10 Ways to Use Coconut Oil in Your Beauty Routine

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How Coconut Oil Can Help Your Skin, Hair, and Nails

Coconut oil is a wonderful natural product that you can easily incorporate into your everyday beauty routine in many ways. Rich in fatty acids, coconut oil is not only great at moisturizing the skin, but it also increases skin elasticity, which means it can be anti-aging. Coconut oil also contains many antioxidants, especially vitamin E, which means it can protect skin from external damage such as sun damage. Additionally, coconut oil has lauric acid, which has antimicrobial properties, meaning it can help fight acne-causing bacteria.

The word "oil" is a bit misleading if you've never seen or used coconut oil. This "oil" is actually a solid until it reaches about body temperature. On hot summer days, it melts to look like a regular oil, but if kept at a typical indoor temperature, it will have a consistency like shortening that you use when cooking. Once applied, however, it instantly melts into your skin.

Coconut oil is widely available and not too expensive. Now that many people are looking for natural beauty products, coconut oil has become quite popular. There are numerous ways to use this product when it comes to your beauty regime.

Updated by Hanah Tetro

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Use Coconut Oil as a Facial Moisturizer

coconut oil
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Replace your current facial moisturizer with coconut oil for hydrated, healthy-looking skin. Use a small amount and apply to your face before bed each night. Note that while coconut oil will sit on top of your skin for a little bit, it will eventually soak in. You can also use it on other parts of your body where you have a lot of dry, flaky skin, such as elbows, knees, or heels.  A little bit goes a long way when it comes to moisturizing with coconut oil.

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Great Hair Conditioner

hair conditioner
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Coconut oil makes a great conditioner for your hair. You can also opt to use it as a special deep conditioning treatment instead of on a daily basis. Apply it after you use your regular conditioner and leave it on your hair for up to 10 minutes. When you wash it out your hair will be silky smooth.

It can be hard to get all the coconut oil out of your hair, so try this first on a weekend or a day when you don't have to head out the door right away. Once you figure out the best technique for getting the coconut oil out of your hair and how much to actually use, you'll love the benefits.

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Trade in Your Eye Cream for Coconut Oil

eye cream
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Since coconut oil is so moisturizing, it makes a great eye cream. Applying a tiny amount around the eyes will keep the skin plump with hydration and also minimize any fine lines from skin dehydration you may have in that area. Just be sure you don't actually get any coconut oil in your eyes.

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Soften Your Cuticles

cuticle cream
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If you have rough, dry cuticles, try conditioning them with coconut oil. This should make them soft and easy to work with so that you can push them back with a manicure stick or use a cuticle remover on them. Remember to put some more coconut oil on as a cuticle moisturizer afterward if you use a chemical cuticle remover. Because coconut oil is solid but melts at skin temperature, you can fill a tiny tub or jar with coconut oil to store with your manicure tools in order to use it every time you do your nails.

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Coconut Oil Can Be a Shaving Cream

shaving legs
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If you have sensitive skin or can’t tolerate the ingredients of shaving gels and creams, try using coconut oil instead. The coconut oil will protect your skin while you shave, and it will also leave the area so moisturized that you might not need to use lotion after your shower.

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Use It as a Face Cleanser

washing face
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You can even use coconut oil to wash your face! Coconut oil is extremely gentle and won’t clog your pores. It might seem scary to wash your face with an oil, especially if you have oily skin, but coconut is a great product to use on acne-prone skin. Give it a try to see if this works for you and your skin. Many people swear by this technique.

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Foot Scrub Make A Foot Scrub With Coconut Oil

foot scrub
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Add some sugar or coarse salt to the coconut oil and you’ve got a great foot scrub! (Mix in a bowl with a spoon so the heat of your hands doesn't melt the oil right away.) Coconut oil is anti-fungal, which makes it an ideal ingredient for a foot scrub. Plus, the sugar or salt will exfoliate any rough patches on your feet. The coconut oil will also soften any calluses on your feet.

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Moisturize Your Lips With Coconut Oil

applying lip balm
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Since coconut oil works well as a moisturizer elsewhere on the body, try putting some on dry, chapped lips to provide instant healing and relief. You can also add sugar and exfoliate your lips this way. Apply some of the oil at night just before bed to wake up with healthy, supple lips.

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Tame the Frizzies

frizzy hair
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If you suffer from frizzy flyaway hairs, use a tiny bit of coconut oil to smooth them back into place! Keyword being tiny. Too much and you'll look oily.

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Treat Your Acne With Coconut Oil

acne
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Coconut oil has anti-bacterial properties — this means it can be great for some people when it comes to treating acne. Mix some baking soda in with the coconut oil to create a very gentle exfoliating scrub for acne. Apply to the skin and gently rub in circles to remove dead skin cells and treat acne. Rinse off and pat dry. The anti-bacterial properties of the oil will help fight off the bacteria that cause acne and also prevent more acne from developing.