Natural oils don’t get enough credit for all of the remarkable benefits they provide. I mean, how many items can be useful both internally and externally, in the bathroom and in the kitchen, in your smoothies and on your skin? Oils are just magical!
While all natural oils are stars, these five especially blow my mind with their many different uses.
Five natural oils you’ve got to try for yourself
#1: Hemp oil
In my opinion, hemp oil is the best oil for your skin, especially if it’s acne-prone. I use it as my face wash every evening. It not only removes make-up, but deep cleans the skin. It’s dark green colour is awesome for combating redness and scarring. Organic hemp seed oil as a cleanser and moisturiser works so well because it doesn’t clog your pores. Hemp oil is 57% linoleic acid and adding linoleic acid to your skin (and to your diet) creates softer and smoother oil glands, so oil doesn’t get clogged.
Hemp oil also works wonders when added to your diet. It’s great in salad dressings (just mix with apple cider vinegar, sea salt, oregano and garlic) or add to your smoothies. The only downside of this oil is that is must be kept in the fridge to stay fresh, making it a bit difficult to travel with, but you can find it in any health food store once you arrive.
#2: Neem oil
This might be the wonder oil. It works like a charm for clearing up acne, scarring, cuts, and even cold scores. If I get a blemish I apply it at night and it is gone or visibly reduced by morning. It’s great to have in the house for healing any skin cuts or scrapes. This oil does have a pungent odour, though – so don’t get it in your mouth, and only use externally!
#3: Castor oil
This oil can be used for everything from constipation relief to labour induction. My favorite use for castor oil is hair growth. Each evening I rub a bit of castor oil on a cotton bud and apply it to my eyelashes. It makes them grow in super-long and thick by moisturising them and generating new hair growth.
I also love to use castor oil to aid with digestion by rubbing it on my stomach a few hours after eating a meal. You can just apply it to your stomach and add a hot water bottle on top to help it absorb. Make sure you’re getting a high quality brand that is hexane free because this oil absorbs so deeply!
#4: Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a rock star both in and out of the kitchen. Coconut oil is the best oil to cook with since it has a high smoke point meaning it won’t go rancid like other oils when heated. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties so taken internally it’s even considered a superfood. It’s awesome added to smoothies or even melted into coffee or tea making it creamy, delicious and more nutritional by bringing healthy fats to your brain.
Externally, coconut oil is excellent for both skin and hair. I use it on a cotton swab nightly to remove eye makeup and also use it as a moisturising hair mask by applying it to my hair at night and washing it out in the morning. Coconut oil is the best oil to use for the Ayurvedic practice of oil-pulling and it’s antibacterial and antifungal properties make it great for that and can even help with candida.
It can also be used as a body moisturiser and is even great to apply before sun exposure as it is approximately SPF 10. It also helps with thyroid function and can be applied externally right onto the thyroid gland, which is said to increase metabolism and energy. This oil is great as the main ingredient in natural DIY deodorant (simply mix it with equal parts arrowroot starch and baking soda). Coconut oil is solid and room temperature so it may require melting for some uses.
All four of these oils are amazing! If you haven’t yet tried them out, you simply have to do so. You can purchase them all at your local pharmacy or health food store.
Love, Cands 