Life

11 Beauty Benefits Of Coconut Oil, Because This Stuff Is Basically Magical

by Lindsay E. Mack

Most of the Internet is on Team Coconut Oil, and with good reason. Coconut oil has so many beauty benefits that it has become a staple in many people’s getting-ready regime. When it comes to hair, skin, and even teeth, this multipurpose oil has a ton of benefits.

You can eat it, bathe in it, moisturize with it, and even use it as a makeup tool. And as an added bonus, it smells like a vacation in a jar. Can any other product claim so many beauty benefits? I mean, you can use coconut oil to deep-condition your hair, make a glorious body scrub, and get a super smooth shave. I can’t say the same thing about any other product in my makeup bag. Its uses are just about endless.

So if you want to simplify your beauty tools and use more products that are naturally derived, then coconut oil might be the little jar of magic that your routine needs. Chances are, at least a few of these beauty tips will work for you, and then you’ll want to start buying the stuff in bulk. Welcome to the club! Coconut oil devotees might be a little intense in their adoration of the stuff, but at least they smell divine.

1

Hair Conditioner

As Harper's Bazaar notes, coconut oil is a fantastic hair moisturizer because it can penetrate the hair shaft. You can try it as a hot-oil treatment before shampooing to help your hair feel softer than ever.

2

Body Moisturizer

Coconut oil can double as a body lotion, as Allure explains. If you don't want to use it straight, it also makes a great base oil in DIY moisturizer recipes.

3

Face Moisturizer

Coconut oil can provide deep moisture to the skin on your face, as the Huffington Post reports. If you don't want to go all-out, adding a drop or two to your regular face cream might provide a bit of a moisture boost.

4

Scrub Base

DIY scrubs are a great (and cheap!) way to exfoliate with sea salt or coffee grounds, and as Greatist notes, coconut oil is a fantastic base for holding all of your ingredients together. You can exfoliate and moisturize at the same time for crazy-soft skin.

5

Face Mask

Want a DIY face mask that can help brighten your complexion? There are tons of coconut oil face mask recipes that rely on the oil's moisturizing superpowers, and this tumeric coconut face mask via InStyle is a fun choice — it's also 100 percent edible!

6

Bath Moisturizer

A bit of coconut oil in your bath water can make the soak extra-soothing, or you can follow this tip from Style Caster and use coconut oil as an in-shower lotion. You can get soft skin before the faucet even stops running.

7

Shaving Cream

Some people benefit from shaving with coconut oil instead of regular shaving creams, as Buzzfeed notes. It might be worth buying a second tub of the stuff to keep in the bathroom.

8

Highlighter

Want to try strobing but don't want to drop a ton of cash on another beauty product? Good Housekeeping recommends coconut oil as an easy face highlighter. Tap a bit on your cheekbones to bring out a healthy glow.

9

Teeth Whitener

While the American Dental Association does not recommend using oil pulling as a replacement of your normal teeth cleaning routine, it may be used in addition to your routine. As Health notes, some people swear that coconut oil pulling helps teeth appear whiter. So if you're feeling experimental, then coconut oil pulling might be worth a try.

10

Foot Soother

Heels need a little love? The Daily Mail recommends coconut as a fantastic foot lotion. And a post-shower foot rub with coconut oil sounds pretty heavenly.

11

Tame Flyaways

For sleeker hair, warm a tiny dab of coconut oil in your palms and work it through your strands, as Cosmopolitan recommends. The oil will help protect against humidity-induced flyaways.