28 Uses of Coconut Oil for Personal Hygiene
1. Cuticle Cream: Pushing your cuticles back with coconut oil is quite simple – just rub a dab of coconut oil on your cuticles to soften, and then push them back – a little oil goes a long way!
2. After Shave: Helps relieve razor burn. Put it on immediately after shaving to help nourish the hair follicle and heal any irritated skin bits.
3. Pore Minimizer: If you haven’t used coconut oil for your pores yet, then you should probably consider! Coconut oil tightens up your pores, giving you softer, smoother skin. This also ensures no dirt or bacteria enters your pores, helping to prevent acne.
4. Dandruff: This amazing oil is great in reducing the itching and flaking of the scalp, due to its remarkable moisturizing properties. Moreover, it controls the secretion of oil from your scalp, which is the main reason for the occurrence of dandruff. You just need to rub some coconut oil into the scalp before you go to sleep. In the morning, rinse with a raw vegan hair care product.
5. Stretch Mark Cream: Incredibly healing, coconut oil is a great way for nourishing stretched, damaged skin. Apply 3-4 times a day, every day, to help minimize the appearance of your stretch marks.
6. Hair Gel: Want to style your hair with coconut oil? Simply use it in replacement of your regular hair gels, and style as you would normally.
7. Hair Conditioner/ Deep Treatment: I personally love using coconut oil to deep condition my hair. The results are quite incredible. My hair gets so silky soft and shiny! Coconut oil is rich in fatty acids and nourishes the scalp and hair follicles. Massage 2 tsp. coconut oil (you can melt beforehand if you want by placing it in a bowl, within a bowl of warm water) into your hair, and leave it in for 1 hour or overnight. Rinse out the next day with an all-natural shampoo, and condition with apple cider vinegar. This will reveal glossy, conditioned, beautiful hair.
8. Eyelash Conditioner: I didn’t even know people conditioned their eyelashes, but it makes sense. I mean, our eyelashes are made of hair after all. Rub a tiny amount of coconut oil between your fingers and apply to your lashes before bed. Apply the oil only to the tips of your lashes.
9. Tattoo Healing: Using coconut oil on tattoos will help the pigment from fading. When used on new tattoos, coconut oil will hasten healing time and reduce any chance of infection.
10. Deodorant: Replacing your conventional deodorant (which likely contains aluminum) with coconut oil is one of the best things you can do, especially to help prevent cancer. Coconut oil is a natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, and kills yeast, fungi, and bacteria. Rub some coconut oil in your armpits every day, and enjoy going au natural.
11. Hand Cleaner: Coconut oil makes a great hand cleaner because it is anti-bacterial. Massage the coconut oil on your hands for 30 seconds, and then wipe with a warm damp washcloth, finishing with a dry washcloth. Your hands will absorb the rest of the oil. This method works wonders for dry, cracked hands in winter!
12. Massage Oil: One of the best uses – massage oil. Coconut oil smells great, and works as a great massage tool! Not to mention, it will help relieve achy muscles too, thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects.
13. Varicose Veins: Tired of varicose veins? Coconut oil is a great all-natural treatment for varicose veins. Massage coconut oil into the area 3-6 times a day, until you get the results you desire.
14. Exfoliator: Exfoliate with coconut oil by rubbing the oil on your skin and then using a washcloth or scrubby hand mitten to brush off dead skin cells while removing dirt and hydrating the skin. Coconut oil is highly anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, and contains lauric acid, which lifts dirt from the skin.
15. Wrinkle Prevention: Coconut oil strengthens and tightens the skin and connective tissues, making you look youthful and refreshed. Using coconut oil as a facial moisturizer at night will help prevent and minimize the look of wrinkles.
16. Chapstick: Hydrate and moisturize your lips with coconut! Coconut oil also has a natural SPF, which protects our lips from the sun and prevents peeling lips.
17. Nail Strengthener: Rubbing your nails with coconut oil can help strengthen and protect the laminated layers of keratin, which help shield your fingernails from the outside world.
18. Vaseline Substitute: Use coconut oil as a replacement of petroleum-based Vaseline, as a more effective and safer alternative.
19. Eye Cream: Hydrate gentle skin around the eyes by dabbing a little bit of coconut oil around your eyes before bed. This will make your eyes look and feel better in the morning.
20. Body Scrub: I love using coconut oil mixed with sea salt or sugar to create an all-natural body scrub for the face and body. Mixing 3 tablespoons of coconut oil with 2 tablespoons of sugar (gentler) or salt is a recipe I often use.
21. Insect Repellent: Make your homemade insect repellent with coconut oil to help make it last longer. For all intents and purposes, please stay away from DEET-containing insect repellents. They are not only bad for you, but they are bad for the environment too.
22. Toothpaste: An easy, simple mix of coconut oil and baking soda creates an all-natural, easy-to-use toothpaste that is 100% fluoride-free!
23. Burns: Apply to burn site, and continue applying until healed. This will hasten healing process and reduce chances of permanent scarring.
24. Makeup Remover: Coconut oil is a great way to remove makeup, and I can attest to that fact! Simply place some coconut oil on a cotton pad and rub away your makeup before washing your face with a natural-based soap product.
25. Prevent Split Ends: I used to have really dry split ends (mainly due to my rigorous hot yoga schedule, which destroyed my hair because I wasn’t protecting it from the heat). I fixed this by first cutting off a majority of my hair, and then using coconut oil in the tips of my hair before each hot yoga session. This has considerably improved the amount of split ends in my hair.
26. Lubricant: Coconut oil is a great lubricant – it is all-natural and feels great. Use it in bed, but don’t use it with a condom, as it may break down the plastics.
27. Sunscreen: Coconut oil has natural SPF, which prevents skin burning. I use coconut oil all the time in summer, and have yet to receive a burn. Slather on your skin 20 minutes before going outside to allow it to absorb.
28. Bruises: Helps quicken healing time when applied directly to bruise area – reduces swelling and redness.