(image courtesy of coconut-oil-pulling.net)
Recently, organic beauty seekers have been going “nuts” over coconut oil, as the latest cosmetic and hygienic cure-all. But did you know: our friend, the coconut, is actually a drupe? Uhhh…not sure what a drupe even is?
Me neither.
So, I looked it up. Turns out, drupes are edible plant blooms with a fleshy exterior surrounding a hard pit or seed. There ya have it. But how is this relevant to your hair and skincare needs?
Glad you asked! Drupes are naturally nutrient-dense, high in antioxidants, plus low in harmful fats and sugars. Therefore, it just so happens that the coconut is a powerhouse of health benefits. And – by proxy – coconut oil is too.
Let’s break it down, shall we…?
Here’s what you’ll find in coconut oil:
- Vitamin E – protects the body from free-radicals & aids in neurological function
- Vitamin K – builds bone density/tissue elasticity & aids in blood coagulation
- Iron – forms hemoglobin, oxygenates the blood, & aids in muscle function
- Fiber – regulates gastrointestinal issues & aids in maintaining a healthy weight
- Lauric Acid – treats viral infections & aids in preventing the transmission of HIV
- Capric Acid – increases good cholesterol levels & aids in energy production
- Caprylic Acid – treats bacterial infections & aids in lowering bad cholesterol
Yeah, but…how does this impact my beauty regimen?
- Coconut oil keeps your hair free from lice, scalp conditions, dullness, frizz, and protein loss.
- Coconut oil keeps your skin free from flaking, infections, pre-mature aging, and blemishes.
- Coconut oil keeps your teeth free from calcium decay, plaque build-up, yellowing, and receding gums.
- Coconut oil keeps your nails free from breakage, flimsiness, uneven cuticles, and fungus.
Cool beans. So, use coconut oil to…
- shave your legs
- remove make-up
- moisturize dry skin
- condition your hair
- treat acne & scarring
- soothe chapped lips
- alleviate nasal allergies
- get rid of cellulite
- grow your hair long
- protect skin with SPF
- fight dandruff & split-ends
- deep clean your pores
- exfoliate foot callouses
- deodorize body sweat
- relieve bug bite itches
- smooth frizzy fly-aways
- heal psoriasis & eczema
- thicken your eyebrows
- maximize a post-tan glow
- hide wrinkles & sagging
- whiten up that smile
- soften your hangnails
Now, just 1 question remains: will YOU go nutty for coconut oil?!
(image courtesy of iherb.com)
Health Be A Hippie 
We generally massage our hair in copious amount of coconut oil and keep it overnight. It deep conditions the hair. You can also warm it a bit in a bowl and apply it to massage your scalp. 🙂
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Hi there! I found your blog from Sweat Pink {I believe we’re friends on Sweat Pink – I’m still trying to learn how that all works!}. LOVE coconut oil. I had no idea it had all of those benefits though! I use coconut oil for oil pulling sometimes!
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Hey! Great connecting with you :). Are you a new SPA? I just became one myself a couple weeks ago. That’s really fascinating about “oil pulling.” I actually hadn’t heard of that until you mentioned it, so I just looked it up…too cool! I’ll have to try oil pulling sometime.Thanks for reading and commenting :).
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