Coconut oil was vilified in the past, but has enjoyed a huge come-back in recent years. From espousing the benefits of medium chain fatty acids on body fat to making it a headliner in the Paleo movement, coconut fans have turned this saturated fat into a whole food superstar. A recent (and incomplete) advisory put out by the AHA has people confused as to whether this food is really all that great or not. We will let you do your own Googling and decide on if you want to eat it or not.
If you have decided to cut back on your coconut oil consumption and fear wasting the rest of that jar, fear not! There are plenty of other uses for food-grade coconut oil.
Here are 5 popular Non-Food Uses for Coconut Oil
1) Make-up remover & Facial Moisturizer
Most make-up removers are just mineral oil based. Mineral oil is a petroleum product and if you really think about how it is processed, is it something you WANT to rub all over your face? Virgin coconut oil will remove the make-up just as well and the lovely fragrance is all-natural instead of artificial. It also has a slight anti-bacterial property which can help with certain skin imbalances.
2) Personal lubricant
Wait what???? YES. Food grade virgin coconut oil is a popular lubricant. It is safe for the delicate flora of the vaginal canal and the tropical scent is all natural. It will usually wash out from the sheets and is usually safe to use with silicone based relationship aids (toys!). You may also use it for postpartum chafing. HOWEVER, since it is an oil, it is not safe to use with condoms or latex based diaphragms.
3) Baby lotion & Conditioner
People have been using baby oil for moisturizing their infants for decades. However, if you ever look at what baby oil is, it is usually just mineral oil and artificial fragrance. If you prefer the scent in baby oil to virgin coconut oil, then by all means continue using it, but if you already have coconut oil, why not save yourself a trip to the baby aisle? You can also massage the coconut oil into baby’s scalp to break up cradle cap.
4) Diaper rash cream
Keeping with the baby theme, coconut oil is often used in the cloth diapering community as a diaper rash ointment. For one, it anecdotally helps with yeast rashes, and two, it rinses out of fabric more easily than many commercial creams.
5) Wood Conditioner for furniture
OK, if your furniture and woodwork is all new and sealed with copious amounts of polyurethane, you might have no idea what I am talking about. But, if you have an older home or some antiques you might be familiar with oiling the baseboards and dining table. I need to oil my beech wood desk every six months or so, or it will warp from drying out. I have memories of my own mother using a giant jar of petroleum jelly to grease up our dining and coffee tables every Autumn so they wouldn’t crack. Well, you can use the jar of coconut oil much like the petroleum jelly and it certainly smells better. Not to mention, using an oil that is also a food seems a little more normal when it comes to oiling surfaces we eat from.
So, there you go. You can still use it, even if you decide not to eat it. Although, I personally don’t think using a bit to grease a pan or make a pie crust is that much of a big deal either.