30 Benefits of Coconut Oil
30 Benefits of Coconut Oil
1. Care for our cuticles.
Treat dry, flaky cuticles by rubbing coconut oil into your nail beds. Use your fingers to massage some oil into the area—it’ll moisturize your hands in the process!
2. Treat your tresses to some TLC.
Store-bought hair conditioning treatments can get pretty pricy and are often made with some sketchy toxic ingredients. Enter: coconut oil. Beauty experts say the fatty acids in coconut oil will soften your strands. One way to use it: Whip up an at-home hair mask, like this coconut oil and honey concoction, coat your hair, throw it up into a bun, let it sit for up to 40 minutes, and then rinse it out in the shower.
Bonus: You can also use coconut oil on its own to prevent the ends of your hair from drying out. Just rub some onto the tips of your hair, and then shampoo as you regularly would to keep your strands shiny, healthy, and hydrated.
3. Use it as a frizz-fighter and flyaway-tamer.
Spread a tiny bit (apply sparingly—unless, of course, you dig greasy-looking hair) of coconut oil into trouble areas. The natural oils actually repel moisture, which is the culprit behind misbehaving hair.
4. Go for the glow.
To brighten up lackluster skin, combine coconut oil with baking soda, which is a superstar exfoliant. Just mix a little bit of the two together, gently rub into your skin in circular motions, and then rinse.
5. Whip up an at-home face mask.
Another combo for a better complexion? Coconut oil and honey. Mix the two for a hydrating, antibacterial face mask. Leave it on for about 15 minutes, and then rinse.
6. Nourish your lips.
Thanks to extreme weather, our lips sometimes need a little extra TLC to keep them soft and smooth. Slough off any dry, flaky skin with a DIY coconut-oil-and-brown-sugar lip scrub. Plus, who needs Chapstick when you’ve got coconut oil on hand? Just smooth some on your lips for instant hydration. It’ll look a little glossy, so let it sink in for a few minutes if you want a more matte look.
7. Buff your skin.
Speaking of scrubs, coconut oil is a fantastic ingredient for DIY body scrub. Just mix it up with brown sugar or salt, and add a drop or two of the essential oil of your choice for a gentle but effective exfoliating scrub.
8. Make bath time better.
Add a generous scoop of coconut oil to a bath to (literally) soak in its moisturizing benefits. Make bath time even better by throwing in some Epsom salts (they help soothe muscles and beat bloating) and your favorite essential oils.
9. Tint your lips.
Anyone who’s ever used lipstick is familiar with how frustrating it is when you’re down to that last, hard-to-access bit of lip color left in the applicator. Instead of tossing the tube, scoop out the remaining product and melt it together with coconut oil for a homemade tinted lip balm.
10. Remove your makeup.
One beauty editor’s secret: Use coconut oil to remove heavy makeup. Just rub a scoop of the stuff into your skin, leave it on for a few minutes, and wipe it all off with a warm cloth. Plus, this trick works on even the most stubborn eye makeup (we’re looking at you, waterproof mascara). Just apply some coconut oil to a cotton makeup pad and gently wipe off any product.
11. Moisturize your skin.
To keep your skin soft and supple, swap out your regular moisturizer for coconut oil. Don’t worry—it sinks in pretty quickly and will leave your skin feeling baby-soft.
12. Swap out your shaving cream.
Coconut oil is actually a great way to get a close shave and hydrate your skin in the process. Plus, it’s especially good for people with sensitive skin. If you’re in a DIY mood, you can even make your own shaving cream with it.
13. Clean your makeup brushes.
Just about every beauty and skincare expert stresses how important it is to keep your makeup brushes as bacteria-free as possible—for the ones you use daily, that means cleaning them once a week. Mix antibacterial dish soap with coconut oil (which also has antibacterial properties and will help condition the bristles) and give your brushes a good cleaning. Check out this guide for the step-by-step.
14. Improve your acne.
15. Smooth your skin.
Creams that boast anti-aging properties usually come with a pretty shocking price tag. Luckily, coconut oil can minimize the appearance of wrinkles. This totally works for the delicate skin around your eyes, too. Feel free to gently pat some coconut oil onto the area with your ring finger.
16. Improve scalp health.
Massage coconut oil into your scalp to fight dandruff. Get ready to bid adieu to those pesky flakes!
17. Soothe sunburns.
If you’ve spent too much time in the sun (and have the lobster-like appearance to prove it), use coconut oil for burn relief. It’ll calm your skin and moisturize it to help minimize peeling.
18. Quiet down eczema flare-ups.
Because it’s both a moisturizer and an anti-inflammatory, coconut oil can help calm itchy and irritated skin related to eczema.
19. Make your own massage oil.
It’s no secret that massages in the spa feel awesome. The ambience, the pampering, and the oils, oh my! Though it might be hard to set up the same Zen-like atmosphere at home, you can definitely get in on the massage oils, no appointment necessary. Just warm up some coconut oil (and maybe add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil) and get massaging.
20. Banish B.O.
Smooth some coconut oil on your armpits. The lauric acid can help kill the bacteria that causes stinky sweat. But be warned: Some experts believe it may not be powerful enough to be your sole method for deodorizing your pits.
21. Polish your pearly whites.
If you’re looking for a natural alternative to regular toothpaste, try going the DIY route. Your plan: Mix coconut oil with baking soda until it’s pasty enough to spread on a toothbrush.
22. Soften and deodorize your feet.
Between working out and running around, our feet get a beating on a day-to-day basis. Before bed, soften cracked, rough skin and calluses by exfoliating your feet and then applying a generous layer of coconut oil. Since it has natural antibacterial properties, it’ll deodorize as it softens. Then slip on some socks to wake up with much smoother, better smelling soles.
Bonus: To enhance its benefits, add a drop or two of tea tree oil to the mix and apply both before bed and throughout the day. Treating your feet to this combo not only keeps stinky smells at bay, but may also help treat athlete’s foot.
23. Enhance your eyelashes.
Similar to the way it can help strengthen your head of hair, coconut oil can also help strengthen lashes—and that’s especially good news considering it’s all too easy to damage those short hairs. Just apply some oil to a cotton swab and spread it onto your lashes before going to bed.
24. Wax on, wax off!
If your hair removal routine involves at-home waxing, use coconut oil to remove excess wax from your skin—or from any surfaces in your waxing workspace. Just smooth some of the oil onto any area that’s still sticky, and then wipe it off with a warm washcloth.
25. Boosts Immune System
Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats – lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid –that contain antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial properties, all of which help strengthen the body’s immune system.
A strong immune system means the body is more capable of fighting a variety of viruses and bacteria that cause diseases like herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, candida and even HIV.
By adding coconut oil to your diet plan, you’ll keep your immune system strong year round and especially during the winter months.
26. Lowers Cholesterol
Several studies suggest that dietary use of coconut oil can increase the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) and reduce the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) in your blood.
This in turn reduces the risk of injury and damage to arteries and helps prevent atherosclerosis. This improvement in cardiovascular risk factors will help lower your blood pressure level and reduce your risk of heart disease over the long term.
Those who have a family history of heart disease can benefit from adding coconut oil to their diet on a daily basis to reduce their risk.
27. Controls Blood Sugar
Coconut oil also is known to help control blood sugar by improving the secretion of insulin. A recent study conducted at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research found that the medium-chain fatty acids present in coconut oil reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
These fats are absorbed into the cells easily and converted to energy quickly. This process improves insulin sensitivity. Coconut oil also promotes the effective utilization of blood glucose, which plays a key role in preventing as well as treating diabetes.
Coconut oil is one fat that diabetics can eat without fear and can benefit from opting for this oil over others when cooking.
28. Treats Candida
Coconut oil has antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties that help protect the body from bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Plus, the moisturizing and gentle nature of coconut oil makes it a great choice for treating different types of yeast infections. This oil is particularly helpful in preventing and treating the yeast infection known as candida.
Topical application of pure coconut oil on the affected skin provides relief from the inflammation caused by candida. Also, the high moisture-retaining capacity of the oil will keep the skin from cracking or peeling off. Those suffering from candida should also increase their intake of coconut oil to speed up the healing process.
28. Removes Stretch Marks
Coconut oil can effectively reduce the appearance of stretch marks due to its moisturizing and antioxidant properties. The healthy saturated fats in coconut oil will help strengthen the skin’s cell walls and its antioxidant properties help fight free radicals and nourish damaged skin.
This oil is absorbed deep into the skin very quickly when massaged into the affected area. Along with stretch marks, coconut oil also helps treat various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections.
To prevent or reduce stretch marks, you can use coconut oil both internally and externally.
29. Nourishes Hair
Coconut oil can effectively help maintain beautiful, healthy and shiny hair. It is considered one of the best natural nutrients for your hair. Being rich in medium-chain triglycerides, this oil easily penetrates deep into hair shafts, allowing essential nutrients required for hair growth to reach inside the shaft of each hair.
This in turn helps speed the rate of hair growth while also improving the condition of damaged hair. Plus, the unique chemical structure of coconut oil has the power to keep your hair and scalp free from dandruff and lice.
For nourishing and healing damaged hair, simply massage your scalp with warm coconut oil two or three times a week.
30. Soothe sunburns.
If you’ve spent too much time in the sun (and have the lobster-like appearance to prove it), use coconut oil for burn relief. It’ll calm your skin and moisturize it to help minimize peeling.
1. Care for our cuticles.
Treat dry, flaky cuticles by rubbing coconut oil into your nail beds. Use your fingers to massage some oil into the area—it’ll moisturize your hands in the process!
2. Treat your tresses to some TLC.
Store-bought hair conditioning treatments can get pretty pricy and are often made with some sketchy toxic ingredients. Enter: coconut oil. Beauty experts say the fatty acids in coconut oil will soften your strands. One way to use it: Whip up an at-home hair mask, like this coconut oil and honey concoction, coat your hair, throw it up into a bun, let it sit for up to 40 minutes, and then rinse it out in the shower.
Bonus: You can also use coconut oil on its own to prevent the ends of your hair from drying out. Just rub some onto the tips of your hair, and then shampoo as you regularly would to keep your strands shiny, healthy, and hydrated.
3. Use it as a frizz-fighter and flyaway-tamer.
Spread a tiny bit (apply sparingly—unless, of course, you dig greasy-looking hair) of coconut oil into trouble areas. The natural oils actually repel moisture, which is the culprit behind misbehaving hair.
4. Go for the glow.
To brighten up lackluster skin, combine coconut oil with baking soda, which is a superstar exfoliant. Just mix a little bit of the two together, gently rub into your skin in circular motions, and then rinse.
5. Whip up an at-home face mask.
Another combo for a better complexion? Coconut oil and honey. Mix the two for a hydrating, antibacterial face mask. Leave it on for about 15 minutes, and then rinse.
6. Nourish your lips.
Thanks to extreme weather, our lips sometimes need a little extra TLC to keep them soft and smooth. Slough off any dry, flaky skin with a DIY coconut-oil-and-brown-sugar lip scrub. Plus, who needs Chapstick when you’ve got coconut oil on hand? Just smooth some on your lips for instant hydration. It’ll look a little glossy, so let it sink in for a few minutes if you want a more matte look.
7. Buff your skin.
Speaking of scrubs, coconut oil is a fantastic ingredient for DIY body scrub. Just mix it up with brown sugar or salt, and add a drop or two of the essential oil of your choice for a gentle but effective exfoliating scrub.
8. Make bath time better.
Add a generous scoop of coconut oil to a bath to (literally) soak in its moisturizing benefits. Make bath time even better by throwing in some Epsom salts (they help soothe muscles and beat bloating) and your favorite essential oils.
9. Tint your lips.
Anyone who’s ever used lipstick is familiar with how frustrating it is when you’re down to that last, hard-to-access bit of lip color left in the applicator. Instead of tossing the tube, scoop out the remaining product and melt it together with coconut oil for a homemade tinted lip balm.
10. Remove your makeup.
One beauty editor’s secret: Use coconut oil to remove heavy makeup. Just rub a scoop of the stuff into your skin, leave it on for a few minutes, and wipe it all off with a warm cloth. Plus, this trick works on even the most stubborn eye makeup (we’re looking at you, waterproof mascara). Just apply some coconut oil to a cotton makeup pad and gently wipe off any product.
11. Moisturize your skin.
To keep your skin soft and supple, swap out your regular moisturizer for coconut oil. Don’t worry—it sinks in pretty quickly and will leave your skin feeling baby-soft.
12. Swap out your shaving cream.
Coconut oil is actually a great way to get a close shave and hydrate your skin in the process. Plus, it’s especially good for people with sensitive skin. If you’re in a DIY mood, you can even make your own shaving cream with it.
13. Clean your makeup brushes.
Just about every beauty and skincare expert stresses how important it is to keep your makeup brushes as bacteria-free as possible—for the ones you use daily, that means cleaning them once a week. Mix antibacterial dish soap with coconut oil (which also has antibacterial properties and will help condition the bristles) and give your brushes a good cleaning. Check out this guide for the step-by-step.
14. Improve your acne.
Real talk: Breakouts are always a bummer. To help minimize acne-related inflammation, experts recommend using coconut oil, which will also combat redness and irritation. Cleanse your face as you regularly would, and then apply a thin layer of oil (which will also moisturize your skin—see No. 11) to your skin. (Protip: If you’re doing this before bed, let it sink in so that excess oil doesn’t mess with your bedding.)
15. Smooth your skin.
Creams that boast anti-aging properties usually come with a pretty shocking price tag. Luckily, coconut oil can minimize the appearance of wrinkles. This totally works for the delicate skin around your eyes, too. Feel free to gently pat some coconut oil onto the area with your ring finger.
16. Improve scalp health.
Massage coconut oil into your scalp to fight dandruff. Get ready to bid adieu to those pesky flakes!
17. Soothe sunburns.
If you’ve spent too much time in the sun (and have the lobster-like appearance to prove it), use coconut oil for burn relief. It’ll calm your skin and moisturize it to help minimize peeling.
18. Quiet down eczema flare-ups.
Because it’s both a moisturizer and an anti-inflammatory, coconut oil can help calm itchy and irritated skin related to eczema.
19. Make your own massage oil.
It’s no secret that massages in the spa feel awesome. The ambience, the pampering, and the oils, oh my! Though it might be hard to set up the same Zen-like atmosphere at home, you can definitely get in on the massage oils, no appointment necessary. Just warm up some coconut oil (and maybe add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil) and get massaging.
20. Banish B.O.
Smooth some coconut oil on your armpits. The lauric acid can help kill the bacteria that causes stinky sweat. But be warned: Some experts believe it may not be powerful enough to be your sole method for deodorizing your pits.
21. Polish your pearly whites.
If you’re looking for a natural alternative to regular toothpaste, try going the DIY route. Your plan: Mix coconut oil with baking soda until it’s pasty enough to spread on a toothbrush.
22. Soften and deodorize your feet.
Between working out and running around, our feet get a beating on a day-to-day basis. Before bed, soften cracked, rough skin and calluses by exfoliating your feet and then applying a generous layer of coconut oil. Since it has natural antibacterial properties, it’ll deodorize as it softens. Then slip on some socks to wake up with much smoother, better smelling soles.
Bonus: To enhance its benefits, add a drop or two of tea tree oil to the mix and apply both before bed and throughout the day. Treating your feet to this combo not only keeps stinky smells at bay, but may also help treat athlete’s foot.
23. Enhance your eyelashes.
Similar to the way it can help strengthen your head of hair, coconut oil can also help strengthen lashes—and that’s especially good news considering it’s all too easy to damage those short hairs. Just apply some oil to a cotton swab and spread it onto your lashes before going to bed.
24. Wax on, wax off!
If your hair removal routine involves at-home waxing, use coconut oil to remove excess wax from your skin—or from any surfaces in your waxing workspace. Just smooth some of the oil onto any area that’s still sticky, and then wipe it off with a warm washcloth.
25. Boosts Immune System
Coconut oil is made up of healthy fats – lauric acid, caprylic acid and capric acid –that contain antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial properties, all of which help strengthen the body’s immune system.
A strong immune system means the body is more capable of fighting a variety of viruses and bacteria that cause diseases like herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, candida and even HIV.
By adding coconut oil to your diet plan, you’ll keep your immune system strong year round and especially during the winter months.
26. Lowers Cholesterol
Several studies suggest that dietary use of coconut oil can increase the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good” cholesterol) and reduce the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) in your blood.
This in turn reduces the risk of injury and damage to arteries and helps prevent atherosclerosis. This improvement in cardiovascular risk factors will help lower your blood pressure level and reduce your risk of heart disease over the long term.
Those who have a family history of heart disease can benefit from adding coconut oil to their diet on a daily basis to reduce their risk.
27. Controls Blood Sugar
Coconut oil also is known to help control blood sugar by improving the secretion of insulin. A recent study conducted at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research found that the medium-chain fatty acids present in coconut oil reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
These fats are absorbed into the cells easily and converted to energy quickly. This process improves insulin sensitivity. Coconut oil also promotes the effective utilization of blood glucose, which plays a key role in preventing as well as treating diabetes.
Coconut oil is one fat that diabetics can eat without fear and can benefit from opting for this oil over others when cooking.
28. Treats Candida
Coconut oil has antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties that help protect the body from bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Plus, the moisturizing and gentle nature of coconut oil makes it a great choice for treating different types of yeast infections. This oil is particularly helpful in preventing and treating the yeast infection known as candida.
Topical application of pure coconut oil on the affected skin provides relief from the inflammation caused by candida. Also, the high moisture-retaining capacity of the oil will keep the skin from cracking or peeling off. Those suffering from candida should also increase their intake of coconut oil to speed up the healing process.
28. Removes Stretch Marks
Coconut oil can effectively reduce the appearance of stretch marks due to its moisturizing and antioxidant properties. The healthy saturated fats in coconut oil will help strengthen the skin’s cell walls and its antioxidant properties help fight free radicals and nourish damaged skin.
This oil is absorbed deep into the skin very quickly when massaged into the affected area. Along with stretch marks, coconut oil also helps treat various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections.
To prevent or reduce stretch marks, you can use coconut oil both internally and externally.
29. Nourishes Hair
Coconut oil can effectively help maintain beautiful, healthy and shiny hair. It is considered one of the best natural nutrients for your hair. Being rich in medium-chain triglycerides, this oil easily penetrates deep into hair shafts, allowing essential nutrients required for hair growth to reach inside the shaft of each hair.
This in turn helps speed the rate of hair growth while also improving the condition of damaged hair. Plus, the unique chemical structure of coconut oil has the power to keep your hair and scalp free from dandruff and lice.
For nourishing and healing damaged hair, simply massage your scalp with warm coconut oil two or three times a week.
30. Soothe sunburns.
If you’ve spent too much time in the sun (and have the lobster-like appearance to prove it), use coconut oil for burn relief. It’ll calm your skin and moisturize it to help minimize peeling.
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