My Lifelong Love Affair With Coconut Oil

One of the simplest beauty rituals I grew up with—and one I still return to today.

Long before coconut oil became a wellness trend, it was simply part of life in our house.

Growing up, I remember my mother and grandmother slathering it onto my hair and skin. As a child, I can't say I always appreciated it. There was nothing particularly glamorous about sitting around with oily hair waiting for it to be washed!

And then, years later, coconut oil seemed to be everywhere. Suddenly it was being celebrated as the latest beauty discovery, and I couldn't help but think: we've been doing this forever.

I still love it.

Not because I believe it's a miracle cure for everything, but because it's simple, inexpensive, incredibly versatile—and tied to a beauty ritual I've known for as long as I can remember.

Coconut Oil

The Ritual I Grew Up With

Hair oiling was probably my earliest introduction to coconut oil.

My mother and grandmother would massage oil into my scalp and hair before washing it out. At the time, it was simply something we did. I certainly wasn't thinking about it as “self-care.”

Now I see it differently.

There's something wonderfully luxurious about taking the time to massage oil into your hair, leave it there, and slow down for a little while. And I love that a ritual that feels so current today is actually one women in India have practiced for generations.

How I Use It Now

I've experimented with coconut oil in all sorts of ways over the years, but these are the uses I actually come back to:

Coconut Oil Uses

As a pre-shampoo hair treatment.
This is the original for me—and still my favorite.

For very dry skin.
Especially elbows, knees, heels, and anywhere that needs a little extra moisture.

As a body oil.
A small amount on slightly damp skin feels wonderful.

For removing stubborn makeup.
Particularly when I want something simple to break down makeup before cleansing my face properly.

For cuticles and hands.
One of those tiny things that's particularly nice before bed.

And sometimes I use it simply because the smell and ritual feel familiar.

That's reason enough.

What I've Learned

I look back and smile at how many things from my childhood were eventually repackaged as wellness discoveries.

Oil pulling. Turmeric. Yoga. Ayurveda. Hair oiling.

There is, of course, much more nuance to all of those traditions than their modern interpretations sometimes suggest.

But coconut oil reminds me that some of the best rituals don't need to be complicated—or new.

Sometimes they're the things that have been sitting in our cupboards all along.

The MBellished Ritual

Warm a little coconut oil between your hands, massage it through your hair and scalp, and give yourself some time before washing it out.

No elaborate routine. No ten products.

Just something my mother and grandmother did before me—and something I still love doing today.

What I Know Now

As a child, coconut oil was something my grandmother put on me.

Today, it's something I choose for myself.

And perhaps that's why I still have such affection for it. It's less about what coconut oil promises to do and more about what it represents to me—family, ritual, simplicity and a little piece of home.

xo,
Malvika