10 Ways to Use Coconut Oil This Summer!
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*This post is part of the #SummerCelebration Giveaway Hop – check out the original post for more info and how to enter to win your very own quart of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil! Contest ends June 29, 2012!
Because this giveaway has a summer theme, I thought I’d share some ideas on how to use this amazingly versatile oil in and around your home this summer! So here are my top 10 summer uses for coconut oil:
- Pre-sun care: Rub a small amount of coconut oil on exposed skin before heading out in the sun. Coconut oil has a natural SPF of 4 and is a great antioxidant! Remember to practice safe sun-care by avoiding direct exposure during peak hours, especially for young children.
- Post-sun care: Sometimes we inadvertently get a little too much sun, and our skin turns a bit red. Coconut oil’s moisturizing properties are perfect for parched, sunburned skin! Just rub it on several times a day to keep the skin moisturized and prevent peeling. It’s also a great all-purpose body lotion too!
- Bug bites and Cuts: Although prevention is key, it’s almost impossible to spend an entire summer outdoors without succumbing to those pesky, itchy bug bites, or the occasional cuts/scrapes. Applying a thin layer of coconut oil will protect and prevent the area from being exposed to dirt and bacteria, and can stop the itching sensation.
- Insect repellant: Mix some coconut oil with either peppermint, tea tree, or rosemary essential oils, and apply to your skin to help ward off mosquitoes and other summer insects!
- Dry/Damaged hair: All that salt water and chlorine can really take a toll on our hair! Put coconut oil in your hair before you jump in the pool or hit the beach, for some extra moisturizing protection – just rub a small amount between your palms and work into your hair, focusing on the roots and tips.
- Shaving: Ditch the chemicals in your store-bought shaving cream, and use coconut oil instead! It works as a shaving cream and a post-shave moisturizer.
- Lip moisturizer: Don’t forget about your lips this summer! In addition to protecting our skin from the sun, our lips need a little TLC as well; so just rub a tiny dab onto your lips before heading out for the day!
- Smoothies/Shakes: Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to your smoothies for extra nutrition and immune-boosting properties! Just be sure to melt it first and add it in a slow stream, to prevent clumping.
- Deodorant: Stave off the summer heat funk by either rubbing a small amount onto your underarms, or try making a homemade deodorant stick with all natural ingredients!
- Body Scrub: For extra healing properties, mix some coconut oil with sugar or sea salt to create a moisturizing and exfoliating body scrub.
Sarah UmmYousef is a former school teacher turned stay-at-home wife and mama with a passion for all things simple, natural, and homemade. She loves the natural world, and believes the solutions to many of the world’s ailments lie in nature. Her blog, Nature's Nurture, began as a way to document her family’s journey to a greener home, but has since become a thriving community and resource for those wishing to take small steps towards a more eco-friendly, natural and sustainable lifestyle. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.
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#2, remember that one summer?! <3 <3 <3
We should have used coconut oil!
Haha! Oh gosh, that summer will live on in infamy!
Another case of “if we knew then what we know now” LOL..
Looks like I need to buy some coconut oil!!! I love this list! Thanks for sharing with my Super Link Party!
Indeed you do, Susie! Be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a free jar!
Wow, I didn’t know it could be used as a light sunscreen or insect repellent. Great info! Thanks for linking up at Healthy 2Day Wednesday and come back tomorrow to see if you were featured!
I am learning more and more about the benefits of coconut oil! Used to be that all I heard was negative. Since heart disease runs in our family, we were always given articles that were damaging to coconut (oil)’s reputation. SO glad to know that it is not true!!!
That’s great, Pamela! Yes, it is so not the evil oil that it’s been made out to be
Just letting you know that if you want your comment to count as the 10pts entry for the contest, you MUST visit the link in the Rafflecopter form and come back to this post and leave a comment letting me know which of the 10 ways you would like to use coconut oil!
Here’s the link: http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/06/21/10-ways-to-use-coconut-oil-this-summer/
Thanks and good luck!
How can I find out about importing to Colombia, South America
Have been wanting to try deodorant for some time – hubby refuses to rub baking soda/ cornstarch on his pits but said he is willing to use it if it’s more “deodoroanty).
This is great. I’m SO glad that I found this. My grand daughter gets eaten up by bugs and I would love to try this natural insect repellant instead of using the chemical insect repellant on her delicate skin. Thank you ever so much for the wonderful information here.
I LOVE coconut oil! we cook with it alot, but recently I found a recipe using coconut oil as an ingredient in making your own toothpaste… cool!
My husband and I have been working to make our family healthy and trying to get more green…definitely want to try all of them but to pick one to start off with probably #5 the one for dry/damaged hair.
I use it daily.. To cook with, in my toothpaste, deodorant and even in my coffee!
I like knowing the fact that it can be used before being out in the sun as a sunscreen or afterwards if you receive too much sun. The other uses were quite interesting to know too.
All of these sound amazing! Definitely want to try it as a shaving cream haha.
I love this!! I can’t wait to get mine and try it!
I can’t wait to try homemade deoderant, Ive been meaning to for weeks but just haven’t done it for lack of product! Just gotta do it though! Thanks for sharing!
I hope you love it, Jeannie! It’s the only thing I use now and would never go back to store bought
I love coconut oil! It has so many great uses. I use it for making toothsoap, lotion, and cold process soap! Coconut oil makes an awesome addition to cold process soap.
Lots of great ideas, THANKS!
I am in love with coconut oil. I use it for all of the ideas you listed above. I bring some into the shower with me as an in-shower moisturizer. My skin feels amazing, and I haven’t gotten a sunburn at all this summer. It’s my favourite product and a gallon of it would last me an age!
I use coconut oil for a lot of things, but I never thought to use it while shaving. Going to try that soon. Thanks!
Wow! I never knew. I love to cook with it.
I think I’ll experiment with making a deodorant.
Thanks for the great info. For our clients big and little Coconut oil is truly a miracle oil.
I’ve never used coconut oil. I would love to try it. I’ve heard alot about it…..sounds good!
Wow! So many uses I didn’t know about! Thanks!
I would like to try the suggestion for dry, damaged, hair. I already put coconut oil in my smoothies. Yummie!
Love it in my coffee! Eat the stuff, prevent Alzheimer’s!
Oh, the coffee trick also makes lip balm. I will be doing that everyday – coconut oil as lip balm with coffee delivery system. And flavor. ;o)
My family and I use it for most everything….as a moisturizer, whole body lotion, sun tan oil, lip balm, in cooking, frying baking, mixed with baking soda to brush our teeth< I read this was actually the FIRST toothpaste! AND WHAT Abe Lincoln brushed his teeth with!
And I'm old enough to remember when MOST EVERYTHING ONCE contained coconut oil, chocolates, baking mixes…..etc etc INSTEAD OF THE NOW GMO POISON SOYBEAN OIL! YUK!
NATURALLY PURE & A TRUE GIFT (ONE OF COUNTLESS!) FROM THE CREATOR beats corporate chemical poisons ANY DAY!
THEY USE THESE CHEMICALLY CONCOCTED POISONS because THEY CANT patent NATURE!
BOYCOTT THE CORPORATE & USURIOUS BANKER BEASTS PEOPLE! They are sickening and KILLING US & OUR LOVED ONES!
My momma taught me….IF IT DOESNT COME FROM GOD'S GREEN EARTH! DONT STICK IT IN YOUR MOUTH!
Rebekah, your momma is a very smart woman
Love the quote, definitely going to use that!
I would like to use for shaving and lips.
I absolutely LOVE coconut oil! I can’t believe how many things it is good for. I’ve used it for all the things you list with great results and use it for many others. I got introduced to coconut oil a personal wedding shower that my mother-in-law planned for me. One of the guest gave me a jar as a gift and suggested it for “bedroom” use…um, can you say “AMAZING!” From there I started looking more into the wonder oil and can’t imagine a life without it now. I recommend it to everyone I know and they all think I am crazy because I use it for EVERYTHING!!
Yep, definitely great for “bedroom” use too
We use it for everything too – I always use the example of the dad from that movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding… Remember he put Windex on everything? Well, coconut oil is our windex LOL. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer. Good luck!
Thank you so much for the great ideas for using the coconut oil. Personally I am going to try to fiqure out how to make coconut peanut butter since it is always on back order.
shaving!
I personally use coconut oil for hot oil treatment for my hair once a month. In some of my diy cleaner items. In my diy toothpaste. Would love to use it as a moisturizer on my legs, but for some reason they get a tad itchy. Have used it in diy deodorant. I use it to help my dog “Tydus”‘s nose. He is a licker and his snout suffers for it. I would like to use it for a insect repellant or minor cuts. I have not used coconut oil for those things.