Coconut Oil

Coconut is used in both cooking and cosmetics. It is eaten raw. Its milk is used to season rice-based dishes in Asia and Polynesia. And we coat our bodies and hair with it. Here's a closer look at a nut that produces an oil that's excellent for your health.

Coconut oil: the softener of the islands and tropics

Used naturally or mixed with essential oils, coconut oil is a cosmetic with an enchanting scent. Its fresh, refined fragrance is a delight for skin and hair. The treatment par excellence in French Polynesia and the Caribbean islands, this oily substance is suitable for all skin and hair types. It has the gift of revitalising brittle or damaged hair fibre in a very short space of time. While anyone can use it, it is particularly recommended for long, curly or frizzy hair. Coconut oil is the ideal solution for detangling hard-to-manage hair.

It should be applied to the roots and ends. Apply it to the roots and ends of the hair and leave it on for two to three hours. In two or three hours, the viscous substance will be absorbed naturally by the scalp. Although coconut oil is oily, it softens dry hair like a flash.

Guaranteed results for your hair

As a result, hair becomes easier to style and detangle. For people with curly or Afro hair, coconut oil tends to add shine and volume. It will end up revealing beautiful curls and giving them unprecedented shine.

This oil, straight from the lagoons of Tahiti, is applied in liquid form. It tends to set below the twenty-five degree barrier. If this is the case, melt it in a double boiler. This will prevent it from losing its moisturising and softening properties.

Monoï: coconut oil in all its splendour

Very popular during the summer months, monoi oil is a tropical cocktail made from coconut oil. Its exquisite, tempting scent, extracted from the Tiaré flower, makes it a high-quality self-tanning solution. Renowned for softening and moisturising the skin, Monoï is the expression of coconut oil in a formula used by Polynesians since ancient times. Very good for the health, it should be used with caution for the whitest skins. This coconut oil-based solution does not protect against the sun's ultra-violet rays. So anyone whose skin is not sufficiently pigmented runs the risk of burning in the sun. However, this natural moisturiser is particularly suitable for people with crocodile skin. Monoi oil helps to reshape and smooth skin that has been damaged or subjected to external aggression.

To restore the skin's elasticity, we recommend mixing this coconut-based oil with a body lotion. The concentrated active ingredients will eventually bring the skin tissue back to life.

Anti-ageing for the skin

The coconut oil in monoi is rich in fatty acids, vitamins A and E. It is an excellent barrier for slowing down the ageing of the skin and maintaining it. On the hair, it helps limit the harmful effects of sea water, which tends to dry it out.

If you want to complete a treatment and obtain an ultra-moisturising formula. You can add a few dabs of shea butter to the monoi or raw coconut oil. This repairing treatment will give your skin and hair vitality. Shiny in appearance, the natural ingredients in these natural cosmetics are quickly absorbed by the body.

It is also recommended for massaging pregnant women's tummies to prevent the appearance of stretch marks.

Other possible treatments

Coconut oil can be used as a facial scrub. By applying light doses locally to the face, it can be used to treat certain imperfections. By flooding a pimple, it purifies the face.

It can also be used as an organic toothpaste. Coconut oil goes very well with bicarbonate. It helps combat bad breath and the proliferation of oral and dental bacteria. It also helps to whiten teeth naturally.

For bruises and haematomas resulting from shocks, it relieves pain and muscle fatigue. It is also effective against mosquito bites. For people exposed to head lice in schools, a thick layer on the hair will suffocate the pests. However, it should be applied in addition to an anti-lice treatment.

A teaspoon mixed with lemon in a herbal tea relieves coughs and sore throats.

To make it an indispensable ally, consider buying a 100% organic oil. Inexpensive and economical, coconut oil is a favourite in cosmetics, although its use in food is more limited.

Coconut oil in cooking

Coconut oil is obtained by pressing the flesh of the coconut. Lipids, including saturated fatty acids, account for almost all of its energy value. This makes it a fat that should be used carefully as an alternative to butter or other oils. Its advantage lies in its smell. It slightly enhances the flavour of certain foods. Highly prized in Asian and Indian Ocean island cuisine, it is used to pan-fry foods. It is usually accompanied by coconut milk to flavour rice.

It is currently enjoying unprecedented popularity among vegan food enthusiasts. In fact, it makes it possible to avoid a whole series of ingredients that this movement represses. It is particularly useful for adjusting cake and pastry recipes that exclude animal fats.

When used as frying oil, however, its use should be limited. Excessive consumption could have harmful consequences for your health. However, it is still healthy and helps to stabilise cholesterol levels.