"You smell like soup!"

I wanted to give this a few weeks before I made this post because I wanted to be able to give you some honest to goodness, real feedback & info.

As most of you know, Pinterest has been flooded lately with posts raving about coconut oil. I, like most people, read it, pinned it to a board and planned to really dig into it later. However, knowing that I had an upcoming trip to Trader Joe's planned, I decided that I better read this stuff so I know whether or not to buy a jar of their Organic Coconut Oil when I was shopping.

So, I sat down at the computer with a notebook, a full mug of fresh coffee and started to read. There were several pins that had overlapping statements, and a few that brought new ideas to the table. First and foremost, you all know that I have super sensitive, dry, pale skin - so I'm very hesitant when it comes to rubbing anything on me. I have my specific brands that I'm I was comfortable with, but I have to tell you, I threw a lot of stuff away last week. I will probably never buy another face wash, cream, scrub or lotion again. (Brad may have a few requests, and he may mock me (a lot) - but he's been on board with all my recent changes, so who knows.) I'm fairly certain I'll be all oil, all the time.

Okay, on to the oil. Yes, there are several uses for coconut oil when it comes to cooking and baking, but I wanted to venture into the health & beauty area a little more. One thing that struck me while reading was that it should be applied directly to my face. Normally you want to get oil off your face, so adding more oil seemed a bit odd, a bit counterproductive, but holy cow - it's amazing. Yes, you can mix it with a bit of baking soda for a pretty awesome face wash, but I've just been using it solo and have been really, really happy with the results. I use it once a day, right before bed, I rub a small amount around my face, leave it one for about 30 seconds then use a warm washcloth to gently wipe it off. My face feels better than ever.

I also use this same technique to take off my leftover make-up. I was really grossed out the first time I used to the oil after my usual 'make-up remover', there was a lot still stuck to my face. Eww. I haven't had a pimple, not even a small one, for almost a month. That alone is pretty shocking considering that I workout for at least 1 hour every day, sweat quite a bit and wear makeup daily. No zits. I haven't been able to say that since before puberty - so yeah, it's been a while.

I use this oil as an all-over lotion - face, neck, body & feet. I put this on after a shower, after shaving, when I have dry spots (eczema sucks but the oil is awesome on it!), after a small cut and even on bug bites. Works like magic - and Moms, this has also softened my stretch marks. Where there used to be a huge cavern when running my hands over my skin, they're hardly noticeable now. It won't take the marks away, but they're not as drastic now.

A few days ago I mixed a scoop of oil with some raw sugar and used it as an awesome scrub in the shower. Why was I paying so much before?! The scrub was slightly rough, but not hurtful, left me silky smooth and feeling refreshed. I highly recommend trying it, I was reminded of the scrubs used when getting a pedicure and who doesn't love that?! 

Organic coconut oil can also be used to make shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, hair treatment, etc.
There really are endless possibilities, so have fun with it!