Uses for Coconut Oil: 50+ Unique Ideas
Uses for Coconut Oil: Consumable
- Coconut oil can be used in cooking and baking (a good replacement for any vegetable oils). It's a good oil for deep frying because it stands up to high temperatures.
- Regular consumption of coconut oil has the following benefits: helps to boost metabolism and speed up weight loss, helps with mental alertness during the day and works as a sleep aid at night, helps allergy symptoms, and helps absorption of calcium and magnesium.
- Take a tablespoon before each meal to aid in digestion
- Mix a tablespoon of coconut oil with a tablespoon of chia seeds and consume it for an energy boost.
- Melt the oil and add to smoothies as a nutritional supplement.
- Mix with equal parts butter to add nutrition and flavor to your popcorn.
- Spread on toast and top with cinnamon and sugar as a breakfast or snack.
Uses for Coconut Oil: beauty and Skin Care
- Coconut oil is a natural tanning oil by itself with SPF 4.
- It can also help speed healing of sunburn after the initial burning feeling is gone.
- It's a good moisturizer and has been known to get rid of age spots. It's also a good night time moisturizer.
- Coconut oil can be used as a natural eye cream. Use under the eyes to reduce puffiness.
- Dab a bit of coconut oil on a cotton swab to use as an eye make-up remover.
- It helps reduce the appearances of varicose veins
- Can be rubbed into skin daily to reduce cellulite.
- Mix coconut oil with salt and rub it into dry feet, and then rinse.
- Can be used to make a natural deodorant.
- Mix with baking soda and mint essential oil to make a natural toothpaste.
- Mixing coconut oil with baking soda also makes a nice facial scrub.
- Coconut oil is a natural shave cream as well as an after shave lotion.
- Can be rubbed into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth and can also be rubbed on split ends to reduce frizz.
- Use as a natural hair conditioning treatment. Rub the oil into dry hair, put a shower cap on and leave for several hours, then rinse.
- Mix equal parts coconut oil and sugar for a nice shower scrub (you can also add essential oils like lavender). Here are more ideas for sugar and salt scrubs. Hint: They make great gifts!
- Rub on lips for a natural chapstick.
- When rubbed on cuticles, coconut oil can help with healthy nail growth.
Here are recipes for homemade lip balm and soap bars using coconut oil. Many of our forum members have also shared many other natural beauty tips.
Uses for Coconut Oil: Babies and Children
- Generously massage coconut oil into belly to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy
- Are you a nursing mom? Take 3-4 tablespoons of coconut oil a day along with a Vitamin D supplement to increase milk supply.
- Use coconut oil instead of lanolin cream to sooth cracked or irritated nipples while nursing.
- Gently rub inside a baby's mouth to help treat thrush.
- Coconut oil can be used in place to baby lotion or diaper cream.
- Get rid of cradle cap by massaging coconut oil into a baby's head. Leave on for a few minutes and gently rinse away with a warm damp wash cloth.
Uses for Coconut Oil: Medicinal Remedies
- Rub coconut oil on arms and legs to boost circulation (may help those who often feel cold).
- Rub on cold sores to clear them up naturally.
- Use coconut oil to create a homemade vapor rub.
- Rub coconut oil on the inside of your nose to help with allergy symptoms.
- Dab inside ears to help speed up healing of ear infections. Check out these other homeopathic ways for getting rid of ear infections.
- Use coconut oil to help sooth the itch of chicken pox, poison ivy, or mosquito bites.
- Rub on skin to sooth psoriasis or eczema.
- Mixed with tea tree oil and generously rubbed on feet, coconut oil can help with athlete's foot or fungal infections.
- Taking my mouth as well as rubbing externally can help speed up recovery of UTIs as well as yeast infections.
- Apply coconut oil to help reduce pain from hemorrhoids.
- Melt a tablespoon of coconut oil into a cup of warm tea to help sooth a sore throat.
- Stir into warm ginger tea to sooth heartburn or nausea.
- Coconut oil can be used to help naturally treat head lice.
Other Uses for Coconut Oil
- Use coconut externally for pets who have skin issues
- When mixed with catnip, rosemary, or mint essential oils, coconut oil can be a natural bug repellant.
- Season and condition shiny leather by rubbing a small amount (test area first).
- Use coconut oil to season cast iron skillets.
- Use it to lubricate guitar strings.
- Mix with a little lemon juice to create a natural furniture polish (test on a small area first).
- Use it to remove chewing gum from hair. Rub the coconut oil over the gum, leave it for 30 minutes and then roll the gum between your finger tips. It should slide right out.
These remedies have been used by others but may not work for everyone. Have any more uses for coconut oil? Share them HERE.
Brooke says
Thanks for posting this! People tell me all the time of the benefits of coconut oil, so it’s great to have it all in a list.