totally done this while cooking and unable to run to my purse for my tube of traditional lip balm. It works!
13) Stretch Mark Cream: Stretch marks are hereditary but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try to prevent them with coconut oil! By keeping your skin hydrated while it’s stretching during pregnancy you will help to treat and protect your skin as its going through all these changes. There are also rumors that coconut oil can help to treat/erase existing stretch marks but from what I’ve seen the results are varied.
14) Body Scrub: Mix coconut oil and sugar (1 part solid coconut oil to 2 parts sugar) and add a few drops of essential oils (optional). BOOM – homemade sugar scrub!
15) Hair Serum/Defrizzer: Use a little bit of coconut oil like you would any other hair oil/serum to tame frizz and add shine. Since you’re putting it on dry hair start with less coconut oil than you think you might need and work your way up from there. When hair is wet the water helps to distribute product but on dry hair you don’t have that luxury so it’s easier to overdo it.
16) Shaving Cream: Before/after you get out of the shower apply coconut oil to your legs and rub it in. Then shave as your normally would and, voila! A smooth, close dry shave.
17) Body Lotion: Apply a small amount of solid coconut oil to dry skin for instant hydration.
18) Deodorant: I’ve been hearing this one for awhile but honestly I’m a little scared of it, haha! Here are two great homemade deodorant recipes using coconut oil if you’re interested.
19) Itchy Skin Relief: Coconut oil is said to have anti-inflammatory properties to it so if you have itchy skin slather on a bit of oil and feel your discomfort fade away!
20) Cracked Heel Cream: Since coconut oil is so hydrating it’s great for treating dry, cracked heels.
21) Diaper Cream: Is your poor baby suffering from diaper rash? Coconut oil contains lauric acid and has antimicrobial/anti-fungal properties so it helps to promote healing while soothing the skin. Apply it with your fingers and make sure it’s dry before putting a diaper on.
22) Night Cream: Coconut oil is chock full of antioxidants so it’s great for your skin! Lather it on before you sleep and wake up to a softer, smoother complexion in the morning.
23) Natural Sunscreen (SPF 4): Coconut oil has a slight amount of natural sun-blocking properties to it though at an SPF 4 I wouldn’t use it as your primary sunscreen if you’re going to be out in the sun for an extended period of time. It’s good to know if you’re ever in a pinch, though!
24) Sunburn Soother: Just like with the diaper rash example (Tip #21) Coconut Oil can be used to soothe raw skin after too much sun exposure.
25) Eye Cream: Coconut oil is light enough to be used on the face so dab a little bit on the delicate skin underneath your eyes to soften and smooth.
26) Cheekbone Highlighter: Looking for a super easy dewy look? Take a tiny bit of coconut oil and dab it onto the high points of your cheekbones or a subtle glow.
27) Bath Soak: Mix coconut oil into your warm bath water to create a hydrating and soothing bath soak that smells amazing!
28) Tanning Oil: This one is pretty self explanatory so I won’t go into it. Just be careful not to burn!
29) Hair Static Reducer: Hair static happens most in dry conditions so if you’re experiencing the dreaded static cling the quickest and easiest way to stop it is to add moisture to your hair. A small amount of coconut oil works wonders!
30) Wound Care: Since coconut oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial properties it makes a great treatment for any scrapes or cuts you get.
31) Toothpaste: I know I mentioned oil pulling above but others have said they have success with using coconut oil mixed with baking soda as an all natural toothpaste alternative.
32) Tinted Lip Balm: Mix a bit of your favorite lipstick with solid coconut oil (the amount will depend on how pigmented you want it to be) and use it as a tinted lip balm.
33) Dandruff Remedy: Dandruff is caused by a fungus so using coconut oil and its natural anti-fungal properties is a great way to reduce the white flakes!
34) Calm Eczema Flare Ups: Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial properties as well as high antioxidant levels so it’s a great remedy for itchy dry, cracked skin
35) Eyelash Growth Treatment: So rumor on the street has it that coconut oil can help your eyelashes (and eyebrows) grow longer and thicker. I’ve used it and noticed that my lashes looked awesome afterwards but because I’m a slacker I didn’t take before/after pictures so it’s hard to say. Definitely worth a shot though!
36) Wax Removal: Do you wax at home? Coconut oil is great for breaking down hard to remove leftover wax.
37) Prevent/Treat Skin Chafing: If your skin is chafing adding a little coconut oil as a lubricant will help to ease any discomfort you experience. And, like with the diaper rash, sunscreen, etc examples above, coconut oil has tons of awesome healing properties to help relieve any irritation that results from chafing.
38) Insect Repellent: Mix coconut oil with a few drops of essential oils such as cedarwood, citronella, lavender, eucalyptus, or tea tree and keep the bugs away!
39) Smoothie Addition: This isn’t a beauty use per-se but adding coconut oil to your smoothies (click here for my green smoothie recipe) adds tons of good fats that are great for your hair, skin, and overall health.
40) Scar Treatment: Coconut oil contains tons of great natural acids which can help to reduce the size and appearance of scars and hyperpigmentation on the skin.
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Have you incorporated coconut oil into your beauty routine? Comment below and let me know how you use it!
Until next time 🙂
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What a useful post! This was helpful, thanks.
It’s crazy how many there are!
The deodorant with this is amazing! I have been using it for about 6 weeks now and am very happy. It works better than the clinical strength drugstore options for me. This weekend, we were canoeing for 8 hours straight in hot weather and I didn’t smell at all!
I totally thought of you when I was writing this post! I had read your deodorant post after you put it up and was wondering if you had tried this. Glad to hear that it works well!!
I use coconut oil for so many things, but even I was surprised at a few of these! 🙂
Thank you for this fabulous and comprehensive list of uses!
I had no idea that coconut oil has so many uses! Thanks for sharing them!
I use coconut oil for most of these, but I simply can NOT put it on my face, not even the tiniest amount. I’m prone to comedogenic breakouts, and coconut oil is *highly* comedogenic. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it if you know your skin is prone to breakouts.
That said, the rest of my body LOVES coconut oil.
I use coconut oil for everything!
I actually have 3 DIY recipes on my blog that feature coconut oil (the 4th one will be published either tonight or tomorrow. It’s a DIY makeup remover wipes!)
http://heatherstreasure.com/diy-lip-scrub is one of them if you want to check it out, the other recipes are linked in there.
With scrubs, you want to stick with the “80/20 rule”. 80% of it is your sugar/salt/lotion/etc. And the 20% is whatever oil you’re using. (Just a quick tip lol)
The only thing I can’t figure out how everyone uses it for is shaving cream. I’ve even tried using the smallest amount, but it ends up clogging up my razor! And no matter how hard I try, it doesn’t completely clean out, which makes the razor useless 🙁
If I’m missing something about how to do this, id love to know lol.
Also, in regards to the oil pulling, there are sooo many health benefits to it besides fresh breath. It helps with gum disease, removes plague, cleans out your sinuses, helps strengthen the jaw, helps with headaches/migraines, and the list goes on. It is gross at first, but you do get used to it lol. And once you start seeing benefits, you’ll feel better about fighting through it ;-).
Ps: I HIGHLY recommend trying “Vita CoCo’s Coconut Oil (the same brand that makes those coconut waters and stuff!) it’s the best!
Love the blog!
Heather Lynn