Loco For Coco: 5 Ways To Use Coconut Oil

Uses for Coconut Oil - Step Inside My Closet, fashion blogger, beauty blogger, beauty tips, beauty tutorial

If you haven't heard by now, coconut oil can pretty much be used for everything and anything to fix a problem in your day to day life. Coconut oil has become the new buzz word it seems for the time being, which means that mentioning kale is being kicked to the curb. I thought it would be a good time to share my five favorite uses for this deliciously smelling coconut wonder!

1. Coconut Oil & Your Pearly Whites

Coconut oil has properties in it that efficiently and successfully kill bacteria and diseases, preventing you from getting sick. These bacteria fighting characteristics make coconut oil the perfect ingredient to put in your own homemade toothpaste. Yeah, toothpaste.

You maybe skeptical at first to make your own toothpaste, I mean, isn't easier just to buy a tube? Well, yes, but toothpaste has a lot of proven evil chemicals that can cause damage to your teeth and body in the long run, while coconut oil is all natural. An even better reason to give coconut oil a chance for your teeth? It's the best teeth whitening agent that I've ever used. It literally does wonders, and makes your pearly whites sparkle! All you need to do is mix up the ingredients below and seal it tight in a container so it's ready to use whenever you like!

- 6 tbsp. Coconut Oil
- 6 tbsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Stevia (add to taste)

2. Face Moisturizer

This one is a little more on the obvious side. Obviously any type of oil will be good to lather on your arms and legs to make them soft...but what about your face? I was extremely skeptical when I was told that I could use coconut oil on my face to not only leave it feeling soft and clean...but help clear away any blemishes. I thought that it would make my skin feel greasy, oily, and worse than it looked before - but boy was I proven wrong!

Before going to bed, I mix a small amount of coconut oil into my nightly face moisturizer, like my Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer (about the size of the tip of my index finger) and mix them together. Evenly massage this combo onto your face and neck and wake up with soft skin. Remember those bacteria fighting properties, though? Yep, your face will be clear of breakouts with consistent use!

3. Coconut Berry Smoothie

Not only does coconut help you look your best on the outside, but it even works magic on the inside too! It's been said that coconut oil can boost your metabolism and give you a swift energy boost from only 1 tablespoon. Not only that, but it can speed up the growth of your hair and nails too!

Now, I've tried the kale juice and the kale smoothies and I really tried to make myself a believer, trust me, but I just couldn't make myself gag down a nutritious but awful tasting kale concoction. That's why I like to stick to the basics. So, for this coconut oil inspired smoothie, all you really need is your favorite berries, coconut oil and a few other ingredients to jazz it up a little. This is a great smoothie to have as breakfast for a start to your day, or as a little afternoon snack for a 3 P.M. pick me up!

- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1-2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 cup almond milk

4. Body Hydration

Summer is coming up after a brutal winter, and I know that my skin has been a little on the dry side lately. Although coconut oil is a great moisturizer to use by itself, once in awhile I like to spice things up and make a mixture of coconut oil and shea butter. Shea butter is rich in Vitamins A and E which result in extremely soft and silky skin. By whipping these both up, it's a great nightly moisturizer to add to your nightly routine!

5. Hair Mask

Looking for commercial soft and luminous hair? Coconut oil is my go-to for a monthly hair mask. Simply wet your hair and comb into your hair. I say, the longer it sits the better. I usually take a nice bath and leave it in for a few minutes and then wash it out with my usual shampoo and conditioner. This is especially great for winter when hair get's frizzy and dry.

So, tell me, what's your favorite way of using coconut oil? Let me know in the comments below!