Wellness Skincare I Replaced My Night Cream With Coconut Oil, And These Are My Results I don't know why it never occurred to me to use my beloved coconut oil on my face, especially since I have incredibly dry skin that I abuse with lots of running outdoors. By Beth Lipton Beth Lipton Beth Lipton is Food Director at Health, where she creates multi-platform content, develops recipes, and writes the monthly “Fit Foodie” column. Beth is the author of You Made That Dessert? and was Founding Food Editor for Quick & Simple magazine. In 2014, she completed the Chef Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute, including a culinary internship at Michelin-starred restaurant Annisa. Beth lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter. When she isn't cooking, she loves to run and read. health's editorial guidelines Published on December 24, 2015 Share this page on Facebook Share this page on Twitter Share this page on Pinterest Email this page Come on: After seeing a picture of Kate Hudson with the hashtag #coconutoilskin, why wouldn't I try it? As a cook, I'm already a huge fan of coconut oil. I sauté with it, put it in treats, add it to smoothie bowls, sometimes blend it into coffee. I also use it for minor burns in the kitchen; I find it not only soothes the pain, but also aids in healing. You'll always find a big container of organic, extra-virgin coconut oil in my kitchen (like this one). When I was in culinary school, there were enormous tubs of coconut oil in the kitchens, and invariably you'd get some on your hands when reaching in to get some for a recipe. All of us got in the habit of rubbing it into our hands, and it helped soothe the chapped skin we got from so much hand-washing and working with food and knives. So I don't know why it never occurred to me before to use it on my face, especially since I have incredibly dry skin that I abuse with lots of running outdoors. Plus, now that I'm in my mid-forties, well, let's just say my skin can use all the moisture it can get. I am also always on the hunt for the most pure, natural beauty products that I can find. With all that in mind, I thought, Duh! Why not give it a shot? Here's what I did: At night, after cleansing my face, I replaced my fancy night cream with pure coconut oil. I also gently rubbed it on my neck and chest, and then into my hands (and over my elbows). It didn't take much, maybe about a nickel-sized dollop. Then, in the morning, I put more coconut oil on my face, neck and chest just after showering. About 30 minutes later, I applied sunscreen before putting on makeup. I didn't do anything different from my usual (bare-bones) beauty regimen, except for applying some oil just after showering, which only took a few seconds. The result? Here's my before (left) and after. Photo: Beth Lipton. OK, so I still don't look like Kate Hudson (bummer). But I really love the way the coconut oil feels on my face. It's super-moisturizing and nourishing, and it soaks in nicely so my face feels soft, but not greased up. I like the smell of coconut; if you don't you probably could mask it a bit with an essential oil like lavender. So I'm going to keep using it. I don't know that I'll stop buying night cream altogether; some nights I might mix it up and use a regular cream. But I'm officially buying a second tub of coconut oil so I can have one in the kitchen and another in the bathroom. I may just try it on my hair next. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit