Coconut oil makes for a healthy kitchen ingredient. But, at the same time it has several skin and hair nourishing properties as well. POOJA NAGDEV tells you five ways to use it in your daily routine
Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera) is extracted from copra the white flesh of coconut. It is a soft white jelly like substance with a semisolid consistency. It is widely used in food items, as a hair and body oil and as an ingredient into creams, lotion and hair oil. The following are some versatile ways how one can use it.
Hair conditioning mask: Coconut oil has been traditionally used for hair treatments. One can try to make a fantastic hair mask to nourish dry and brittle hair. Take two-three tablespoons of organic, refined coconut oil. Warm it to make it liquid. Add 20 drops rosemary oil and full egg. Beat it well. Apply using a brush to your hair and scalp and cover with a shower cap. Leave it for an hour and then shampoo out.
Lip polishing scrub: Coconut is vegan and edible therefore many lip balms and scrubs have coconut oil as an ingredient. One can make simple lip polishing scrub using coconut oil, brown sugar, and honey. Take a teaspoon of coconut oil. To this add equal amount of powdered brown sugar and equal amount honey. All the ingredients will be one teaspoon. Store in airtight container and massage lips whenever they feel dry and uncared. Use it at night before bed for great soft luscious lips.
Chocolate and coconut face mask for dry skin: For this face mask we require coconut oil two teaspoon. We take this in bowl and add 20g of bitter chocolate 90 per cent cocoa. We warm the oil slightly so that chocolate gets dissolved. To this we add a pinch of turmeric powder and a teaspoon of honey. Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, honey helps to moisturise the skin, coconut oil brings hydration and chocolate works on pore reduction and tightening of pores.
Make up remover: Do you know thar coconut oil even works on waterproof make up! It is chemically treated to make foaming ingredients that we add to the shampoos, cleansers and showergels.Take it on a cotton ball and swipe it over your face and eyes to gently remove the makeup. It is also suitable for sensitive under eye areas. One not only removes make up but skin gets moisturised and hydrated too.
Body moisturiser: Coconut oil can work wonders on dry and sensitive skin. Keep a bottle of coconut oil always handy to apply it on arms, hand and legs whenever they feel itchy and devitalised skin.
Shaving cream: Shaving makes our skin peel leading to open pores. It is always beneficial to apply coconut oil all over arms and legs before you shave. It is single natural product and one can avoid using the conventional shaving creams that carry too many chemicals. Coconut oil is natural, anti-microbial and soothing.It makes legs look shiny and moisturised after shaving.
The writer is Aromatherapist, Cosmetologist & Founder, Inatur