DIY Beauty: The Benefits of Coconut Oil for Hair and Skin

I love finding alternative ways to style my hair without using heat or products. I can achieve salon results without damaging my hair!

I've been called a hippie a lot lately. But if using natural products for my hair and skin makes me a hippie, then so be it.

Actually, no. I will not be called a hippie for refusing to smear chemicals on myself. I like to call it "old fashioned." Think about it—before we had all of these huge beauty companies pop up in the past 100 years pushing a product, what did people use? The raw, natural things they found.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I think part of the reason all of these allergies and intolerances are popping up nowadays is related to the amount of chemicals we intake.

But, I digress. Regardless of your thoughts on hippies and allergies, going natural in your beauty routine can be one of the healthiest decisions you make. Luckily, there's one master product that is beneficial in nearly every area of natural beauty: coconut oil.

For Hair

Coconut oil is a mega-moisturizer. It works wonders in conditioning and smoothing hair, helping it to grow longer and stronger by minimizing breakage. Here's a list of many other benefits this oil provides:

• Prevents hair loss
• Reduces damage
• Prevents dandruff
• Retains moisture

Coconut oil decreases the amount of protein loss in hair between washes, creating healthier and stronger locks. It also has antibacterial properties, and it's excellent at retaining moisture, conditioning your hair from within.

How to Use It

Interested? Here are several options.

• Spray: You can purchase this stuff for under $5 at your neighborhood sto'. Walmart, Target, and even drugstores tend to carry coconut oil spray. Check in the hair care section for this one. I spray the oil on dry hair daily. I usually use about six spritzes on my ends and gently rub it in, to avoid breakage. It leaves my hair smelling great, feeling soft, and looking smooth and shiny.
• Conditioner: Mix a bit of oil into your own conditioner, or just use straight up coconut oil for this one. Shampoo your hair if you're into that sort of thing, and then hop out of the shower. Use a t-shirt to soak up excess water from your hair, and then rub in about a quarter of a teaspoon of oil. Focus on your ends rather than your roots. Be sure not to use too much, as your hair may end up feeling oily rather than moisturized when it dries.

For Skin

I have sensitive, dry skin. I deal with some eczema, which means bonding agents in store-bought lotions (cough cough—cetyl alcohol) can serve to irritate and dry my skin out even more.

That means sticking to natural, one-ingredient products is the way to go for me! Regardless, coconut oil works wonders on most skin types. Here are its benefits:

• Reduces aging/wrinkling
• Naturally protects against sun
• Moisturizes
• Disinfects

Disinfects? What? As I mentioned earlier, coconut oil is antimicrobial, due to the fatty acids it contains. In addition, it contains vitamin E, which promotes healthy skin growth and repair. This leads to smooth and moisturized skin, reducing the effects of aging and wrinkles. Not to mention, this oil is proven to have sun-protecting benefits.

How to Use It

Of course, you can just purchase straight oil and use it however you please. It can be found in both the food and beauty sections of stores, but I find it to be cheaper from the food section. Check the ingredients and make sure it's 100% coconut oil, and you're good to go.

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• Lotion: You can take a palmful of oil and rub it in as you would any other lotion. It melts quickly, so be careful not to get it everywhere. It can also be mixed with other healing products like shea butter and aloe for maximum moisturization.
• Lip Balm: This oil is excellent for dry and chapped lips, so rub it on alone or add in some other oils. A simple lip scrub can be made using sugar, coconut oil, and peppermint oil (or any other type that you see fit).

There's really no sense in buying all sorts of different lotions (foot, body, face, hand, etc.) when you can use one product to treat all areas. This oil can even be used as a face cream, but be aware of your own body chemistry and do not apply too much.

For Oral Health

Unbeknownst to many, coconut oil even has benefits to dental health. Among them:

• Whitens teeth
• Fights bacteria
• Lessens tooth sensitivity
• Improves gum health

I have yet to try it myself, but there is many a success story online about using the oil to fight cavities and promote oral health. The oil is able to cut through plaque and remove toxins, as proven by Dr. F. Karach's practices in the 1990s.

How to Use It

Oil Pulling: Oil pulling is an age-old method involving swishing coconut oil for about 15–20 minutes daily. Use pure coconut oil, which can be found in the food section of almost any supermarket.

1. Swish 1–2 tablespoons of the oil in your mouth for roughly 20 minutes.
2. Make sure to spit in the trash can rather than the sink, avoiding the ingestion of any oil (it contains all of the toxins and bacteria you just got rid of!).
3. Then, rinse with warm water.

Helpful All-Around

Obviously, coconut oil is amazing for nearly all aspects of health and beauty. Good for shiny, strong hair, moisturized skin, and even white teeth. Why waste hundreds of dollars on specialized beauty products, when you can get all or most of it done with one? And, a relatively cheap one at that.

So even if people think you're a hippie, the benefits speak for themselves. Take a shower and wear an NRA shirt, and all of the hippie accusations should be dispelled.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Diptowrite from New England on March 21, 2017:

Coconut oil can also be mixed with an equal portion of olive oil and castor oil and can be stored in a bottle for months. Highly recommended to treat Hair loss and for deep conditioning.

This article is really helpful. Thanks

Chelle on April 06, 2015:

Girl I love your hub!!

Joy56 on February 10, 2015:

Wow never knew coconut oil was soooo healthy