A Dozen Uses for Coconut Oil

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I have been talking a lot about coconut oil lately, and with last week’s Tropical Traditions sale, I felt it would be prudent to discuss how our family actually uses all of that coconut oil. After all, a gallon of the stuff is a LOT!

Uses-for-Coconut-Oil

1. Baking and Cooking

I love using coconut oil in recipes like my tasty Banana Nut Bread. You can also melt coconut oil {it becomes a solid at 76 degrees} and use it in just about any recipe that uses for oil, especially those that call for high-temperature frying. The only baking substitute I would not use it in is pie crusts, because it just doesn’t set up right… at least for me it doesn’t!

Banana-Nut-Bread-Recipe

2. Homemade Deodorant

Yes, you read that right. I make my own deodorant. I do it for several reasons, a few of them being it is much cheaper, it lasts longer, and there are no yucky, unpronounceable ingredients. And yes, it DOES work! 😀

3. Homemade Facial Cream

Ohhhh how I love my night cream! It is so easy to make and apply. You could whip it up and store it in a jar like Stephanie’s body butter, or you could just grab a dab of coconut oil and mix it with Myrrh Essential Oil in the palm of your hand. Either way, it is ah-may-zing.

4. Bum Cream

We have rarely dealt with baby bum issues this time around, but when we have, we use a nice mixture of coconut oil and essential oils. See how to make your own here.

2013_11_Homemade_Diaper_Rash_Ointment

5. Hand Lotion and Homemade Body Butter

You don’t have to make anything fancy to use coconut oil as a hand lotion. Simply open up the jar and slather it on. Same goes for body butter… while adding essential oils is nice and decadent {and GREAT for your skin}, if you need a quick lotion, a bit of plain ‘ole coconut oil will work just fine. Coconut oil is also helpful in combating dry and itchy skin.

And speaking of body butter, this stuff is incredible. I do love how the whipped version is so smooth and easy to apply.

6. As a Carrier Oil for Essential Oils

I’ve discussed my undying love for essential oils, and 99 percent of the time, the carrier oil I choose is coconut oil. It is easy and safe and is so fantastic for skin, that it is a natural choice for diluting my beloved oils.

7. Itch Relief

Itch relief says it all! Coconut oil is very soothing.

8. Makeup Remover

I use the Oil Cleansing Method, but coconut oil also works, and I have used it when I misplaced my OCM bottle. {Yes, somehow it walked off. Ha!}

9. Homemade Sugar Scrub

Use coconut oil in place of olive or almond oil in your homemade sugar scrub recipe for a luxurious shower scrub.

Sugar-Scrub-DIY

10. Homemade Coffee “Creamer”

Add coconut oil to your coffee for a healthier creamer. I don’t add the butter, but I have added a bit of coconut oil and milk for a wonderful flavor. I may or may not have topped it with whipped cream. Ahem.

11. Nursing Cream

Breastfeeding mommas, use coconut oil on your sore or cracked nipples as a healthy alternative to lanolin. Coconut oil is the only thing I have ever used, and let me tell you, it is wonderful and really works well!

12. Homemade Vapor Rub

Mix coconut oil {you can whip it like in the body butter recipe above if you wish} with eucalyptus oil for a very effective, toxin-free vapor rub!

There you have it! A dozen easy ways to use coconut oil. There are many more ways you can use coconut oil around your home. How do you use it?

Uses-for-Coconut-Oil

photo credit: bionicteaching via photopin cc

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