Khoollect tips: getting creative with coconut oil

An essential ingredient kept on my kitchen, bathroom and bedroom shelf is coconut oil.

Generally, coconut oil is extracted from mature coconuts through the process of cold pressing. The oil itself is made up of simple, small fats making it easier for our bodies to turn it into energy. Research suggests that coconut oil can help prevent and treat a range of diseases, boosts the immune system and can be great for our hair and skin too. So, there are many good reasons to ingest coconut oil as much as we can through cooking.

But coconut oil has other benefits too: it can be used in simple beauty applications, which can be more affordable than buying new products. Plus, making your own products can reduce packaging wastage.

Before you try out these beauty remedies, it’s a good a little amount of coconut oil on your wrist, or somewhere discreet, to check that you’re not allergic. If any irritation appears, we suggest that you don’t proceed.

Here are some simple beauty remedies you can use coconut oil to create:

Hair mask

If you have dry ends, a tablespoon of coconut oil (for shoulder-length locks) fingered through the tips of your hair and left on for as long as possible can replenish any lost oils. You can leave it on overnight, but a few hours should do. Make sure you shampoo your hair afterwards to remove the excess oil.

Lip moisturiser

Coconut oil works great as a lip moisturiser. Simply use it as you would a normal, store-bought lip balm. I use an old lip balm tin to take a little of the oil with me in my bag. It’s easy to refill and much cheaper.

Eye make-up remover

It can also work as a natural eye make-up remover. Simply dab a small amount of coconut oil onto your finger (similar to putting on lip balm) and rub it around your eyes (being careful not to get it directly in your eyes, of course). Wipe it off with a tissue or cotton pad, and, voila!

Shaving balm

Cover your legs (or whatever the area you’re shaving) with a thin amount of coconut oil and shave as normal. It should make your smooth legs feel moisturised too – win win!

Deodorant

Now, I’ve never tried this but apparently you can use coconut oil as a natural deodorant. Again, it’s as simple as covering your armpits with a very thin amount of coconut oil. (Be careful not to get the oil on your clothes). I’m not sure whether this will prove effective, but I think I might give it a go. If you’ve tried and tested it, I’m interested to know how it went, so tweet us at @khoollect or comment below.

How else do you use coconut oil? Share your tips below…