Ode to Coconut Oil

I think the biggest thing that has changed since having kids has been my understanding of what is going in, on or around them as much as possible. With my first I really wanted to do cloth diapers but I was not able to but I did make his food from scratch the first year... but that is for another day. 


Today is about my love for coconut oil. I first found out about the wonderful solid/liquid through cloth diapering forums as a nice "safe" diaper rash remedy. Once I had my hands on the wonderful smelling white substance I started finding all sorts of ways I could use it! First thing I tired was a pre treatment for my hair, my kids haven't really gotten diaper rashes since switching to cloth. I put it in about an hour before I hopped into the shower and wrapped it up in my towel, showered and shampooed my hair twice and it came out soooo soft! I fell in love! Next was homemade deodorant the recipe I used was from CrunchyBetty.com and so far so good, works just as well as my old Secret Stick, but even better because I knew it doesn't have aluminum in it :) We use it a few times a week as a after bath lotion for the boys or if I'm being particularly lazy ill just toss a bit into the running water and let them soak in it. I used a small spoon of coconut oil, a few drops of teatree oil and a splash of olive oil mixed together to treat a fungal infection I kept getting from the community pool at camp. and the most recently tho was the most unexpected use for the magical coconut oil... PLAY DOH! I got all excited because as I was going through my kitchen to find something to do with Jack after supper... found flour... food coloring... and I thought might as well make some play doh... till I realized we had only the salt in the half filled shaker. So instead of giving up we Googled play doh made without salt. 1/2 cup water 1 cup flour and 4 table spoons of olive oil. Then I realized that I didn't have any olive oil (come to find out we did... right on the kitchen side board!) so I added the coconut oil instead and it came out great! not only did it work well but it also made our hands super soft while playing with it :)

Needless to say he had a blast! Enjoyed this MUCH more than he did the cheap play doh we played with last time. 


Coconut has defiantly been my Go To product of choice, it hydrates, smells good and is the solution to a lot of different situations.