Coconut Oil

[Melange99]

Am I missing out? I hear this mentioned a lot but something I never use. Do you use it - what for - a hair mask, mouthwash, skin softener? Is it worth using or a hyped up mess to use?

Over rated

I use it on my skin. I have dry sensitive and eczema in places. Its a godsend to me

Its a good lube.

Here's what the Neal's Yard Beauty book has to say:

Coconut fruit yields a light, moisturising, and nourishing oil. It is suitable for all skin and hair types but is especially beneficial for soothing and softening dry skin and hair. It also has an antiinflammatory effect, which can help to heal wounds, blisters, and rashes.

What Is It Good For?
CONDITIONS AND SOOTHES SKIN
Coconut oil absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling silky smooth. Use it in place of a mineral oil for chapped lips, eczema and dermatitis, and as a shaving oil. Try applying it to damp skin or with damp hands to help spread it quickly and evenly over large areas of your body.
CLEANSES AND TONES SKIN
A great make-up remover, coconut oil cleanses and moisturises all in one. You can use coconut water as a light skin cleanser and toner to help remove dirt, grease, and blemishes. NOURISHES HAIR
Use the oil as an overnight hair mask or pre-shampooing treatment. It helps combat dandruff and restores lustre and shine to dry or damaged hair.
ACTS AS AN ANTIFUNGAL
The fatty acids in coconut oil help to prevent fungal and bacterial infections, making it an excellent all-purpose salve for healthy nails and feet.
TEETH AND GUM CARE
Swish a small amount of coconut oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes – known as “oil pulling”. Spit out when finished. There is no need to rinse afterwards. Oil pulling can help to reduce bacteria, control plaque, as well as fight tooth decay and gum infection. Studies have shown that this is as effective as the mouthwash ingredient chlorohexadine, for controlling bad breath.

There are 2 types of coconut oil-
Virgin which has just been cold pressed. This is solid at room temperature and smells very coconutty. This is what I use in my homemade deodorant.
Fractionated Coconut oil has been refined to remove the long chain fatty acids. It is liquid at room temperature and is odourless.

Neal's Yard also recommends it for treating all dry skin conditions (it is comodogenic so avoid with oily skin), as a shaving balm- added to other oils although you could probably use by itself, an ingredient in lip balm, as a conditioning hair mask, as a nourishing ingredient in hand and foot creams.