For those who may not be familiar with coconut oil, it changes consistency based on the temperature. So if the temp in the house (or the pantry) is BELOW 76 degrees then the coconut oil will remain solid. If it’s HIGHER than 76 degrees it starts to turn into a liquid. Here in Texas the coconut oil is fine most of the year. We keep the temperature during the fall, winter, and spring in our house at a place where my coconut oil is either completely hard, or just soft enough to be able to scoop it out easily (when it’s hard you can just melt it for a few seconds in the microwave to soften it up some).
But then summer comes around. And it is HOT here in Texas. First off, we don’t want our electricity bill to be through the roof, so we don’t turn the air way down during the day (it stays on 78). And secondly, even if we did turn it down it probably wouldn’t get down below 77 in the house because it is just SO HOT OUTSIDE and the air conditioner would be running constantly just to get it down below 78!
So what happens? My nice white jar of coconut oil turns into a pool of liquid. Which is actually great for baking, but not so great for using it as a skin moisturizer. I mean… it WORKS as a moisturizer when it’s a liquid, but it’s just a lot easier to put on your skin when it’s in a firmer state.
What to do, what to do.
Whip it!! You know, the same way that you would whip cream? Just like cream stays at a better consistency to spread when it’s whipped – SO DOES COCONUT OIL! Who knew?!
So here’s what I do now:
- Coconut Oil (I use 1 cup for a small mason jar)
- Essential Oils of your choice (I use a mix of Lavender and Lemon)
- Put the coconut oil in your mixer with the whipping attachment.
- Mix at the highest setting for about 10 minutes (or until it is whipped very very well).
- Towards the end of the process, add in your drops of essential oils (you can get them from any health food store or online – see links below).
Now keep in mind that your skin is typically 98.6 degrees. So as soon as that coconut oil comes into contact with your skin (no matter what state it’s in) it will turn to liquid very quickly. But this process makes it SO much easier to put on in the summer. And you still get the benefit of using a moisturizer where you know every single ingredient that goes into it! :)
It has been WONDERFUL for my dry & cracked heels on my feet (anyone else get dry heels during the summer?) I just apply this every night before bed and my heels are nice and smooth again. I’ve also just started putting it every night on my knees to get rid of those darker/rougher patches and they have already started to clear up.
I just have the mixture in a little mason jar by my bed and it stays perfectly creamy and smooth all the time.
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Going to share this this ! Thank You !
Pinned it! I need something for my cracked heels, nothing else has worked so far. Thank you!
where is a good place to find the essential oils? I want to make this one as well as the carpet cleaner one you have. I think the lemon would be lovely.
@Angela Houk Walker I love the Young Living essential oils too because they aren’t made with petrochemicals! I did a blog post about them if you want to read more. http://www.renaissancemama.com/snake-oil-or-essential-oil/ We like the oils so much that we are selling them now, so let me know if I can help you!
Angela – I’ve heard great things about Young Living essential oils, but I haven’t tried them yet because they are fairly expensive (but you can also take them internally where you can’t other oils). Until we save up in our budget to get YL (that’s a goal of mine this year) I like the Now Foods Organic essential oils and the Aura Casia ones (they are more expensive than the NOW Foods ones). For the amount you get, the best price is definitely on amazon for the Lavender NOW Foods one – http://amzn.to/O6WzT8 For the lemon, just search for Aura Casia lemon essential oils… I’m don’t think NOW has the lemon.
Rachel, I LOVE this!! Such a great idea! Thank you for posting!
Hu, do you have some natural tip for use like detangler hair?
Marilois – Thanks sweet cousin!! That really means a lot.
Iris – As crazy as it sounds, you can actually use coconut oil as a detangler too. Just make sure you only use a VERY VERY small amount and work it through your hair starting at the ENDS (not starting at the scalp). And since coconut oil doesn’t burn like other oils, you can still use heated styling products.
Thx for the tip!!
OK, I tried whipping my EV Coconut oil for over ten minutes and it didn’t whip up creamy. It is still liquid. Did I do something wrong? I used the brand Spring Valley Organic EV Coconut Oil. Thanks.
I am having the same problem. It just stays milky with little aerated bubbles that re-liquify. Only way I can get it to whip is by putting it in the fridge for a few minutes, but then a few minutes back on the counter after whiupping and it re-liquifies…
I’m using the LouAna brand. Is there a reason that one wouldn’t whip? I like it because it smells and tastes nothing like coconut. I actually hate the smell and taste of coconut but like the benefits of the oil.
Hi, can you tell me what type of coconut oil to use? Is it extra virgin? And also where would I buy it?
Thanks so much!
I am having the same issue…mine is not whipping. Using spectrum brand organic coconut oil. Help!