An Old Friend

I grew up on a tropical island surrounded by coconut trees but I had just forgotten how versatile it is.  We cooked and baked with it, and used it as a moisturizer for our skin and a conditioner for our hair. In my commitment to try to live as chemical free as possible, I have rediscovered the humble coconut. For the last few weeks I have been using Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil as a body lotion and hair conditioner. I'm now experimenting with using it as a facial moisturizer. I wasn't quite sure about this ... I had concerns that it might be too oily and make my skin breakout. But so far it's been doing well.

 

I like Trader Joe's coconut oil because it is cold pressed which means it is in solid form. I scrape off what I need and warm it in my palm and it melts almost instantly. I use it a little bit at a time and work it into my skin. It takes a little while to be absorbed so don't over oil your skin with too much coconut oil. You'll smell like toasted coconut for a bit and then it really does disappear. Hubby who does not like coconut says he can't smell anything.

 

I work the coconut oil into my hair before I shampoo and then I use my normal conditioner. I do not leave the coconut oil in my hair -- it does make it too oily and I have no itention of walking around with oily hair!

 

 

 

I had my three-month check up with the oncologist and we talked about gene testind because of the Askenazi ancestry from my paternal and maternal side. If the insurance company will pay for it, we'll go ahead and do it. Regardless, my daughter will have to be extra careful with the way she lives her life.