Coconut oil has long been considered a beauty "cure-all," but if we're being straight with you, that's a bit of a stretch. Sure — in a perfect world, the sweet-smelling oil would make skin conditions like acne and eczema magically disappear. Hell, it'd make hair grow thicker and longer, and maybe it would even do our taxes for us. But it simply can't do all of those things. (Sorry to break the bad news.)
"Coconut oil's makeup of fats helps replenish lost or missing components that lead to dry, cracked lip skin," says Adam Friedman, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Washington, D.C. That's what makes it so good as a lip balm. "It creates a thin but effective barrier that keeps water in and irritants out."
Coconut oil is also an ideal remedy for chapped lips because it's semisolid at room temperature, making it less messy than other oils. Pack a bit in a miniature jar and smooth over lips throughout the day. If you want to use a lip balm that has the wonder ingredient mixed in for you, the Kiehl's Butterstick Lip Treatment SPF30 and Lanolips's 1010 Coconutter Ointment are both worth a try.
