Personal uses[edit]
Homemade coconut oil extracted from fresh mature grated coconut meat
Coconut oil can be used as a skin moisturizer, helping with dry skin[47] and reduces protein loss when used in hair.[48] Coconut oil can also be used as sexual lubricant, although it can damage latex condoms.[49][verification needed]
Before the advent of electrical lighting, coconut oil was the primary oil used for illumination in India and was exported as cochin oil.[50]
Coconut oil is an important base ingredient for the manufacture of soap. Soap made with coconut oil tends to be hard, although it retains more water than those made with other oils and therefore increases manufacturer yields. It is more soluble in hard water and salt water than other soaps allowing it to lather more easily.[51] A basic coconut oil soap is clear when melted and a bright white when hardened.[52]