Using coconut oil as a beauty multi-tasker

From moisturising and cleansing the skin to nourishing hair, coconut oil is a beauty wonder. Here are five ways in which you can use it to sooth and pamper your skin and hair.

From moisturising and cleansing the skin to nourishing hair, coconut oil is a beauty wonder. Here are five ways in which you can use it to sooth and pamper your skin and hair.

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1 Exfoliation: Mix brown sugar and sea salt with coconut oil till it forms a thick paste. Use this mix as a gentle scrub - the sugar-salt exfoliates while lauric acid acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent. Add used coffee grounds to combat cellulite.

2 Hair nourishment: The oil's low molecular weight allows it to penetrate the hair shaft, while the fatty acids bind the protein in the hair, protecting it. Try this: beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup of warm coconut oil and massage your scalp with it. Leave this on for 30 minutes and rinse with cold water. The oil's lauric acid and Vitamin E nourish the hair, while eggs' protein strengthens it.

3 Cleansing: High levels of Vitamin E in coconut oil protect the skin from free radicals and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Use coconut oil to gently loosen makeup and it will slide right off. The high levels (92%) of fatty acids in it break down the makeup so it slips right off, while antioxidants protect, nourish and allay signs of aging.

4 Health benefits: Once perceived as unhealthy fat, new studies prove that it's really good for you. Coconut oil is a good source of MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides), a fat that requires less energy and enzymes to be digested. MCTs get burned for energy, leading to an increase in metabolism.

5 Moisturising: Coconut oil's tiny molecules allow it to melt into your skin and high levels of Vitamin E nourish from within. Apply after a shower to create a moisture-locking seal.

(With inputs from Simran Lal, CEO, Goodearth)