10 Ways With Coconut Oil

If I could only take one beauty related item with me on a dessert island, it would be coconut oil. I swear by this stuff, (as most other beauty bloggers do - it's hyped up for a reason!) and I can't believe it took me so long to discover it. If only I had about coconut oil sooner! I wrote a whole blog post dedicated to my love of all things coconut in which this oil featured, and I am still using the same jar – it just goes on and on.. and on. It is so versatile, smells (and tastes) delicious, has lots of health benefits and lasts forever. This 500ml jar set me back about £10, but in my opinion, it is worth every penny.

Coconut oil in the jar at room temperature is hard, white and pasty.

This oil has a very low melting point, and actually begins to melt as soon as it comes into contact with your skin.

It turns transparent when it melts, and then back to white when it cools and hardens. I honestly cannot live without coconut oil anymore. It's AMAZING. Here are my top 10 ways to use coconut oil:

1. Use it as a make up remover.

At the end of the day, I tie my hair back out of my face, scoop some coconut oil out of the jar and rub it in my hands and let it melt. Then I apply it straight onto my skin and rub it in, even on and around my eyes where most of my make up is. I then get a muslin cloth, run it under hot water, wring it out and wipe my face clean. This is the most effective method for removing make up in my experience and leaves me skin feeling soft and supple. NB. I have acne prone skin and this oil does not aggravate or cause spots.

2. Face mask.

Cleanse face as usual. Scoop out some oil of the jar and rub it into your hands to melt. Then apply to clean, dry skin and work it in like a moisturiser – although it probably won't absorb it all because it's quite oily! Let it sit on your skin for about 10 minutes, then rinse off with a hot muslin cloth like in the method above. This works like a deep conditioning treatment for your skin if you're having any dry patches.

3. Hair mask

Apply to the ends of dry hair like you would with conditioner. Leave in for two hours or overnight, then shampoo and condition hair as usual. I do this when the ends of my hair are feeling a little dry.

4. Hair serum

Got this tip from Essiebutton back in the day! Rub a small amount of oil in between your hands, then apply sparsely to the ends of clean, dry hair. I love the smell this leaves in my hair, and usually add a spritz of coconut body mist from The Body Shop to lock in all that coconutty goodness.

5. Foot mask

Feet in need of some TLC? I know mine are. This is what I'll be doing before my summer holiday: Apply a generous amount of coconut oil to clean, dry feet, then put on a pair of socks (or foot mask socks if you have them) and leave them on overnight. In the morning your feet will be soft and delicious, if feet can be such a thing...

6. Body moisturiser

After showering I like to moisturise from top to bottom, and there is no better way to do it than with coconut oil. It makes you smell AMAZING. It

7. Hot chocolate

I have Claire from Dainty Ghosts to thank for this one. The other day I tweeted a photo of my coconut oil jar, saying how much I love the stuff, and she asked me if I had tried it in hot chocolate yet... Umm, no?! My mind was blown. I have yet to try it but this one features simply because of how incredible it sounds. Like a liquid Bounty.

8. Cooking, especially Thai food or stir fries

I looooove the smell of onions, garlic and chicken frying in coconut oil. It just smells like I'm on a tropical island about to eat the most deliciously authentic dish with an equally tasty cocktail. Just use it like you would with any other cooking oil - it's much better for you too.

9. Substitute for butter on your toast.

Much healthier and it tastes delicious

10. Scalp treatment

Like with the hair mask, but pay particular attention to your roots this time. Itchy scalps are nasty, and every so often I work a generous amount of coconut oil into my scalp before bed if mine is bothering me. Your hair looks so greasy it could fry an egg, but it's worth it. I put my hair in a plait and sleep in it, then in the morning wash the oil out. It takes about three lots of shampoo but it makes a huge difference, plus, my hair feels extra squeaky clean, soft and shiny.

What are your top uses for coconut oil? I'd love to know – this stuff is incredible! If you haven't used it yet I seriously urge you to do so. It is such a fantastically versatile product and 100% worth the hype and price.