Review : Coconut oil

You may remember from my November favourites that I've been loving using coconut oil. There is one simple reason for this - it's such a versatile product! It is sold as a solid in tubs, but it melts with your body heat almost instantly into an oil. Funny that, what with it being coconut oil and everything...

There are many ways you can use coconut oil to get the best out of it. Here are some ways in which I've used it:

Hair Treatment. I first heard about coconut oil when I was researching hair treatments, and was curious about it's claims of many hair benefits, such as conditioning the hair and scalp, softening the hair, restoring dry, weak hair to it's natural beauty, and even as an anti-dandruff pre-wash treatment! When using it on my hair, I use it in place of my normal conditioner. I only do it once or twice a month, as it can get quite greasy quickly, but my hair feels really soft and has a nice shine afterwards. I sometimes use a little teeny tiny bit on the ends of my hair when I've run out of serum too.

Make Up Remover. My favourite use for coconut oil. As I wear waterproof mascara (and lots of it!) I need to use something oil-based to get my make up off. I kept forgetting to repurchase my Boots Botanics remover when I had run out, so instead of reverting back to baby oil I tried this. It gets messy, but I think that's part of the appeal haha. I just get a little bit on my fingertip, and massage my eyes and lashes. I look like a panda, and if I use too much it drips down my face, but it gets every last scrap off. I wipe it all away with a cleansing wipe, and I'm done! Really quick and easy. You can apply it ith a damp cotton pad aswell, if you are averse to a little mess.

Lip Balm. No lip balm can beat Blistex Relief Cream in my opinion, but a slick of this really moisturises lips. It leaves them really smooth and nourished, and I find it best to use this before I start my make up, so that it has sunk in by the time I need to apply my lipstick. It creates a nice, smooth base and helps 'fill' any lines that lipstick may settle into.

Cracked Heel Treatment. I rub a bit of this into my heels after I've used my Ped Egg, and I wake up in the morning with lovely soft skin. They're not perfect, but my heels were so cracked, they'd scratch along the bed whenever I tossed and turned. Bad, right? Well they don't scratch if I use this. It seems to 'seal' the cracks if that makes sense. You definitely need a thick pair of socks when you use this - it's a bit too greasy to use alone. Consider this a warning - I'm not going to be responsible if you slip and fall ass-over-tit once you use this!

Massage Oil. This needs no explanation. I ask Mr Lollipop to massage my shoulders with this, and it really helps relieve stress.

Solid coconut oil

That's just six ways I've tried it. There are plenty of others that I haven't tried, such as:

• Body moisturiser. Best for dry skins and applied after a bath when skin is still slightly damp.
• Anti-wrinkle cream. Apparently, the fat in the coconut oil helps puff out any lines and wrinkles.
• Treatment for skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, and fungal skin conditions like athlete's foot.
• Under-arm deodorant, which I'm not 100% convinced about.
• Aiding weight-loss. I've not researched this one fully, but you can cook with coconut oil as a healthier alternative, and it supposedly helps with digestion. I'm not sure whether you'd need a coconut oil that's specifically for ingestion, or whether they're all the same.
  
• Restoring energy levels. Suffering from fatigue? Take 3-4 tablespoons a day and you're supposed to feel more alert. Again, I'm not sure whether you'd need a special coconut oil for ingestion or not.
• First aid. Apply a bit of this to a wound and it creates a barrier to stop any dirt and bacteria getting in.
  

See, I told you it was versatile!

Melted coconut oil

There is a big 450g tub available from Holland & Barrets, for around £11. It may sound expensive but you only need a tiny bit, so it will last forever. I've only got a 90g tub, and I'm afraid I can't recall the price. It was a bargain though as I had it in work without VAT and with staff discount, so probably about £2. I've had my little tub for about 4 months and there's still about a third left, even when I've been using it everyday to remove my make up!

I'm sure there are even more ways in which you can use it, so if you can recommend any, leave me a little comment :) xx