Coco-nutty

       Before I give a full intro of my new favorite product, I am going to go ahead and acknowledge the obvious:  I am becoming a huge fan of natural products.  I've still got the usual toxic-chemical-paraben-laced-carcogenic stuff lying around, but I keep getting all these fun, organic products that are only reinforcing my new found love.  The specific product I want to address today is coconut oil.  In recent years this stuff has become the bee's knees in the beauty world and I am quite late to the party.  People are going crazy with it.  I mean hair, body, face... it's being used everywhere.  We all love a good "do-it-all" product, so of course, when I read about all of coconut oil's reported benefits, I wanted to give it a try.  For you skeptics out there, I found a good article by The Huffington Post that reinforces these benefits, but not in a fluffy, too-good-to-be-true way. 

      
       I am sad to report that I am not one of the people who can use it on their face.  I used it as a makeup remover one night and woke up with a few new spots the next day.  This was a bit surprising to me as CapriClear (post here) had no adverse effects on my skin the first time I used it.  I am thinking it is because CapriClear is 100% fractionated coconut oil containing only caprylic tryglycerides (a.k.a only the good stuff), whereas the 365 Everyday Value Organic Refined Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil from Whole Foods obviously has everything in it, good and bad.

       
        But never fear fellow breakout-prone ladies!  This stuff works wonders as a body lotion or a deep conditioner for dry hair.  Unlike most oils, coconut oil absorbs very quickly when used on the body.  I was really surprised the first time I used it as I was expecting to be greasy for a few minutes afterwards.  If you plan on using it on your hair, however, it will take a little longer to work its magic.  I recommend applying it to dry ends and then wrapping your hair into a bun,  tucking the oily parts into the ponytail holder.  This allows you to go about your normal activities without worrying about getting it on your face or clothes.  Additionally, I have heard great things about coconut oil when used to combat eczema symptoms.  It supposedly calms the itch and moisturizes like no other.  If you're suffering from this condition, it seems to me that there is nothing to lose by giving it a try.
        Coconut oil is reasonably priced and Amazon.com offers different sizes for various prices.  I'd love to know your opinions on coconut oil.  Are there any other uses that I've missed?