I Am Going Coco-NUTS!

If you have not already jumped on the coconut oil train, I highly advise you to do so.

After being inspired and conducting endless amounts of research on living a healthy lifestyle I have come to three conclusions:

1. It isn’t just about what I am putting into my body.
2. The chemicals in most products are harmful not only to you and your skin but the environment.
3. It is healthier and cheaper to just make them yourself.

So now that I have had my epiphany I am attempting to inspire others to do the same.

As a person in the world trying to live a healthy and natural lifestyle, from shopping at farmers markets to practicing yoga multiple times a week, I decided to take it a step further in regard to the beauty products I use, and those that I do not.

First of all I am not fond of wearing a lot of make-up nor am I a fan of putting it on daily. So my minimalist lifestyle routine in the mornings was made even simpler when I decided to go a “less is more” route by putting on nothing but mascara regularly.

Beauty products however I have not only gained interest in but I have started to make my own with natural ingredients.

In the health craze most people talk about what we are ingesting, meaning the foods and drinks we are putting into our bodies and the benefits and harms of those items. The conversation about the products we are putting on our bodies has yet to be addressed on a broad scale.

What we put on our skin and use daily in our routine’s not only has an effect on our outward appearance and health but those chemicals seep into our skin and our bodies and can cause issues as well. Not to mention what the creating and disposal of those chemicals does to the environment.

In order to reduce my carbon footprint and take care of myself outwardly I have been opting for natural remedies and recipes for my products.

As a person with sensitive and combination skin I have had issues for years with break outs, scarring, dryness, allergic reactions and self-esteem issues. I have tried a number of products, some worked for a while then not so much, and some made my face puff up from an at-the-time unknown allergy to an acne product.

I am constantly in search of something to help my skin and hair but I wanted something that was good for me too. I am very conscious of what I use on my body because of my past issues so when I began this journey of natural products I was nervous and excited.

That’s when I was introduced to Coconut oil. A basis for numerous natural beauty products including hair conditioners, face moisturizers and tooth paste.

When I began using sulfate free shampoo and then doing coconut oil hair treatments my color treated thick hair was not only healthy looking and soft, but it didn’t have that greasy look from typical oil treatments and the tropical coconut smell wasn’t bad either!

When I began using coconut oil on my hands and feet and elbows before bed my once dry and irritated skin was smooth and soft and my cuticles have never looked healthier.

And as a face moisturizer at night I wake up with soft skin.

My latest obsession is oil pulling for dental health. In the morning as soon as I wake up I put some coconut oil in my mouth and swish it around for 20 minutes before brushing my teeth. As a natural teeth whitener the oil breaks down plaque and residue on your teeth and rinses out the bacteria that cause bad breath. My teeth are left polished and fresh and clean after I brush them regularly after my oil pulling.

I have also begun to make my own toothpaste with coconut oil, peppermint oil, and clay. Better for me and better for the environment.

It is also amazing to cook with to grease your pans before baking or sautéing.

I am a woman obsessed and I don’t care who knows it.

I am beginning to be a huge advocate for natural products and homemade remedies so this won’t be my final lecture on the subject but I hope I inspire someone to use coconut oil in one way or another because it is worth the try!