Friday, September 2, 2011

Coconut oil

Little did I know when I posted the coconut thread, that I would soon dive head first into the world of coconut.

A little coconut research will yield endless amounts of natural remedies, skin care, hair care, weight loss advice, etc. It's the new super-drug!

What is my personal experience with coconut products? Well, I use pure coconut oil on my hair for instance. I have curly, dry hair that tends to be really frizzy, and it's thin. Like really thin. So, I need deep conditioning when I style. I blow dry my hair and straighten almost daily. Coconut oil applied specifically at the tips helps my hair look healthy when straight.

I don't buy conditioner any more. I use coconut oil. After I shampoo (haven't found out about making coconut shampoo yet, but I will!), I apply just a small amount (less than 1/8 teaspoon). I put it all over my hair, while wet in the shower. The last thing I do before I leave the shower is rinse my hair well. Then sometimes I apply more, even less than I did in the shower, and dry/style as usual. It's worked wonders and I don't have to spend all that money on various products that will do the same thing.

I don't buy lotion any more, either. I've always hated the feel of it on my hands. A bit, around a teaspoon worth, works great on your legs, arms, face, anywhere you apply lotion regularly. I rub it on my face twice a day, before makeup in the morning and after cleaning at night. This may sound silly, but I've noticed a significant reduction in acne since starting this. Right now, I've been doing this for a month and no significant facial blemishes.

I made deodorant with it. Seriously. For about $1 total, you can make your own deodorant that's as good as the clinical strength types you buy for almost $10. My next post will detail the process.

You can use it to make your own toothpaste. That post will come soon as well, as I haven't yet done it but read many successful stories.

AND, you can cook with it. I keep a separate jar in the kitchen and bathroom, obviously. Anywhere you use butter, you can substitute coconut oil.

What's the advantage of doing this? Coconut oil has no cholesterol! Also, it is the only, ONLY plant-based source of OMEGA-3s. It is a significant source of MCFAs (medium chain fatty acid) specifically lauric acid. Lauric acid benefits can be read here

I've found that the cheapest place to purchase coconut oil is online at Amazon.com. You can research which brands you like, but I buy Nutiva mainly because of the cost savings. Also, if buying on Amazon and using the "Subscribe and Save" option you can save even more, pay no shipping or taxes, depending on your state.

Let me know if you've tried this or are going to. What are you experiences with coconut oil?

1 comment:

  1. Yes, you have converted me actually! Thank you for another great post.

    ReplyDelete