Skin and hair: 11 ways to use coconut oil

Coconut oil, orcoconut oil is a product that has been all the rage in recent years. Much has been said about its health benefits and the reasons to include it in a healthy diet. But do you know all the facets of this tropical oil?

Here are 11 ways to incorporate coconut oil into your body care routine.

1- Coconut oil: Moisturizer for the skin

Coconut oil is an excellent body moisturizer. It penetrates easily and quickly after the shower while the pores are dilated. Simply coat your body with it as soon as you get out of the water, focusing on dry areas such as the front of your legs and elbows.

For cracked heels, coconut oil applied at bedtime brings relief. However, socks should be worn at night to avoid staining the sheets.

2- Coconut oil: Against eczema and dermatitis

Coconut oil applied to dermatitis (inflammation of the dermis) results in a significant improvement when applied over several weeks. ¹

As coconut oil contains antibacterial and antifungal substances, wounds and skin lesions heal more quickly. ²

In addition, coconut oil seems to stimulate the formation of collagen, which promotes the healing of wounds and skin inflammations. ³

3- Coconut oil: Natural deodorant base

Due to its antimicrobial properties, coconut oil is able to neutralize the bacteria that cause bad body odor.

A natural deodorant made from coconut oil is not only effective, but also avoids the carcinogens found in commercial antiperspirants.

4- Coconut oil: Conditioner and detangler for hair

Fine, dry or colored hair can easily become tangled, making it difficult to maintain. The application of coconut oil after shampooing helps to counteract this phenomenon.

You can condition hair and prevent tangles by applying a tablespoon or two of coconut oil to the ends after shampooing.

5- Coconut oil: Eye makeup remover

Gentle on the face and non-irritating to the eyes, coconut oil makes a great makeup remover. The oil can be applied to a cotton ball to remove makeup thoroughly.

The oil removes eye makeup very effectively without causing irritation. Simply rinse the face well afterwards or apply a mild cleanser to remove excess oil.

6- Coconut oil : Sun protection

Coconut oil protects the skin from ultraviolet rays that cause skin aging. According to a study, coconut oil blocks about 20% of ultraviolet rays, which represents a sun protection of about 7 SPF. ⁴

Keep in mind that this protection is largely insufficient for people with sensitive skin.

7- Coconut oil: Lip balm

Since it is edible, coconut oil makes the perfect lip balm! Applied in small amounts, the oil leaves lips shiny and moisturized in addition to lightly protecting them from the sun.

Some people use this lip balm to treat oral herpes commonly known as cold sores. The combination of moisturizing and antiviral actions makes it a first choice complementary treatment.

8- Coconut oil: Oral health

Rich in lauric acid (a form of saturated fat), coconut oil contributes to dental and gum health. ⁵

The lauric acid contained in coconut oil is known to counteract bad breath, prevent the formation of plaque and tooth decay, and fight gum inflammation known as gingivitis. ^{5, 6}

In order to take full advantage of these properties, it is recommended to gargle with coconut oil. Well known in English under the name oil-pulling, this oil mouthwash is quite simple: it is enough to place a tablespoon of organic coconut oil in the mouth and to make it circulate before spitting it out in a trash can after 10 to 15 minutes. ⁷

You can also make homemade toothpaste by adding baking soda and a few drops of essential oils to the coconut oil.

9- Coconut oil : Buttocks ointment for baby

Diaper rash affects many babies. Behind this rash is often a pathogen, usually a yeast. The antifungal action of coconut oil attacks the yeast colonies and reduces the inflammation of the rash.

By applying a teaspoon of coconut oil several times a day at diaper changes, your baby's skin will quickly return to its normal appearance.

10- Coconut oil: Anti-stretch marks

During pregnancy, the skin is subject to unusual stretching to accommodate the growth of the baby. This can result in uncomfortable itching for the mother or the appearance of stretch marks. In order to moisturize mom's skin and improve its elasticity, a belly massage with coconut oil is recommended.

11- Coconut oil: Personal lubricant

Thanks to its moisturizing properties, coconut oil can be used as a personal lubricant. Using a natural lubricant makes sex less painful and more enjoyable, according to Dr. Janet Brito, sex therapist.

Healthy lubrication also helps menopausal women deal with the side effects of menopause, including vaginal dryness and vaginismus.

However, coconut oil should not be used in conjunction with a condom, as it may reduce the contraceptive effectiveness of the condom.

If you are not already using coconut oil in your body care routine, it's time to start today! This ingredient that is often at our fingertips will take on a whole new value.

Visit The Seed Box to find premium extra virgin coconut oils.

To your coconut oil!

Véronique Cousineau; ND

Source of information:

1: Mara Therese Padilla Evangelista, Flordeliz Abad-Casintahan, Lillian Lopez-Villafuerte. The effect of topical virgin coconut oil on SCORAD index, transepidermal water loss, and skin capacitance in mild to moderate pediatric atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial. Int J Dermatol. 2014 Jan; 53(1): 100-108. Published online 2013 Dec 10

2 : Abbas Abel Anzaku. Antimicrobial Activity of Coconut Oil and its Derivative (Lauric Acid) on Some Selected Clinical Isolates. Institute of Human Virology. August 2017

3: K. G. Nevin, T. Rajamohan. Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2010; 23(6): 290-297. Published online 2010 Jun 3

4: Radava R. Korać, Kapil M. Khambholja. Potential of herbs in skin protection from ultraviolet radiation. Pharmacogn Rev. 2011 Jul-Dec; 5(10): 164-173.

5: Huang CB, Altimova Y, Myers TM, Ebersole JL. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids exhibit antimicrobial activity for oral microorganisms. Archives of oral biology. 2011;56(7):650-654.

6: Peedikayil FC, Sreenivasan P, Narayanan A. Effect of coconut oil in plaque related gingivitis - A preliminary report. Nigerian Medical Journal : Journal of the Nigeria Medical Association. 2015;56(2):143-147. doi:10.4103/0300-1652.153406.

7: Mamta Kaushik, Pallavi Reddy, Roshni Sharma, Pooja Udameshi, Neha Mehra, Aditya Marwaha. The Effect of Coconut Oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans Count in Saliva in Comparison with Chlorhexidine Mouthwash. J Contemp Dent Pract. 2016 Jan; 17(1): 38-41. Published online 2016 Jan 1.