Simple beauty hack? Coconut oil and a Scentsy warmer

Since I've been using my essential oil diffuser, my beautiful Scentsy warmer had been downgraded to night light status.  That is, until a few months ago.

Like many people, I'm sensitive to beauty products with harsh chemicals and have found that natural oils often perform better than their commercial counterparts.  Coconut oil used alone is a popular moisturizer, but I've recently discovered that heating the coconut oil in the Scentsy warmer makes it a fantastic makeup remover when paired with a cotton pad.

Simply melt the coconut oil in the warmer.  (It takes a few minutes.)  Then dip the cotton pad and swab off foundation, mascara, lipstick...the works.  It is more effective than any makeup remover I've used to date.  In the morning, using the same routine on clean skin leaves it really soft without stripping it like soap.

Not only that, but the warm coconut oil makes a great body moisturizer after a bath or shower and feels nice to apply since it is heated. (A quick caution, the temperature isn't regulated on the warmer, so make sure to test the oil to confirm it isn't too hot before applying.  If it is too hot to use, simply turn off the lamp and give it a few minutes to cool down.  It won't take long.)

To repurpose your warmer, you can clean out the old scented wax by heating it up and wiping with cotton balls. (If you have a big cotton puff from a vitamin jar that works even better.)

I always feel like I'm doing something really good for myself when I'm able to switch out a commercial product for a natural one. After all, our bodies absorb what we put on them. We even have a medical term for it—transdermal drug delivery.  It's the principle by which birth control and nicotine patches work.

Deborah Burns, CEO of sumbody cites a study in her article for the Huffington Post that shows that while there may be some chemicals in our beauty and hygiene products that are too large to enter our bloodstream, many are small enough to penetrate. She also advises that we are most at risk for products that we leave on the body (like moisturizers and body lotions).

The best part?  Organic coconut oil—while it may seem expensive for cooking—is an absolute steal as a high grade cleanser and moisturizer. So, repurpose your candle wax warmer.  Your skin will thank you!