Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

I have found the most wonderful, all purpose item!!! I was on a forum on babycenter.com about a month ago, and I read a thread where someone recommended "EVCO" for diaper rashes. I thought she just mistyped "EVOO" since Rachael Ray had popularized the term in her cooking shows. It seemed to me that olive oil might soften but probably wouldn't do terribly much to heal. Then I saw the recommendation for "EVCO" for a hair moisturizer, at this point, I thought "either EVCO is something else, or these ladies all mistype EVOO every time it comes up." After more research, I found out that the substance is called Extra virgin coconut oil. I've read that regular coconut oil is just as effective and cheaper, but I went with the extra virgin just to be sure.

What are the many purposes of coconut oil? Well for one, you can cook with it. It has a very high burn point, so it can withstand a ton of heat. But even if you have a jar to cook with, I highly recommend getting a second jar to keep in your bathroom. It clears up diaper rashes with one or two applications (if you use cloth diapers, be sure to lay down a flannel scrap or cloth wipe down to avoid getting a grease stain on the diaper). It is hands down, the single best moisturizer I have ever used. It's wonderful on the body, and works on the face as well. It doesn't cause break outs and works on all types of skin. Added bonus - coconut oil has a natural SPF of 15, so if you're running errands but not going to be in the sun long enough to need a heavy hitter sun block - it will be just the right amount of protection. It is great for cradle cap, and also as a conditioner for all hair types. It can be used as a cuticle softener, or put on a patch of mild excema.

Extra virgin coconut oil comes in a jar and is typically in solid form. It melts instantly against skin and will spread very easily despite it's solidness when taking it out of the container. It's also easy to just run the jar under hot water for a few minutes (its melting point is 76 degrees) to soften it up. As we still have cold weather and our heat turned on, I keep mine over the vent in the bathroom to keep it in oil form. It runs between $7.00-$12.00 a jar, and will last a very long time. I recommend checking in the food section before looking in the health and beauty section. The exact same bottle might be a few dollars cheaper in the food aisles for no real reason. Coconuts are actually seeds, not nuts, so allergies are basically non existant to the oil.

I can't encourage people enough to go out and try this miracle cream! The only ingredient is coconut oil, unlike so many moisturizers we expose our skin to. It's baby safe, mom safe, and even has a pleasant, faint, coconut smell to it! Most wonderfully of all, it's cheap!