Want to know what my top ten uses for coconut oil are? Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with coconut oil. I have some in my kitchen, in the bathroom, in my purse and even in the bedroom! I use coconut oil on a daily basis, it is my go to cure all remedy.

Top Ten Uses for Coconut Oil

1. Cooking and Baking

Coconut oil has a high smoking point making it ideal for high-heat cooking like stir fries and pancakes. It also makes an excellent butter substitute in vegan cooking. I also use coconut oil in my delicious Raw Lemon Cheese Cakes and Vanilla Almond Protein Truffles.

 2. Skin Care 

Coconut oil is one of the best moisturizers around because it is all natural (you can eat it!) and it smells great without the added perfumes. It has antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial properties that will help heal the skin and clear up acne, eczema and generally dry skin. If you want to add a little more scent to your moisturizer, you can melt coconut oil and stir in a couple drops of pure essential oils. I suggest using lavender essential oil because it has a calming effect and reduces inflammation.

3. Deodorant

Sweating is an amazing process that cools us down and helps our body clean out toxins, but it sure can stink! A clean diet will reduce the body odour associated with sweating because your body won’t have as many toxins to get rid of. Alternatively, you can make your own deodorant with, you guessed it, coconut oil!

Homemade Coconut Oil Deodorant

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup arrowroot powder or organic corn starch
• 2 Tbsp aluminium free baking soda
• 10-15 drops of you favourite essential oils (I suggest lavender, coriander and tea tree)

Directions:

1. Mix everything together in a glass container with a lid. In hot weather, this mixture may separate so it’s good to give it a little stir before you use it.
2. Use your fingers to apply a small dab to each pit for non-toxic aluminium free deodorant!

4. Makeup Remover

Most makeup removers are full of toxins and chemicals that do no favours for your skin. Coconut oil makes an excellent makeup remover that can actually remove waterproof mascara! To remove makeup, warm a little coconut oil up between your fingers and gently massage it around your eyes and lashes. Use a clean cotton pad or damp facecloth to wipe away any excess coconut oil, just like magic the makeup will come right off with the oil!

5. Lip Balm

As I mentioned above, I carry a small pot of coconut oil in my purse at all times. It makes an excellent lip balm that moisturises your lips and makes them shine. Coconut oil is naturally SPF 4 so it will also help protect your lips from the sun. Coconut oil becomes liquid at 24C if you want to carry it around in your purse make sure you have a container that seals really well, otherwise on a hot sunny day you will reach into your purse to discover an oily mess!

6. Toothpaste

Believe it or not, coconut oil makes amazing fluoride free toothpaste that whitens and cleans your teeth! To make coconut oil toothpaste mix 1 part melted coconut oil with 1 part aluminium free baking soda. To get that refreshing minty flavour, add a couple drops of edible peppermint oil or natural peppermint extract.

7. Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is used in Ayurveda to promote detoxification. It removes bacteria, toxins and parasites that live in your mouth and can reduce congestion. Oil pulling can also contribute to gum health and whiten and re-mineralise your teeth. To try oil pulling, place 1 Tbsp of oil in your mouth, swish it around for 5 to 20 minutes, then spit out the oil and rinse your mouth a couple times with water. NEVER swallow the oil because it is full of toxins! Traditionally sesame oil is used for oil pulling, but coconut oil can be used as well.

8. Hair Care

Coconut oil makes an excellent hair conditioner. When your scalp and hair feel dry, massage some coconut oil your hair and scalp. After 20 minutes to an hour rinse it out in the shower with some non-toxic shampoo and enjoy luscious hair and a dandruff free scalp. You can also use a tiny amount of coconut oil to tame frizz or add texture to your tips.

9. Shaving cream

You can use coconut oil in the shower for super smooth moisturized legs! Prop your legs up on the side of the tub, out of the shower spray, and wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove any water droplets. Rub a thin layer of coconut oil on your legs and shave your way to smooth legs!

10. In the Bedroom…

I saved the juiciest top ten uses for coconut oil for last; you can have a lot of fun with coconut oil in the bedroom! It makes excellent massage oil that has the added bonus of being edible and super nourishing for your skin. To have some tasty fun in the bedroom, you can mix coconut oil with raw cacao powder and honey to make delicious and nutritious edible body paint! Finally, coconut oil makes an excellent person lubricant, however, it should not be used with condoms.