Coconut oil as a moisturiser.

 Like any other beauty-conscious lady, I was also concerned when I saw the wrinkles on my forehead increasing with every birthday. I started searching and trying various moisturisers and serums claiming to give a smooth finish. Buying, trying, and throwing became the norm for a few years.

Finally, one day, when I opened Facebook, I saw a lady showing images of her face before and after applying coconut oil. Being from the land of coconut oil, this idea never came to my mind. In my teenage years, it was considered to be comedogenic.

Anyway, I just decided to give it a try, as I had tried other moisturisers. To my surprise, my wrinkles smoothed out within one week. Now I apply a generous dab of coconut oil on my face every night before going to sleep, as it also hastens sleep.

Before applying on your face, just check out your skin type also. For dry skin, it may work wonders, as it did for my skin, but it may give comodogenic effect on oily skin. Since skin type of each person varies, be cautious before applying.

I had a habit of blindly believing vloggers and trying their suggestions on my body. So, as per the recommendation of a vlogger, I started to consume one spoon of coconut oil per day, as he said it is good for the nervous system. But it backfired by shooting up my cholesterol level, leading to a compulsory intake of statins for the last three years. As you know, once a statin is started, it cannot be stopped. The same happened to another lady who followed the vlogger. Then the vlogger apologised to us, saying it should be medium-chain triglyceride coconut oil, which has to be used for consumption.

Likewise, I am only giving a suggestion to people with dry skin. This is not medical advice. So, first check your skin very well before applying. But if it works, it is a safe, cheap, and easily available moisturiser.

Coconut oil is also a very good makeup remover. Just apply coconut oil to the face on top of makeup and remove it using a face wash.

There are various types of coconut oil:

• Extra-virgin coconut oil, the elixir of life, is best for topical applications and salad dressings.
• Virgin coconut oil is also good for facial application.
• Ordinary coconut oil is used for cooking.

Select as per availability and use. Coconut oil can also be used for oil pulling which removes the dirt and infectious organisms from the mouth.

It is also very good for hair growth. We can use it directly or enrich it with herbs and use. It can also be used to detangle and moisturise hair.