Where cooking meets beauty! Strange statement I know, but I am talking all about that very fashionable ingredient of the moment, Coconut Oil. I am sure that most of us by now have a jar of this in our cupboard as it's a great healthy alternative used in cooking and baking but it has so many beauty uses too! You may indeed already know this but seeing as I am crazy over coconut oil I thought it deserved a spot here on my blog so I could share with you some of my favourite uses for this ingredient that you may not know about. 

My first tip, use a good quality coconut oil. I have found an amazing one from a great company called Indigo Herbs who sell a massive range of top quality health foods, supplements, teas etc and deliver worldwide so worth checking them out! This coconut oil is certified 100% Pure Organic Virgin Raw & Cold Pressed which means it's basically free from any nasties what so ever. This age old super ingredient multi-tasks so well and it's insanely cheap! 

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
The texture and quality of this particular coconut oil is just beautiful and very different from other ones that I have tried and the scent is extremely subtle just in case your not a fan of the coconut smell or taste. It melts almost instantly once it comes into contact with the warmth of your skin and feels incredible. 

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
So let's get into my personal top recommendations for using coconut oil as part of your beauty regime ... 

 1. Make-Up Remover 
The tip I am sure most of us know about! As coconut oil is a natural oil, it melts into a liquid which is perfect for removing all types of eye and face make-up and beats of lot of expensive cleansing oils on the market today. This is a 100% natural oil that costs far less. Just warm a small amount of coconut oil between your hands and massage all over your face to remove all of your makeup in one and remove with cleansing cloth or apply to a cotton pad and remove.

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
2. Face Oil
We all know that oils and serums are very important in a skincare routine and there are so many choices from many brands today but using a small amount of coconut oil as a facial oil before your daytime or night time moisturiser shall help to nourish and smooth your skin. 

3. A Hand Cream & Cuticle Oil
You can indeed treat your hands and nails too. I religiously apply cuticle oil and hand cream every night as I get into bed because using an oil treats those dry areas to keep them soft and nourished. So if you suffer with dry hands and cuticles, get some coconut oil rubbed into them.

4. Lip Balm 
Lip oils have become a huge trend over the last few months with brands such as Clarins and YSL both been using oils in their lip products and lip balms are something that both us females and males use - so here you have a less expensive version of one that's totally unisex! 

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
5. Foot Treatment 
Massage coconut oil into your feet to help with cracked heels and mix with some salt to remove any dry skin. A DIY pedicure. Simple! 

 6. Body Moisturiser 
After a bath or shower, massage coconut oil all over your skin and it shall feel and look so healthy and to be honest you cannot even smell the coconut on the skin once it has absorbed. This is especially great on any dry skin areas like the elbows and knees. Just be aware that oils will effect self tan so make sure you do this the day before applying any tanners to prep your body. You can mix coconut oil together with your favourite body lotions or body butters to get the scent you like whilst increasing the amount of nourishment and softness that your skin shall get by adding the coconut oil. 

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
7. Treat Varicose Veins
I haven't tried this one personally but this is a constant issue for us women as we age but using coconut oil as a moisturising treatment to the areas has been proven to help with the appearance of diminishing those varicose veins.

8. Lighten Age Spots
Again not one I have tested but it has been proven that when rubbed directly into the skin, it helps to lighten age spots. Nothing to lose from trying this one.

9. Teeth Whitening 
As you may have seen on my blog already, I am a BIG fan of using coconut oil to whiten my teeth which is referred to as Oil Pulling. I get such amazing results from doing this and it makes my gums feel so much cleaner and healthier too. I usually use the pre-made sachets from brands such as Cocowhite as they are handy for travelling but when at home, a normal jar is perfect. Simply get a teaspoon amount of coconut oil and put into your mouth, let it melt and swoosh it about your mouth for around 5-15 minutes, however much you can manage. Then brush your teeth and your good to go. I recommend doing it every night before you go to bed for about 2-4 weeks to get results. It is so easy to do and again, a lot cheaper than most whitening systems and a lot less harsh. You can get such incredible results from doing this trust me! 

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
10. Hair Mask/Treatment
You can use this in a few ways - As a treatment, simply apply the coconut oil as an oil to the mid lengths and ends of your hair prior to washing, leave on for however long you want (I try for 20 mins - 1 hour) then shampoo and condition your hair as per usual. I love treatments you apply before washing your hair as you can carry on doing chores and not have to wait in a bath or shower! As a Mask, leave on overnight with your hair tied into a bun or wrapped in a towel or shower cap, sleep with it on then shampoo as usual the next day. Both of these methods shall add shine and nourishment to the hair, making it feel super soft. As a Serum, use as you would on the ends of hair to tame flyways and add shine. Be sure not to use too much as remember it is an oil so less is more.

11. For Dry Scalp & Hair Growth
Rubbing coconut oil into the scalp can help with treating dryness and also help to stimulate hair growth. 

12. Remove Stubborn Gel Eye Liners!!!!
If you use long wear gel liners you shall know how stubborn they can be to remove from the back of you hand and eyes and as you can see from below, the coconut the oil literally melts the liner off the skin ... hence your perfect solution to this issue! 

Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses 
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
Indigo Herbs, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Beauty Uses
I think you can agree just how incredible it is that a product so simple can be so universal. There are literally hundreds more uses for coconut oil but under the beauty category, it's a little miracle worker and a product worth having in your cupboard. I highly recommend this particular one from Indigo Herbs as it's only £7.49 for a gigantic 500ml size jar and the quality and price of this is unbeatable in my opinion. I think this one shall last me quite a long time! 

What's your best or most used tip for Coconut oil?