Coconut Oil

In the final installment of my natural beauty series, I’ll be focusing on coconut oil. Coconut oil is such a diverse product as it not only can be used for beauty, but for cooking as well. Similar to Shea butter, there are different categories of coconut oil. There are several uses for coconut oil but first, it’s important to be educated on the different types of coconut oil.

The two main categories of coconut oil are refined and unrefined. Refined coconut oil is usually tasteless and has little to no odor. It is made from the Copra, which is the dried kernel or meat of the coconut. The kernel is dried and unrefined oil is extracted. The oil is then refined, bleached, and deodorized. This is the most common way to mass produce coconut oil. Unrefined coconut oil is typically labeled virgin or extra virgin. There is no major difference between the two when shopping. Unrefined coconut oil is raw coconut without any additional chemicals. The smell and taste are more apparent.

When using coconut oil in your beauty routine there are many different uses that can aid from its addition.

• Using it for hair adds protection from premature greying.
• Using coconut as an ingredient for a deep conditioning mask adds shine, moisture, and softens hair (be sure to not over saturate hair as it can become oily).
• For the body, it can be mixed with sugar to create a scrub.
• It’s great for moisturizing cuticles.

A trick that I’ve used in the mornings when I have time, is an under eye treatment. I keep some coconut oil in the refrigerator and on mornings where my eyes are puffy, I’ll take some of the product and place it under my eyes. This can be done at night if it better fits your routine. Coconut oil helps to prevent wrinkles and fine lines and is also thin enough to sit under the eye area without causing drooping.

There are so many different ways you can create beauty products specific to your needs using natural products. The purpose of this series was to inspire my readers to try new things and introduce a cost-effective way to have quality products. This is just a minuscule portion of the natural products out there that can be used for beauty purposes. I really enjoyed finding out new facts about products that I use on a regular basis and bringing the information to you. I hope you have just as much fun learning along with me.

-Keisha Campbell

Sources: www.thebeautygypsy.com ; www.foodrenegade.com ; www.tropicaltraditions.com ; www.emc2health.com