Subscribe for updates

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

  • Home
  • COOKBOOK
  • Blog
  • ABOUT
↑
  • Home
  • Farm Life
    • Chickens
    • Gardening
    • Survival
  • Money Savin’
    • Best Deals On
    • Thrifty Tips
  • Recipes
    • Freezer Meals
    • From Scratch
    • Frugal Recipes
  • Oils
  • ABOUT
  • Contact
  • WORK WITH ME

Happy Money Saver

A thrifty blog with freezer meals and DIY recipes.

  • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • Freezer Meals
    • Vintage
    • Family Favorites
  • Money Savin’
    • Black Friday
    • Best Deals On…
    • Thrifty Tips
    • Happy Thoughts
  • Farm Life
    • Chickens
    • Gardening
    • Survival
  • DIY
    • Around My Home
    • Health & Oils
    • Cleaning Recipes
    • Beauty Recipes
    • Get Some Essential Oils
You are here: Home / Homemade / Happy Homesteading: Using Coconut Oil as a Moisturizer

Happy Homesteading: Using Coconut Oil as a Moisturizer

This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure policy for more information.
494shares
  • PIN THIS!254
  • FACEBOOK240
  • EMAIL THIS!

Using coconut Oil as a Moisturizer - Great way to save MONEY!! @Happymoneysaver

Today’s Happy Homesteading post is all about me trying out Coconut Oil as a Moisturizer.  WARNING!!  You may see pictures below of my face before bedtime with greasy looking Coconut Oil on it. It may scar you for life. I also cannot be held responsible for any nightmares my naked face may give you. 😉

A couple of months ago I asked you all on the HappyMoneySaver Facebook page how you save money on facial moisturizers.  I had quite a few lovely readers say they used Coconut Oil and if I am being honest I was a bit grossed out.   Coconut Oil? Wouldn’t that be greasy? I wondered if it would make my face break out or make my skin look gross.

Coconut Oil as a Moisturizer 30 Day Challenge

I decided to try out that Coconut Oil as a moisturizer for 30 days to see how it worked. Because if it does work I would be saving a lot of money!

Before I started this challenge I was using Sephora’s Instant Moisturizer (1.69 oz. for $20).  I know! So flipping expensive.. If this would work I knew I would be saving a lot of money. But I anticipated breaking out or not liking the feel and going back to my Sephora kind (which I do love!)

Coconut Oil as a Moisturizer

DAY 1

Before I went to bed I washed my face with warm water, and took out my first bit of Coconut Oil from the container. For those of you who have never used Coconut Oil before it has the consistency of hard shortening. The heat of my fingers started melting the coconut oil which I quickly rubbed all over my face.

I won’t lie..it felt greasy.  I felt like a greased pig. A greased pig in need of an eyebrow wax (hee hee). 😉

But in about 5 minutes it started soaking into my skin and I felt much better.  Off to bed I went. I may or may not have had a dream that night of me working as the Greasy Fry girl for McDonalds…

DAY 2

Woke up in the morning, no new zits or breakouts! And my skin felt fine, not to dry or oily – Wow! That night I did the same thing, washing my face with warm water and adding coconut oil. No new breakouts all week long. It took some getting used to feeling that greasy feeling for 5 minutes, but soon it stopped bothering me.

DAY 7

coconut_oil_moisturizer7

After one week of using Coconut Oil I was happy with the results. I mean I wouldn’t say it was a miracle youth serum or that it does anything fancy except be natural and save me money, but I was happy. No breakouts, no zits, no big changes.

DAY 30

Coconut_OIL_Moisturizer

After using Coconut Oil for 30 days, I am happy with the results! It works as a decent moisturizer, and I didn’t get as many zits as I normally do during that (ahem) time of the month. I know these pictures are horrid of me with no makeup after a long day, but I wanted to keep it real and show you how this really worked.

I love the fact that I have Coconut Oil on hand and that jar will literally last me a year for around $5.00. That is some serious savings as usually I would spend $20 on that Sephora stuff and it would last maybe 2 months. I love this homemade natural way to trying things out. Next time I want to try a homemade body butter recipe and see how that goes. I am sure I will love that too.

The only concern I have is that there is no sunscreen in Coconut Oil and I need protection from that sun.  What do you think? Should I mix sunscreen in with some melted Coconut Oil? Or buy some ingredient? Or just apply sunscreen on over the coconut oil every day?

 

WORTH THE COST? YES – it works, and costs around $5.00 for a years supply vs. $20 for a 2 month supply of what I was using.

WORTH THE TIME? Yes, there is no extra time involved. 

 

Coconut Oil…is there anything this stuff can’t do?  You can cook with it, I use it in my Burt’s Bees Lip Balm recipe and now for a moisturizer.  –>Go here for high quality sources of coconut oil.

 

Please share in a comment what YOU use Coconut Oil for? Any natural remedies or treatments you make?

Pssssst...

Make sure to follow along with @HappyMoneySaver on Instagram, connect with me on Facebook and pin along with me on Pinterest!.

Want all the latest straight to your inbox? get the Happy Money Saver Newsletter straight to your inbox!

April 8, 2013
Homemade, Homesteading

Comments

  1. Julie says

    August 3, 2014 at 4:24 pm

    I loved reading about your facial moisturizer and would like to add another two very safe and very cheap to use moisturizers: (1) olive oil, (2) petroleum jelly (vasaline). And the MOST important part of applying any moisturizer is to start with a damp/wet face before applying! I use a spray bottle to mist my face then apply moisturizer! – – – Also, I’d like to comment on the homemade toothpaste: The recipe looks easy, tasty and cost effective. However, I am even more economical and just brush my teeth with plain old baking soda. It tastes yukky but my teeth feel clean and it freshens my whole mouth. Can’t beat that. Can also use plain table salt to brush your teeth with, easy-peasy.

    I have 4 hens and 1 rooster and love having eggs. I love to keep a small vegetable garden but sometimes critters get to the vegetables before I do! Love your website and all the recipes – THANKS!

    Reply
    • melodee says

      August 19, 2014 at 11:01 pm

      For cleaning your teeth, try wintergreen essential oils (one that can be ingested) and rub on your teeth or put a drop on your toothbrush. It feels like you just had your teeth cleaned and taste good. But my favorite thing is that is whitens your teeth. It’s amazing. I did it for a week and people started commenting on my teeth being whiter.

      Reply
  2. Cecily McClanahan says

    July 24, 2014 at 10:22 pm

    My sister in law cooks a lot with coconut oil which she purchases from Costco. I tasted some cookies she baked using it instead of the butter or shortening. They were so good. As for using it as a moisturizer, I would use sterilized make up spatulas when getting it out of the jar instead of fingers, especially if the jar last up to a year. This would keep any bacteria from getting in there and then getting rubbed into your face.

    Reply
  3. Jackie Favarola says

    April 29, 2014 at 6:17 pm

    Coconut oil has a natural spf of 4!

    Reply
  4. Paula says

    February 20, 2014 at 10:56 pm

    I love, love, love your website! I guess I have pinned 2 dozen or so of your homemade this and thats! I so wish coconut oil would have worked for me 🙁 My skin is so dreadfully dry that my Dermatologist said if I kept using the lotions and oils I was using (which were apparently drying my skin further) that my skin would be like paper. Sigh. I like home made stuff, but I am using my Curel with ceramides. I have to admit that it seems he was right (for me, anyway).

    Reply
  5. Ana Santiago says

    February 16, 2014 at 2:16 am

    Very informative post, thank you!

    I started using coconut oil as moisturizer recently and it works great, the skin absorbs all the oil in some minutes. I use a sunscreen after, the final effect is a dewy healthy look.

    I’m not sure if it’s available in your area, but I’ll recommend the sunscreen cream I’m using: http://www.za-cosmetics.com/product/skincare/whitening/day_protector.html
    It has minerals which bring luminosity to the skin, also makes my complexion look less red. Is does what it says on the bottle! 😉

    Reply
  6. Andrea says

    December 16, 2013 at 5:54 am

    I have been using coconut oil as a moisturizer for about 3 weeks now. I buy the Sprectum Organic refined Coconut oil from our Food Co-op. I was expecting amazing results and I have to say I’m disappointed. While my skin is not dry, after using the coconut oil, it’s not super moisturized, like I thought it would be. I usually put it on after my shower and leave it on. Once it soaks in I get dressed. Any reason why this isn’t super moisturizing my skin? I have tried the oil pulling with it (rinsing my mouth with it for 30 mins at a time) and do notice my teeth are whiter. I also have used it as a make up remover, and I really like that. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply
  7. Lynn says

    November 29, 2013 at 11:34 pm

    I started to use coconut oil on my body a few months ago and love it. I then started to put it on my face and developed milia. They are white bumps under the skin like whiteheads. They will not come out on their own. I had to remove them with a needle and the ones I couldn’t remove myself, had to be removed by a dermatologist. They are a white crystal, hard bump under the skin. They feel like a grain of salt. It was painful getting them out. If you Google milia, it can be explained. They are causes by clogged pours, from the oil. There are many blogs and info from other people with the same problem. Some people can use it with no problem but others it may do more harm than good. Lynn

    Reply
  8. Kim says

    November 2, 2013 at 7:32 pm

    Hi Karrie,

    Love your experiment. Thank you for sharing! I’m gonna try this during the winter when our cold Kansas air dries my skin out. I will tell you, per an article I read from health guru Christine Pirello, that last year I started exfoliating my face and body during my daily shower with a basic wash cloth. It greatly increased the natural oils in my own skin and helped reduce and smooth out the eczema bumps I get on the backs of my arms. Just use it with water (NO SOAP) and exfoliate in a circular motion over all of skin and rinse. She says in one month you will see a difference. I noticed a difference after 2 weeks and was able to cut back on the amount of body and facial lotion I use.

    As for coconut oil… it’s the main ingredient in the castile soap I just bought (I’m making 32 oz. liquid castile soap out of a $1.50 bar – it has 5 days to go so we’ll see if it’s a good experiment).

    On a yummy note, my Dad pops his own popcorn with coconut oil – delish!

    Reply
  9. Gilda says

    October 13, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    I use coconut oil as moisturizer but also in my coffee and cooking as they say it is good for dementia or to not get it. A doctor so they say reversed her husband’s dementia after using it for a number of months.

    Reply
  10. Oona says

    October 12, 2013 at 1:50 pm

    I use coconut oil for everything mentioned above & a hundred more things… lol!
    Most recently as a burn salve & diaper rash treatment.
    Great post! Thanks for sharing! Just found your blog today & have lost track of time… been reading for a couple of hours now… Good stuff!! <3

    Reply
  11. KC says

    September 23, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    Rub it into your dog’s skin and fur. Play with him OUTSIDE for about 45 minutes to let it soak and condition. Bathe dog as usual and he/she will have less scratching and smell GREAT!!!

    Reply
  12. Dominique says

    September 16, 2013 at 6:21 am

    I just wanted to say that I love this post and started using coconut oil as a moisturizer. However, wanted to point out that it does provide an SPF of 13…not much, but it is something.

    Reply
  13. HSmom says

    September 15, 2013 at 12:19 pm

    I use coconut oil as a hand cream/skin moisturizer too. It is fabulous. Have you tried a drop of oil in it yet? I’ve heard that lemon and coconut oil is good for any flabby areas (cellulite), peppermint for an icey-hot type of rub, or frankincense for skin/face/neck area care but haven’t been able to get the oils yet to give it a try.

    Reply
    • melodee says

      August 19, 2014 at 10:53 pm

      I use coconut oil with frankincense (good for anti-aging) for a face moisturizer. I mix is with wintergreen or peppermint for a muscle painkiller, lemongrass and tea tree for bug repellant, and my favorite is with coconut oil/grapefruit essential oil, which totally works on edema and cellulite. I also use in the brown sugar scrub, but add essential oils for double benefits.

      Reply
  14. Gracie says

    August 30, 2013 at 10:50 pm

    My daughter’s back had completely broken out in eczema a week ago. Rubbed coconut oil on it and by the third application it had cleared up. It is the only thing I have used that she did not complain of it burning. My new go to for her skin care!

    Reply
  15. Jan says

    August 29, 2013 at 8:37 am

    Don’t you know that coconut oil is a natural sunscreen? I wear it in fact as a substitute for sunscreen.

    Reply
  16. Edward says

    August 27, 2013 at 10:25 pm

    Coconut oil has an SPF of about 4 not much of a sunblock on it’s own.

    If you want it to have more spf the main component of sunblock is zinc oxide powder.

    Be very careful if you do this do not inhale zinc oxide powder…

    Mix some into your coconut oil and you’ll have something with an SPF close to about 25 anything higher is pretty much a marketing lie any way so those 50 – 100 spf creams are garbage and contain things you don’t want on your skin or in your body.

    If you don’t spend ALL day in the sun you’re more than likely fine though… most people spend huge amounts of time inside these days so they actually are vitamin D deficient so a little sun is actually better than none at all.

    good luck!

    Reply
    • k8fearsnoart says

      July 23, 2014 at 6:07 pm

      I am SO glad to have read your comment, Edward! Coconut oil is not a good sunscreen at all. PLEASE do NOT use it alone for sunscreen. Heck, you know what has more sunscreen power to it? Coconut oil has many great uses, but protecting your skin from the sun is NOT one of them. Scientists have recently proven that using a good sunscreen does NOT prevent your skin/body from absorbing vitamin D, so that’s no excuse for not using a good sunscreen. What you DO want is a sunscreen of SPF 30 that offers broad- or multi-spectrum blocking against both UVB AND UVA rays. Also, SPF only refers to blocking UVB rays, not UVA. There are currently no ways to tell how much blockage of UVA rays a sunscreen offers unless you look at the ingredients. If you check out sites like the Mayo Clinic or even WebMD, they list what ingredients there are in the most effective sunscreens, and there ARE organic choices. Regarding coconut oil as a sunscreen: there are a lot of blogs and sites perpetuating this idea… they may be well-intentioned, but that doesn’t equate to actual medical knowledge. (I’m NOT trying to be a jerk, really, but I was in nursing for 15 years (before I ended up with more medical issues that you can shake a stick at) and have seen, firsthand, what can happen to people who don’t protect their skin from the sun. Being of a fair complection myself, I’ve had my fair share of sunburns, including a burn so bad that I had fever-induced hallucinations when I was a teen. I’m 40 now and can see the damage the sun did to my face from years spent trying to GET a tan. (Never used a tanning bed though, thank goodness!)
      Sorry for the wall-of-text, I just want people to be informed in order to avoid injury to themselves and others- ESPECIALLY kids!
      Take care, and thank you to those of you who took the time to read this!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        January 30, 2015 at 4:25 pm

        I hope people read your comment. Having skin cancer is shocking and no fun. And neither is the rebuilding of the face after the removal of the cancer. And I never even tried to tan!

  17. shelley says

    August 24, 2013 at 9:20 am

    HI.. love your page.. ! I have also been using coconut oil for skin care and have had awesome results…. I had a rash on my lower legs, bumps, itchy. … some dermatologists said an allergy, others eczema etc.. gave me prescriptions on and on .. NOTHING but worse.. one day it occured to me to just use the coconut oil that I usually cook with… within a week my legs started to look better and now they are great.. So much that I forget to use it..I now use it as my moisturizer! However have not dared to use it on my face as I have such sensitive skin… so here I go , trying that as well!

    Reply
  18. Michelle says

    August 15, 2013 at 6:41 am

    Wow, these are all awesome ideas. I use coconut oil all the time for cooking and never thought of it for body care. Love it and can’t wait to get whipping it up. Thanks! And BTW lover your blog!

    Reply
  19. Red says

    June 27, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    I have never used coconut oil but I will be here soon. I love the idea of preventing stretch marks since I’m entering my second trimester. I have very deep pours so I have to use a strong exfoliate. We go through a tun off coffee so I save the grounds and dry them out in the oven on low heat. Right now I mix a hand full in with a dollop of Noxema as a body scrub (it feels solo nice and the sent of coffee is one of my favorite smells). I think I’ll try it with the whipped oil though.

    Reply
  20. Liz. beasley says

    June 9, 2013 at 5:18 pm

    We have been fortunate to get a 50 gallon drum of leftovers from a local potato plant, I do have to strain because it has been added to from the lingering drums from each on, so like the bottom left over from from 10 drums, put its great coconut oil! I use in my cooking in place of other oils, that with almond milk in pumpkin cookies into die for! Gave away containers to neighbors for lotions, cradle cap, dry itchy skin, hair issues, etc. something I have looked into but don’t have the stomach for is oil pulling. Great for overall health and dental health. Worth trying at least once or twice!

    Reply
    • Dawn says

      August 9, 2013 at 12:09 pm

      If you do oil pulling with coconut oil, it will whiten your teeth. I am an avid fan of iced tea, coffee and red wine. I always used whitening toothpaste in order to counteract my indulgences. I decided to try oil pulling with coconut oil about a week ago, and I have been astounded at how much it has whitened my teeth. Also, my tongue and gums are noticeably pinker and healthier. Another thing that I have used it for is as a bug repellant. Just add a couple of drops of rosemary and eucalyptus EO to the coconut oil.

      Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Karrie

Hello & Welcome!

I'm Karrie. Come join me on my money savin' adventures but beware: you may find yourself wanting backyard chickens, making freezer meals and dancing along with me to 80's music.
About KarrieInstagramFacebook

Popular Recipes

15 Actually Easy Freezer Meals (Seriously!)

What’s that smell? – DIY Poo Fragrance Spray for the Bathroom

The Master Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

The Best EVER Homemade Carpet Cleaner Recipe for Machines

The Thrifty Lazy Way to Clean your Glass Stovetop

Making 50 Freezer Meals in one Day

It’s Soup Season!

Simple Chili With Smoked Sausage

Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup (Freezer Meal)

This Chorizo Black Bean Soup is a fun alternative to a more traditional bean soup with the flavors of spicy chorizo and fresh lime juice.

Chorizo Black Bean Soup

Instant Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

search

by Topic

archives

About  |  Contact  |  Privacy Policy
Copyright ©2019, Happy Money Saver. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs