Coconut oil has increased exponentially in popularity in the last few years, after earning a widespread reputation for being healthy and beneficial. Our Naturaty Team confirms: due to its outstanding properties, this all-natural, multipurpose product is going to fully satisfy you or your friends as perfect vegan gift. Needless to say, you have to use it carefully, since it’s rich in fats and high in calories.
First, make sure it’s cold-pressed, organic extra virgin coconut oil. Secondly, check that it’s certified bio and vegan-friendly before buying it, which is the best way to know if it’s completely natural. You can easily find it at an affordable price in any bio-shop of your town. Once home, store it in a cool, dark place, since – like other saturated fats – it is solid when at room temperature and melts when heated. To boost its effects, keep it in the fridge.
Here are 5 smart ways to use Coconut Oil that will make you trust it as a magic cure-all. Just be informed that after reading this post you’re going to fall in love with this natural, delicious and scented oil!
1. Nutritional Supplement
Consuming coconut oil brings health benefits since it’s highly nutritious and contains “good” fatty acids. Despite being 100% fat, it’s way easier to burn off than other saturated fats. Try it as a salad dressing or use it to enrich your smoothie. It’s common knowledge that coconut tastes so good, so it will be nothing but pleasant to introduce it into your diet. It can be therefore a tasty addition to a number of recipes, but although its health benefits have been proved, it should be used with care. Just try not to exceed the recommended serving size, or you’ll vanish its beneficial effect. In fact, this superfood is mostly used as a healthier and non-dairy alternative to butter in the preparation of cakes and desserts.
2. Toothpaste
Using coconut oil as the main ingredient for your natural, homemade toothpaste is doubtless a valid alternative to the commercial ones. The bright color of coconut whitens your teeth, and due to its antibacterial properties, coconut oil is ideal for your oral hygiene as well as acting as a refreshing mouthwash. All you need are 3 tbsp of coconut oil, 3 tbsp of baking soda, a pinch of dried stevia leaves (used as a natural sweetener) and 8-10 drops of mint essential oil. Mix it all together and pour it in a jar, which you can store in your bathroom cabinet or in the fridge.
3. Sunburn Remedy
Sometimes, mostly in summer, you happen to sunbathe too much and end up having skin redness and irritation. Firstly, make sure to wear sunblock when heading to the beach and try to avoid exposure during the hottest time of the day. This all-natural oil is deeply moisturizing and helps to regenerate dried, raw and flaking skin. Moreover, it’s soothing and pain-relieving effect make it similar to aloe vera, another well known “miracle” plant.
4. Makeup Remover
Besides, coconut oil is the chemical-free solution to gently remove your makeup. Its oily consistency makes it the perfect substitute for commercial makeup-removing products, which can cause bad reactions to the most sensitive skins. Taking off your makeup with coconut oil is quick, simple and parabens-free. Just grab a walnut-sized amount of coconut oil, melt it with your hands and massage it softly into your skin; then take it off with a cotton cloth and wash your face with tepid water. Make sure not to use wipes to remove your makeup: they are bad for the environment since they’re made of non-biodegradable fibers and end up in the environment, polluting mostly our beaches.
5. Hair Care
Last but not least, coconut oil has also a wonderful effect on your hair. Being free from any harmful chemicals, it leaves hair shiny and conditioned and penetrates better than mineral oils or other artificial hair products. In fact, those ones are often not 100% natural and rather full of sulfates, parabens or alcohol. You can use this natural, nourishing oil both as a pre-washing, fortifying treatment or just as a moisturizer on damp hair before drying it. Especially for curly hair, it acts stunningly as defrizz and styling gel. That’s why curls and waves are the best fans of coconut oil! Just apply a very small amount of product on the lengths of the hair and style it as you like. Be very careful not to overdo with it, if you don’t want your hair to be greasy and to look like dirty.
Just after a month, you’ll be able to see its various benefits. Besides improving your general health and beauty, you’re also going to save some money. In fact, by using one single, high-performing product for different purposes, you’ll avoid purchasing dozens of specific products, most of them full of chemicals and artificial substances.
Let us know about your experience with coconut oil on the comments below!
PS One of Naturaty’s values that we are proud of, is that 100% of our products are cruelty-free and vegan! So if you looking for items that will make your life more zero-waste and sustainable check our Naturaty Zero Waste Starter Box and Naturaty Active Box. They are also perfect as a vegan gift for all of those people who prefer quality over quantity, since “less is more”!
