Can you even remember your life before coconut oil? Dry hair? Coconut oil. Cooking a healthy meal? Coconut oil. Need help with absolutely anything? Just add coconut oil.
We’ve tried it on our skin, hair and even to help whiten our teeth but the latest craze? Using it to shave.
According to the beauty experts at Superdrug, switching your shaving cream for coconut oil is a sure-fire way to keep your skin happy.
“Coconut oil does have hydrating properties and so similarly to a moisturiser, can be used to hydrate the skin without having to use any other additives such as alcohol,” says Dr Yannis Alexandrides, founder of 111Skin and Head of Surgical Practice at 111 Harley St. “It’s also naturally antimicrobial so it’s great for killing off any surface bacteria that gathers on your face during the day. ”
Sick of being left with an irritating shaving rash, I decided to give coconut oil a whirl and after reading rave reviews online, I had high hopes.
I tried swilling coconut oil in my mouth for whiter teeth and couldn’t believe what happened
So how does it work? I used my trusty Neal’s Yard Remedies coconut oil and because it was solidified, I simply rubbed it between my hands to melt it before smothering it over my legs.
It was here that I encountered the first of many problems. Because my hands were greasy from the oil (and, trust me, I tried washing it off), my razor had a mind of its own and let’s just say I was lucky to escape from the shower unscathed. I did my best to smoothly run my razor along my legs but the oil just didn’t provide the same amount of lubrication as my beloved foaming shower gel.
It took me so much longer to shave than usual and without the shower foam leaving guidelines of where exactly I’d run my razor, several areas were left neglected. It was far from a smooth encounter.
Reviews I’d read online raved about how silky smooth people felt after shaving with coconut oil but my skin certainly didn’t resemble that of a Dolphin. I think I’ll stick to frying my veggies in it from now on and referring to these 10 shaving commandments from the experts instead.
10 shaving commandments for silky summer-ready legs
