Coconut Oil: Not Just for Cooking

Moving to Chicago in the middle of winter slapped me in the face with a chilly case of culture shock. Back in Chattanooga I had gotten used to the frigid temperatures dropping down to the mid thirties. The weather is a little bit different around these parts. Here, even in the midst of the sixth warmest winter in Chicago's recorded history, it gets colder than that. In fact, the mid thirties are considered a warmish winter day. And the wind. Oooooh, the wind. It's not doing much to warm things up. The new weather conditions are having a noticeable effect on my skin. It didn't even take a week for my face and hands to dry out and crack.

Enter coconut oil.



A few months ago, my incredibly sweet cousin shared a jar of this magic elixir with me to try out in the kitchen. She works as a sales person for Garden of Life products and swears by their coconut oil. We've used it occasionally and it really does add a little something special to baked chicken or sautéed green beans. And it is the PERFECT oil to use to toast your quinoa before you cook it.



But today's post is all about coconut oil as a moisturizer. In the past few weeks, I've discovered that it really works. My hands and face have gone from cracked and flaky to soft and supple. I use it very sparingly on my face. By sparingly I mean use it like Elmer's glue, "a little dab will do ya." But when it comes to my hands, I lather it on with abandon. Not only is the oil nourishing, it smells delicious. I mean like, tummy grumbling delicious. Plus, my Garden of Life oil has teeny tiny bits of coconut in it that work as a gentle exfoliator. Which is super convenient. So now, this new Chicagoan's dry cracked skin is nothing but a memory!

What are you using to protect your skin when the temperatures drop?

I've been pretty excited to share this little tip. Just ask @SmartSavvyStyle, I told her last week! I thought I was pretty brilliant and innovative until I opened Pinterest last night and came across this pin. Waa wohh. Turns out my discovery isn't as ground breaking as I thought. But check out The Nourished Life for lots of other great uses for coconut oil!