How To: 9 Ways to Hack Your Life with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil must be sent from the gods themselves, because this stuff is made of miracles. If you ever wondered why your mother always has it around, it's because she's smart enough to know the countless uses for it.

Whether you need a beauty remedy, help with weight loss, or a craft idea, chances are you can use coconut oil. And if you've never used it, then your life is about to change.

1. Shaving Cream

One use for coconut oil is for shaving, not only your face but also your head, whether you shave for aesthetics or because of genetics. MakeCoconutNotFat reminds us that the benefits for shaving with oil include avoiding chemicals and helping to prevent wrinkles and other skin irritations.

2. Deodorant

Holistichabits made a tutorial on how to make your own chemical-free deodorant. All you need is coconut oil as a moisturizer, baking soda as an odor neutralizer, and Arrowroot powder as a thickening agent (optional).

You can always add your favorite essential oil for an added scent. Holistichabits does state that your body odor will increase when you first stop using your traditional deodorant, since the toxins from it are leaving your body. Of course, much of that "scent" has to do with diet and genetics, which most deodorants mask, so some of that naturally comes through.

3. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is essential all year around since it can prevent harsh UV levels from causing sunburns and skin cancer. However, the actual sunscreen you're probably using can contain carcinogens and chemicals, which makes it far from a natural solution.

That being said, the vitamin D production and absorption from sun exposure is beneficial, and to that end, Dr. Jen Sanford from Elevation Now suggests that people use coconut oil instead of sunscreen. To go a step further, you can mix coconut oil with natural sunblocks that are FDA-approved, like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

4. Cure a Toothache

To cure a toothache, Dr. Josh Axe tells us to rub clove essential oil and coconut oil on your troublesome chomper for quick pain relief. Admittedly, the clove oil is the main ingredient here, but adding an equal part of coconut oil is great for teething babies.

Additionally, Dr. Axe recommends gargling with sea salt and water in the painful area, which provides natural antibacterial properties. Finally, you can also employ the menthol found in peppermint oil to help numb the area causing you anguish.

5. Weight Loss Smoothie

Coconut oil can also help you lose weight! Just add coconut oil to a green smoothie, along with other superfoods. The coconut oil helps slow down the sugar as it processes through your body, as explained by Zac from Raw Cave, which also prevents the dreaded sugar rush.

6. DIY Play-Doh

When dealing with crafts for you children, it's always good to make sure nothing is toxic. If your child is playing with something, it will more than likely end up in their mouth, so with the help of WhatsUpMoms, you can make your own non-toxic playdough for your children to enjoy.

7. Oil Pulling

There is a natural teeth-whitening technique out there called "oil pulling," which is essentially a more focused type of gargling. Matana Lacey, a beauty vlogger on YouTube, shows us how to use this cleaning and whitening technique. The other benefit is that the coconut oil acts as a mouthwash, so your days of swishing alcohol around and cringing are over.

8. Start a Fire

If there's anything you can learn from SurvivalPunk, it's that coconut oil is a good way to start a fire. Next time you go camping, bring coconut oil with you to easily get your bonfires started. It's pretty clear through this comparison that the fire starter soaked in coconut oil will burn for much, much longer, making it a great long-lasting tinder.

9. Add Softness & Shine to Hair

Coconut oil is also really good for your hair. If you suffer from dry or damaged hair, KrystleClearBeauty shares her remedy. All you have to do is take out some coconut oil and pop it in the microwave. After you've brushed your natural oils out of your hair (best if unwashed for a couple of days), brush in the melted coconut oil with your fingers.

After working through all your hair, run a brush or comb through, then gather it together in a bun. Use a bag to contain your hair and all the moisture from the oil, then wash your hair thoroughly after about 45 minutes.

Believe it or not, there are plenty of other uses for coconut oil; it helps polish wood furniture, remove gum from carpets, treat eczema, and more. This miracle-in-a-bottle is good to keep around in almost any emergency. So if you decide to better your life with coconut oil, make sure you buy the biggest tub you can find—trust me, you're going to use it.