If you don't use coconut oil, you are missing out big time.  My first experience with coconut oil was for a hair mask in 9th grade, and I microwaved it to make it liquid before putting it on my hair, which caused my hair to be full of static and made a huge mess. I was using the refined coconut oil for high heat cooking, changing its chemistry with a microwave, AND trying to get it from the hot bowl to my dry hair with my hands while dripping it everywhere.  

Needless to say, coconut oil and I went on a break until my college years when I went to college at the beach and got more sunburns than I care to admit.  I heard about coconut oil while researching how to make my burns better, and started using it on my skin... and never stopped.  Fast forward to six years later and I'm still using coconut oil daily on my skin, hair, and in my coffee.

Hair

Twice a month, I do an intense hair mask with coconut oil.  I swear by this and have noticed a huge improvement in the thickness, shininess, and overall health of my hair and scalp since doing this mask consistently.  Here's how to do it yourself if you want to try it out! Separate your hair into sections; I do three sections, bottom, middle and top.  Rub the solid coconut oil (it's a solid at room temp and turns to liquid when warm) between your hands until liquified and run through your sections of hair starting at your scalp and working it all the way into your ends.  After your strands are oiled, massage the oil into your scalp.  Pull your hair into a twisted topknot and secure with bobby pins, a hair clip, a hair tie or whatever you don't mind getting oily and sleeping in.  I sleep on a Slip silk pillowcase, so on my coconut oil hair mask nights I use a cotton one so I don't get the silk oily.  Upon waking, get into the shower but don't get your hair wet! Use a palmful of shampoo and massage into your dry, oily hair as best as you can from scalp to ends.  Slowly add water a handful at a time until your shampoo is completely sudsy and you feel it's reached all of your strands.  Rinse and shampoo normally a second time.  Condition a little extra, especially at the ends since you just shampooed more than usual.  After I get done with this mask, my hair looks immediately better.  It's shinier, softer, and has more body than it usually does.  

Skin

I use coconut oil daily after my showers like a body lotion.  A huge tip for this is to not use as much as you'd think you'd need.  Coconut oil spreads out extremely easy over skin and you will be applying more than you think.  Plus, you can always add more! It also takes a little while to soak in, so I like to put on a robe or a loose t-shirt while I'm doing my hair and makeup and get dressed last to give it a chance to soak in as much as possible before getting dressed.  Pro tip: if your hair is longer than your shoulders, I would advise against putting coconut oil on your upper back, shoulders, and neck (anywhere your hair touches) as your strands will pick up the oil and thats not a cute look.  

Health

Every morning, I have to have a hot drink.  98% of my mornings involve hot coffee, but sometimes I'll make a hot matcha latte (you can find my recipe on my Instagram under my "Eats" highlights) or a hot tea.  I add a tablespoon of coconut oil to my hot morning drink to break my nighttime fast. This healthy dose of fat curbs my appetite and improve my energy and brain function before the work day begins.  

"Coconut oil is high in fats called medium chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently than most other fats. These special fats are responsible for a lot of the health benefits of coconut oil.  The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce appetite, which may lead to reduced body weight over the long term." (Read this full article here)

I love the silky texture coconut oil adds to a regular cup of coffee, and I notice when I don't start my mornings with a tablespoon of coconut oil, I tend to have crazy snack cravings mid-to-late mornings before lunch time.  

If you haven't been using coconut oil for any of my favorite tips, I hope you'll give some a try and let me know how it goes for you!  If you have any questions about this topic or anything else, please feel free to send me an email via my contact tab or leave a comment and I'll be delighted to answer them :)

xoxo, jess