If you haven't already familiarised yourself with the many beauty uses for coconut oil then now is the time. One of my all time favourite beauty ingredients, coconut oil is a unique medium-chain fatty acid that has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, and also acts as an antioxidant to protect the skin. The best thing about coconut oil is the fact that this wonder product can be purchased relatively cheaply* and used to make a number of DIY beauty products that will rival the best shop bought rivals. From body scrubs to deodorants, here are my top 5 coconut recipes to keep you looking and feeling great from head to toe.
1. BEACH BODY POLISH
Ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup fine ground sea salt
1/4 cup Epsom salts
10 drops of your favourite essential oils **
Directions
1. Put coconut oil in a medium mixing bowl and stir, mash or blend until the oil is soft enough for mixing.
2. Stir in the sea salt and Epsom salts.
3. Mix in your chosen essential oil/oils.
4. Transfer mixture to a mason jar for storage.
Use as an all over body scrub to exfoliate and moisturise, about 1-2 times weekly.
2. WHIPPED BODY BUTTER
Ingredients
1 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
a few drops of your favourite essential oils for fragrance
Directions
1. Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Note: Do not melt the coconut oil first. It will only whip up if it’s solid.
2. Mix on high speed with a wire whisk for 6-7 minutes or until whipped into a light, airy consistency.
3. Spoon the whipped coconut oil body butter into a glass jar and cover tightly. Store at room temperature, or in the refrigerator if your house is so warm it melts the oil.
Tip: A blender or food processor will not work with this coconut oil recipe because they tend to warm the oil too much and prevent it from whipping up.
3. SHAVING CREAM
Ingredients
4 Tbsp solid shea butter
3 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp sweet almond oil
10-12 drops pure lavender essential oil, optional**
Directions
1. Using a double boiler, (I use a glass bowl over a pot of simmering hot water) add the shea butter and coconut oil and let them melt over the lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat once completely melted.
2. Add almond oil and essential oils and stir to combine completely.
3. Transfer bowl to the fridge and let the mix harden. Remove from fridge and, using a stand mixer, or a hand-held electric mixer, whip until the mixture is the consistency of frosting.
4. Let it sit on the counter for a couple minutes before transferring to an airtight container for up to a month.
4. COCONUT OIL DEODORANT
Ingredients
6 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) baking soda
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) arrowroot or organic cornstarch
essential oils (optional)
Directions
1. Mix baking soda and arrowroot together.
2. Mash in the coconut oil using a fork until well mixed.
3. Add your choice of essential oils if desired.
4. Store in small glass jar or old deodorant container for easy use.
5. COCONUT HAIR TREATMENT (from veganbeautyreview.com)
Ingredients:
Small Bowl
2 Tablespoons of Unrefined, Virgin Coconut Oil
Fresh or Dried Lavender Springs (or 2 drops essential oil)
Measuring Spoons
Directions:
1. Measure out 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and add it to your bowl. Depending on your hair length, you may want to add more or less oil to the bowl. For medium-to-long hair, two tablespoons should suffice. If your coconut oil has turned to liquid, just measure it out like normal.
2. Remove the greens and/or buds from your lavender and place it in the bowl with your coconut oil. If you want to add a little more for fragrance, that’s okay. A few pinches is plenty.
3. Next, infuse the lavender into the coconut oil. To do this, create a bain-marie by placing your bowl over a sauce pan filled with water. Turn your heat to low-medium and allow the coconut oil to melt down, stirring periodically. If your coconut oil is already liquid, you still want to do this, as the warmth from the water bath will expedite the lavender oil extraction. Keep your bain-marie going for 45 minutes to one hour, then remove from the heat.
4. Allow your infused coconut oil to set for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is slightly warm (not hot). Remove the lavender pieces if desired.
5. Work the oil through your hair, focusing on the ends where hair gets dry. You can also focus on the scalp if you’re dealing with itchy, dry skin or dandruff. Let the oil set for 15 to 45 minutes. The longer it sets, the better. Shampoo and style as normal.
Image credits: Coconut Recipe: Vegan Beauty Review
*It is vital that we consume coconut oil in a totally unrefined state. If it has been refined in some way, which could include processes such as bleaching or deodorising, it becomes much harder on our liver.
** I recommend using a high-quality essential oil like those sold by Do Terra (http://doterra.com/US/en)
--Dani Farrell