Coconut Oil, The Multifaceted Moisturizer?!
If you are anything like me, you ALWAYS have jars of coconut oil on hand! I currently have 3 jars in my house– 1 in the bathroom, kitchen, and my bedroom. Why does one need so many jars of coconut oil you might be asking? Well, coconut oil in any form (liquid or solid), is a great moisturizer.
You can use coconut oil for your hair, skin, face, and of course cooking. Keep reading to see the multiple ways you can implement coconut oil into your daily life for increased health and beauty wellness!
1. Coconut Oil And Egg Hair Mask
Reading the above subtitle might really scare you, but I swear by the following recipe! You are going to mix 1 Tablespoon of honey with one whole egg, and a 1/2 cup of liquified coconut oil (if yours is not already in liquid form, go ahead and heat it up… BUT let it cool before adding to the eggs, so you don’t scramble them).
After creating your egg mixture, you can go ahead and apply this to damp hair, massage into your scalp, and leave it in your hair for 20 minutes!
You are probably questioning my career entirely as a college lifestyle writer, given my recommendation to put raw egg in your hair, but it totally works! The coconut oil is great for helping to mend extremely damaged hair!
I have definitely utilized coconut oil itself for a moisturizing mask, but the egg is helpful too! It’s a great source of protein (for eating yes, but your hair also needs some), and the honey is great for hair growth and ensuring that the nutrients are stored in your hair cuticles!
2. Raw Coconut Oil As A Moisturizer
Of course, this is an obvious life hack, but using coconut oil as a moisturizer is a great way to ensure that your skin and nail are staying hydrated! I take a small amount of the solid coconut oil, allow it to heat up and melt in my hand, and apply it to my elbows, feet, and any other places I want to moisturize!
Be wary when using coconut oil every single day as your skin will become accustomed to the quality type of moisture that coconut oil provides and may get ashy or dry if you stop using it!
Coconut oil as a moisturizer has so many benefits! Some include trapping water into your skin to keep it moist, reducing itchiness, and even can help eczema!
I currently live in San Diego, and as a resident participating in the sunshine tax, I don’t often need an intense moisturizer as the weather is nice most of the time, but after shaving, coconut oil keeps all of the razor bumps away! It is a product that I swear by, and it has so many benefits you have to try it out!
3. Coconut Oil As A Dietary Supplement
Another great way to use coconut oil in your daily life is to eat a spoonful a day! This is a great way to naturally reduce your intake of saturated fats. As coconut oil is a great source of natural fat and can help with weight loss, many individuals will consume a teaspoon of raw, virgin coconut oil on the daily!
This is a great idea if you are into eating healthy and naturally, but if your intake of saturated fats is already high, definitely do not try this! Consuming too many fats can be harmful to your health (definitely adhere to what research suggests for your specific body type)!
Many individuals who do choose to consume raw, virgin coconut oil daily enjoy in the benefits such as: natural source of energy increase, antimicrobial effects, and even aids in liver protection!
4. Coconut Oil In Cooking
Another obvious way to use up that coconut oil in your house is to use it when cooking! Cooking with coconut oil is great because it naturally increases the flavor in any dish for a more positive and tasteful effect!
Coconut oil is also a natural fat, so when cooking with it, it can withstand higher temperatures– which is great for cooking vegetables or cooking a stir-fry! I personally love the flavor a little coconut oil adds in vegetable dishes from green beans to Brussel sprouts and everything in between!
Coconut oil is also mostly lauric acid, which has a more neutral effect on health; this makes it the best oil to utilize when cooking!
5. Banana Bread With Coconut Oil
As I have mentioned cooking with coconut oil, it is only fair that I include my favorite recipe for one of my favorite dishes that tastes so much better with that little dash of coconut flavor! The brand I use is Trader Joe’s Raw, Virgin Coconut Oil (solid and liquid).
This recipe has been perfected through my years of being a college student, and it makes for the perfect rainy day treat or even as a gift for one of your suitemates. You can also enjoy all of the added health benefits that come with using a healthy and natural cooking oil.
You follow the directions of any other banana bread by mixing your wet and dry ingredients separately, then combing, lining a loaf pan with butter (or baking paper), and then cooking on 300 degrees F, for about an hour!
The ingredients are: 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 3 mashed bananas, 1/4 liquid (or melted) coconut oil, 1/4 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups almond flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
This recipe is so good and great for the gloomy fall weather we have during our fall semester! Definitely give it a try and note how much flavor the coconut oil adds!
