Yes, there is such a thing! Whether coconuts make you dream of a tropical getaway or think of your go-to beauty oil, August is the time to celebrate this glorious fruit. In honor of coconut week, we are bringing you (you guessed it) all things coconut! From our favorite skincare products to delicious recipes you’ll want to remake over and over again, BBE has got you covered in the coco department. Keep reading, because it’s coconut week, baby.

The coconut infused skincare & beauty products we can’t live without…

The truth is, we’ve included coconut oil in a *bunch* of BBE products. This is mainly because the benefits of this fruit are pretty impressive. Not only is coconut known for its hydrating properties, it also helps protect skin and provides a serious dose of antioxidants to any skincare product. What’s more, it can help alleviate redness and irritation and it is antibacterial. Meaning, even acne-prone girls can benefit from this powerful yet natural ingredient.

Let’s just say, narrowing it down to these few gems below was no easy feat. But hey, we had to give you our top coconut-infused recommendations in honor of coconut week, didn’t we? Here they are, dear!

The Self Tanner Lotion

We have to start this list off right, sis. And BBE’s self tanner lotion is without a doubt the way to do just that. Infused with moisturizing coconut oil and shea butter, this self tanner does way more than turn you bronze. It hydrates skin like no other, largely due to the star of the show – coconut!

The Anti-Aging Face Cream

The tried and true moisturizer we go back to again and again, this hydrating and anti-aging face cream is loaded with the good stuff. We’re talking calming aloe vera, soothing cucumber extract, and of course some super moisturizing coconut oil. Beauties of all skin types love this BBE classic, and for good reason!

The Superfruit Lip Balms

Totally underrated and totally necessary to have in your life, these lippies pack a hydrating punch thanks to not only coconut oil but organic beeswax, too. We love these lip balms for a slew of reasons. They never go on sticky, they smell delicious, and they take care of chapped lips like no other balm out there. Go ahead, click add to cart on these babies and thank us later. 

The Mineral Sunscreen

Everyone needs an SPF product in her beauty cabinet she can count on e-v-e-r-y day. And when it comes to sun protection, BBE doesn’t play. Our mineral sunscreen is never sticky or stinky and will never feel like it’s sitting on top of your skin like some other SPF creams out there. We infused this gem with some hydrating coconut oil so your skin can not only be protected, but feel amazingly soft too.

Our go-to ways of using natural coconut oil…

In the kitchen: Ditch spray oils and stop spending a fortune on olive oil. Coconut oil is here, and does just as good (if not better) a job at greasing that frying pan of yours. Use it in the exact same way you would in your stir-fries, or any other dish you usually cook with the help of an oil. If you’re worried about the coconut flavor affecting your meal, don’t! Once this magical stuff melts, the scent and flavor of coconut is extremely faint. Meaning you will not notice it in that chicken pad Thai, we promise.

For skin in need of a little TLC: If dry skin has you down, coconut oil is the solution. Slather a generous amount onto your skin and watch dry spots virtually disappear. If you’re on the oilier side, you can still use this method to shrink pores and get rid of bacteria on your skin. Coconut oil contains some serious antibacterial properties, making it a go-to solution for acne prone faces.

For luscious locks: If you want to keep your hair healthy and free of split ends, you need some coconut oil in your life! Applying coconut oil to your hair once a week is by far the easiest and most natural way to keep it moisturized, shiny, and frizz free. All you need to do is warm up a generous amount of coconut oil (depending on your hair length) and apply it to your locks. If you tend to have an oily scalp, don’t stress. Coconut oil works wonders as a scalp treatment, especially for those of us who deal with dandruff. Ideally, sleeping with this mask on your hair overnight works best for optimal results. Just make sure you lay a towel down on your pillow to avoid any stains on your linens in the morning.

For silky smooth legs: Forget buying shaving cream that is often full of toxic ingredients. Instead, reach for that coconut oil the next time you’re in the shower. Make sure your skin is damp, and that you’ve been chilling in the shower for a few minutes. The reason for this is that it will open up your pores, making shaving in general much easier. Once you’ve sang a Britney hit or two, slather on some coconut oil and watch your shaver literally glide across those gams! This method doesn’t only make using a razor a cinch. You’ll step out of the tub hair-free, and totally moisturized at the same time.

For a quick & easy makeup remover: Take a small scoop of coconut oil and warm it up between your fingers. You’ll notice that it almost instantly becomes slippery and oily, which is exactly what you want for this makeup removing method. Apply the oil to a dry face. You’ll notice that by rubbing ever so gently, all of the product on your skin will virtually melt away. This is also where that little bit of mess comes in, therefore we recommend following up with a gentle cleanser to ensure your pores are squeaky clean. 

The coconut cake recipe Betty Crocker herself would envy…

Hey, we are drooooling at this one. Not only is this cake seriously delicious, but you can choose to make it completely vegan, too! Plus, if you’re not a Martha in the kitchen, it’s easy peasy to master. Trust us, we wouldn’t hit you with a 23 step recipe – that’s just not our style!

First thing’s first, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 2 1/2cups all purpose flour
• 2tablespoons cornstarch
• 1tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cupsgranulated sugar
• 3/4cup neutral flavored oil or melted vegan butter
• 1 1/2cups non-dairy milk (I used coconut milk, not from a can)
• 2teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1teaspoon coconut extract

Got it? Cool. Next are the 4 easy steps to making this fluffy, to-die-for coconut cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. While you’re doing so, put on a few tunes, dance around in the kitchen, and don’t forget to grease your baking pan. I mean, cake that is stuck to a pan is just no fun.
2. Next, you’ll want to grab a large bowl to mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and sugar. You can also use a sugar substitute if you prefer. Whisk all of these guys together to combine.
3. Now you can add in the not-so-dry ingredients. Mix in the oil, milk of your choice, apple cider vinegar, coconut and vanilla extract. Once you’ve mixed all of these guys together, you’re ready for the last step (no seriously, we’re already basically done here!).
4. Pour your mix into your pre-greased pans from step 1 and bake for 3-35 minutes. A good tip to verify whether your cake is done baking is to stick a tiny toothpick into it and remove. If it comes out clean – it’s ready, sis!

Once your gorgeous coconut cake is out of the oven, just be sure to let it cool for a bit. You know, instead of prematurely burning your tongue on a piece (although we know excitement sometimes makes that hard to resist!). You could totally add some homemade frosting and coconut flakes to the top of this cake or keep it as is. Because honestly, it is pure coconutty goodness all on its own!

The Paleo friendly, 3 ingredient coconut bars you’ll quickly become obsessed with.

You read that right, honey. If you don’t have time for the coconut cake we just mentioned above, we have another coconut-filled alternative to satisfy your craving! 3 ingredients and insanely delicious, these healthy coconut bars don’t get any easier to make. For real, – all you need is: 

• 1 cup of melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup of any liquid sweetener of your choice (monk fruit sweetened maple syrup works well for this one)
• 3 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut flakes (or sweetened ones, if you’re really a sweets person!)

The steps to making this recipe are ridiculously easy. First off, you’ll want to line a pan with parchment paper before mixing all of the ingredients above into a large bowl. The mix should have a consistency of a thick batter. If you notice the mixture is a little *too* thick, don’t sweat it dear. Just add a tiny bit of water or some extra syrup to fix that up, real quick. After that, pour this delicious mix into your pan and simply let it sit in the fridge or freezer until firm! Cut them up into bars, and bam – just like that, you’ve got yourself a seriously healthy and coconutty snack or dessert in a cinch!

Ready to spread some coconut love?

Honey, it’s coconut week – so go ahead! From keeping your skin on point to feeding your sweet tooth, this is one fruit we can’t enough of. And, it’s definitely one that we will look forward to celebrating every year.

What are some of the ways in which you use this glorious ingredient on the regular? We want to hear all about it below, sis. And until next time, just remember that life is full of problems – but coconut oil can fix a whole bunch of them, we promise!

Carey <3