First, I want to plug the home.health.love Facebook page. If you find this blog useful, then others you know may enjoy it, too. Please help spread the word by clicking on the Facebook “Like” button on the right-hand side of this page. Thank you!

Now onto coconut oil…

People love to cook with coconut oil. Experts say it’s the healthiest of all oils: it’s good for your heart, thyroid, immune system, and can actually support weight loss. It’s also great for cooking and baking because it can withstand high heat and doesn’t break down into potentially toxic components when cooked.  For a good discussion of all of these health benefits, check out Dr. Mercola’s article.

But it’s also a GREAT all-natural skin care product. You’ll love it! Here’s why:

Coconut oil is a great all-purpose skin AND hair moisturizer! It doesn’t clog your pores, or leave your skin feeling dry, as do some products containing water or alcohol. You can use it on your face, body, hands, and even instead of lip balm. You can also use it to deep condition your hair and tame frizz. And, it’s great for moisturizing soft baby skin!

It comes highly recommended as an all-natural personal lubricant (though not for use with latex).

It’s a great alternative to Vaseline for lubricating a thermometer when taking a baby’s rectal temperature. Vaseline is made from mineral oils, which are possibly carcinogenic.

Finally, it’s also a great healer. When I have a rash, skin irritation, itchiness, or burn (from sun, or from a skin product that’s a bit too harsh for my skin) anywhere on my body, I use coconut oil. It cures my skin ailments, and does it quickly. Try it and see if it works for you. At the very least, it should provide soothing comfort.

Coconut oil is a solid at room temperature (up to 76 degrees F.). I keep a little plastic spoon or knife right in the jar to help me scoop some out when I  need it. Once it touches your skin, it melts into a liquid and is easily spreadable. It’s a little greasy, but does absorb quickly. Give it some time to soak into your skin before putting on any fancy clothing (yes, I did that once, necessitating a last-minute wardrobe change, and I was very late to a fancy event!)

Other benefits:

1. Only ONE ingredient: never worry about what artificial substances have been added. It’s like a breath of fresh air. I hate worrying about unknown substances in my skin-care and make-up regimen. Coconut oil is worry-free.
2. Same product for the whole family: I keep a jar in my bathroom and by my daughter’s changing table. Sometimes I scoop out some of the coconut oil and put it in mini containers that I can keep in my bag, in my nightstand, or anywhere else I might use it.
3. Has a barely-noticeable, but pleasant scent, which is good for those of us, like me, with sensitive noses.
4. Easy to find: you can buy it at health food stores, online and supermarkets.
5. Affordable: one jar goes a long way. You only need to use a little bit at a time. It lasts me months!

I buy the extra virgin, unrefined, organic kind, so I know it’s not made with GMO and is in its purest form. I’ve used Barlean’s and Spectrum Organics. I don’t have a particular brand preference, but I do like the fact that Spectrum comes in a glass jar. I’m always skeptical of plastic containers, so if I can easily avoid them, I do.

Please share your coconut success stories in the comments section!