Coconut Oil Used in Ways You Never Heard Of

Coconut oil is a sweet-smelling oil has so many other uses—beyond moisturizing and sautéeing your garden veggies. It has grown in popularity in recent years from a variety of health claims that it can do everything from supporting weight loss to treating a variety of chronic health issues. It contains over 80% saturated fat. Some experts have linked saturated fats with cardiovascular and other diseases.

Season cast iron

Your grandma probably taught you how to season cast iron with lard or duck fat to make your favorite skillet last forever. But coconut oil is a good substitute if you’d rather stay away from animal fats. It’s also stable at high temperatures and won’t cause stickiness.

Wash clothes

While we wouldn’t recommend tossing a straight spoonful of coconut oil in with your whites, you can use it to make homemade laundry soap. Coconut oil works well for this because it’s shelf-stable and produces a good lather in the final product.

Heal cuts

Coconut oil is an antiseptic, so it can help cuts heal faster. Some people are using it in place of traditional over-the-counter drugstore salves—just dab it on your wound and cover with a bandage. The antibacterial and antifungal properties in has make it a great remedy for scrapes and scratches. I’ve used it in place of Neosporin when I cut myself cooking and healed quickly. Be sure to wash the area first with water and hydrogen peroxide. If you have a giant cut you’re going to need something stronger, but for minor cuts and scrapes around the house it makes a wonderful addition to your first aid kit.

Hydrate your skin

Coconut oil makes a soothing base for homemade body scrubs. In a small bowl mix up a few tablespoons of melted oil with sugar. Add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil and you have a spa worthy scrub in minutes! Exfoliating the skin 2-3 times a week helps to strengthen the immune system and keep skin extra smooth.

Clean makeup brushes

It’s important to clean makeup brushes on a regular basis. Dip the bristles in a little bit of melted coconut oil. Use a paper towel to rub the brush until the makeup is off. Rinse in warm water and let air dry.

Condition your hair……even your dog’s coat!

Coconut oil is wonderful for the hair. It helps to nourish dryness and combats frizz by soothing hair cells. It is packed with vitamin E, is deeply conditioning, and super restorative to annoying split ends. Use it in a hair mask to hydrate or even dab on the ends of long hair to prevent further breakage. You may have heard about using coconut oil to deep-condition your hair, but don’t keep all the benefits for yourself. After giving your dog a bath, work some coconut oil into his coat to make it shiny and soft. The oil will also help moisturize dry skin and cut back on that unsavory wet-dog scent.