A jar of organic coconut oil is one of the most useful things you can have in your house – maybe even more so during the holiday season. A 14-ounce jar can often be found for under 10 dollars, and it can even be used to make great gifts.
The following are nine festive ways that coconut oil can brighten up your holiday.
Glowing skin
If you want to look great for that holiday party but are suffering from lackluster skin, you can make it glow by combining a little coconut oil with baking soda for a super-effective exfoliant. Gently rub the mixture into your skin using circular motions, then rinse.
Make a holiday smoothie
This gingerbread smoothie recipe is great for the holidays:
- 1 cup organic coconut milk
- 2 frozen bananas, peeled, sliced and thawed slightly
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh, grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon raw honey
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Add the liquid to your blender, followed by the fruit and other ingredients. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until the smoothie is creamy.
Homemade peppermint lip balm
During the wintertime, lips often need extra care to stay soft, smooth and moist. A homemade lip balm made with coconut oil makes a perfect gift.
To make it, you’ll need the following:
- 1 tablespoon shea butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons beeswax
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint essential oil
- 0.15-ounce lip balm tubes
Melt the shea butter, coconut oil, sweet almond oil and beeswax in a double boiler on the lowest heat possible. Remove from heat, then add peppermint oil. Pour into tubes and allow to set with caps off for 24 hours.
Replace your coffee creamer
During the holiday season, you need all the energy you can get. Coconut oil is ideal for use as a coffee creamer. While it may sound strange, this recipe is heavenly and will give you a great boost of energy, too.
Just add one cup of hot, brewed, organic coffee, one tablespoon unrefined coconut oil, a teaspoon of grass-fed unsalted butter and one quarter-teaspoon of pure, organic vanilla extract to your blender or food processor. Mix on high speed for approximately 20 seconds, or until frothy.
Personal lubricant
Coconut oil can even be used to spice up your sex life. It’s safe for use as a lubricant, unless you’re using a latex condom (it can weaken the material).
Massage oil
Who doesn’t need a nice massage, especially with all of those responsibilities that usually come along with the holiday season? Coconut oil makes a great massage oil; a few drops of lavender essential oil can be added for an extra calming effect.
Soothe a sunburn
If you vacation in the Caribbean or another sun-soaked destination over the holidays and end up with with a sunburn, coconut oil can help speed healing and reduce the painful sting. Wait until the heat has dissipated first – generally 24 hours – before applying to avoid trapping the heat in.
Homemade sugar foot scrub
Department store sugar scrubs are very pricey, but you can make them at home for a fraction of the cost – and they make great gifts. All you you need to put it together is a half-cup white or brown sugar, ¼ cup coconut oil and a decorative jar with an air-tight lid. Just mix the ingredients together and place into the jar.
Relieve stress
Coconut oil can even be used as aromatherapy for stress relief – who doesn’t need a little extra stress relief during the holidays? Just massage some into your scalp and temples, then imagine that you’re lying on a tropical beach without a care in the world. It’s one of the best natural prescriptions around!
It’s no wonder that coconut oil has made its way into so many medicine cabinets, first aid kits and pantries. Is it in yours?
Click here to learn more amazing things you can do with this tropical treasure all year long!
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://wellnessmama.com/5673/healthy-coffee
http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil
http://greatist.com/health/genius-ways-to-use-coconut-oil
http://www.greenthickies.com/gingerbread-smoothie-dessert-thickie
http://www.revivedkitchen.com/2013/06/peppermint-lip-balm
http://wellnessmama.com/3628/sugar-scrub-recipe
