Coconut Oil is the BOMB!

This post is coming a little late, but here it is. Hope you all had a beautiful Mother's Day with your wonderful families! In honor of Mother's Day I wanted to talk about an all natural oil that has come into play allot during my journey as a mother. Coconut oil!!!

Coconut oil is a MCT(medium chain triglyceride) with high amounts of lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid. The fatty acid makeup makes coconut oil a wonderful multi-purpose oil. It can be used as a health supplement, when consumed it is believed to increase energy, raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol, regulate and improve gut flora, and aid in digestion. The benefits of using coconut oil on your skin include moisturizing, antioxidant properties, and sealing and protecting skin. It absorbs quickly and leaves very little to no oily residue. Coconut oil is also great for use in your hair, it penetrates the hair shaft better than most oils to help smooth and moisturize strands. It is an all around star oil

I became an avid user of coconut oil about 5 years ago when I went natural and overhauled my toiletry closet. Most of my products HAD TA GO! They were full of ingredients that I found were toxic or harsh, some even carcinogenic. I went on a search for things that could replace my long used favorites and be better for me and the environment. Coconut oil was it. Organic, extra virgin, unrefined is the way I go but there are plenty of brands and price points. I bought some and I put that shhh on everything; skin, hair, food, and all.

Here are a few ways I use it:

Infant baths: no soaps, no lotions, just coconut oil and warm water on a soft cloth. Wipe the baby down, pay special attention the their rolls and crevices, dry then dress them. Coconut oil left them smelling fresh and clean, and left their skin soft and moisturized. The antimicrobial and antibacterial properties make it great for those cheesy smelling spots babies get.

Cooking: add it to your oatmeal, use it for frying or sauteing, and use it in your baked goods to enjoy the benefits to your digestive system and health.

Skin and Hair: I've used it as an oil rinse for my hair and face and have had great results with each, I've also used it as a daily moisturizer but found that it absorbed a little more quickly than I would have liked in my skin but it's great on my kids skin.

Personal Hygeine: coconut oil has the power to fight yeast and candida in the body which makes it excellent for controlling or preventing yeast infections. Mix some with a few drops of tea tree essential oil and freeze in small capsule shapes for insertion and forego those chemical filled creams and medicines. It's also a great lubricant for making babies!

Coconut oil is wonderful and if you aren't already using it you definitely should be! 

How I Use Coconut Oil As A Part Of Nzuri Wewe

Coconut oil is great for making soap. It increases the hardness of the soap so that it lasts longer, it makes a copious and bubbly lather in handcrafted soaps, and it is extremely cleansing. A soap made using only coconut oil is incredibly cleansing AND moisturizing depending on the soap makers formula. My soap formulas that include coconut oil are specifically created to clean the skin well without leaving it dry.  I also use it in my Satin and Silk Body Butter to enhance the moisturizing properties of the product and continue to silky, airy, yet firm texture. 

I'm never too far away from coconut oil and it is definitely a one of a kind ingredient.