Recently I've read all sorts of hype about the wonders of coconut oil. I wanted to try it, but hesitated because I worried my sensitive skin would break out. On a recent mini-vacay to the Pacific Northwest an older woman with beautiful skin suggested I try it. Actually, she told me if I didn't use coconut oil I'd look old. A little forward coming from a stranger, but I was convinced. And given the the fact that she had no wrinkles or visible pores at 76, she seemed like a legitimate source. When I returned home to arid Nevada, I started my mission to find it. I didn't want to go to Whole Foods -- I wanted to shop local. Seemed like more of an adventure that way. Well, it took three tries, but I found some in the cooking section of an Indian grocery store, called Spice Rack Market. You can also find the brand I bought on Amazon.
*Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. Run closed bottle under hot water for a few moments to liquify.*
The stuff is awesome: it's simple, cheap and only has one ingredient. I use it mostly on my face - it absorbs quickly and evenly. And I don't get that afternoon sheen that happened with regular lotions. It also works great as a massage oil and as a leave-in hair conditioner when used sparingly. And one of these days, I plan to try cooking with it, too. As far as oil pulling goes, I'm still a little nervous to give that a whirl.
