I scrub my face almost every night, with one of my favorite exfoliators, and while I get super-smooth, clean skin, it doesn’t take care of getting the  eye makeup off.  If you’re wearing eyeliner, eyeshadow and/or mascara, you need something that’s going to break down those makeup particles without irritating your eyes.

What if I told you, the perfect eye makeup remover may already be in your kitchen? If you’re like me, you already have a stash of coconut oil for frying up eggs, cooking popcorn on the stove, coating veggies to roast, using as an oil rub on pans before baking, inside of baking recipes… the list goes on! I’m sure you’ve heard by now, all of the touted benefits to using coconut oil on your skin and hair – but have you tried it to remove that stubborn eye makeup? Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, is moisturizing and contains vitamin E which protects the skin from sun damage and the fatty acids in the oil help break down waxy makeup. Coconut oil is safe to use on the delicate skin around your eyes – simply use a cotton ball or your fingertips, to gently swipe over eye makeup, being careful not to tug on your skin. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser afterwards and follow with your favorite moisturizer.

I don’t love coconut oil as a daily skin moisturizer because it is comedogenic and can clog the pores on your face over time, but have no issues with it around the eye area. I have a couple of favorite facial oils I can’t wait to tell you about in a future Monday Must, so stay tuned!

How to Buy:

Always look for a coconut oil that is raw, unrefined, extra-virgin and preferably organic. Unrefined, means it is the least processed and that all of the nutrients (including those important fatty acids, polyphenols and phytonutrients) are still in tact.

This is one of my favorite, trusted brands: