Coconut oil - solid? refrigerator?

[share801]

I got some coconut oil in a jar but to my suprise it is not solid at all. The directions say its melting point is 76 degrees. Is that why? (It's warmer here).

Also it says to refrigerate after opening. Do you all do this?

[In2wishin]

I got some coconut oil in a jar but to my suprise it is not solid at all. The directions say its melting point is 76 degrees. Is that why? (It's warmer here).

Also it says to refrigerate after opening. Do you all do this?

Coconut oil will go through liquid and solid phases with the weather. Many people here keep a small amount in a separate jar for use and store the rest in the refrigerator.

[spidermom]

Like In2wishin said, I have a small, wide-mouth jar (it used to hold expensive body butter) that I use to store coconut oil at room temperature, and the bigger jar is in the refrigerator. When the small jar is empty, I sit the larger jar into hot water and melt off enough to re-fill the small jar.

[Anje]

I also transfer some to a tupperware, and store the main bit in the fridge. Coconut oil can go off, so I like to keep my main batch cool.

Ideally, you should take it out of the fridge and let it warm unopened, to keep condensation from the outside air from getting into the oil. Water getting in the oil encourages rancidity. It's also good to let it warm up when you take it out of the fridge because refrigerated coconut oil is rock-like.

[jojo]

Mine is always hard, just why they put coconut oil in bottles?? I don't really use it now as I switched to EVOO but I never used to refrigerate mine, maybe thats where I was going wrong? I used to melt mine in the bath water; yes I have scalding hot!

[Slinks]

cripes !! glad this was mentioned .. I have some in a seperate bottle but the rest is just in the cupboard !! uck .. in the frige it goes :-) thanks for posting this .. I never thought to read it .. lol

[Slinks]

Mine is always hard, just why they put coconut oil in bottles?? I don't really use it now as I switched to EVOO but I never used to refrigerate mine, maybe thats where I was going wrong? I used to melt mine in the bath water; yes I have scalding hot!
you bathe in it ?? how wonderful, can I pinch your idea :-) please ..

[Tefnut]

cripes !! glad this was mentioned .. I have some in a seperate bottle but the rest is just in the cupboard !! uck .. in the frige it goes :-) thanks for posting this .. I never thought to read it .. lol

You don't need to keep it in the fridge, infact it's advisable not to keep oils in the fridge as they can go funny. A cool dark cuboard is best. (is an aromatherapist) :)

[danacc]

76 degrees Fahrenheit is the melting point. In warmer climates, it will melt at "room temperature".

I keep mine in the cupboard, and haven't had any problems. It doesn't say to refrigerate it. I've had it for over a year. As long as your hands are clean when you use it, it should be fine.

[jojo]

you bathe in it ?? how wonderful, can I pinch your idea :-) please ..

I meant I put the bottle in to melt the oil but I have put it in the back but only use a bit else it get very slippy. Another thing i do with coconut oil when my skin is extra dry is get the leg of a tight (panty hose) and put oatmeal about a cup and half , plus 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and then tie the tight (or pany hose if you call them that) round the tap (hot one) so the water runs through the tight, its brilliant at solving dry skin!

But yeah i will share! :D

[share801]

Thanks, everyone. It was quite a surprise to open the jar expecting solid and find liquid instead!

[Joribear]

This was great! Now for a really silly question... I was browsing thru our local Wal-Mart and found coconut oil in the cooking section. Is that the right kind to buy???

*blush*

[Mesmerise]

My coconut oil is generally always solid...errm...except in the middle of winter when the fire is roaring and the house gets really hot lol. It does get sort of smooshy in summer though.

I generally keep it in the cupboard not the fridge, so hopefully that's okay! Mine came in a jar, not a bottle, so you can scoop it out with a spoon. A bottle would be VERY inconvenient!

[Lianna]

Mine is always hard, just why they put coconut oil in bottles??

A possibility would be where they sell it is a warm weather/would never be hard. Warming a bottle is less troublesome than spilling liquid oil from a jar that has a too large opening (which is better for solid).

Where I live the oil is liquid about 90% of the time. They sell in bottles.

[Slinks]

mine doesn't say refrigerate after opening either .. I think I'll put it in the cupboard, I just took it out of the fridge, it's been in there for about an hour and it's really solid !! lol, the most solid it's been since I bought it .. I live in a warm climate so it is usually sort of mooshy after midday and sort of liquid by early evening but in the morning is solid but not as solid as this .. lol .. it's in a plastic jar and I can't even squeeze the sides !! :-)

[In2wishin]

This was great! Now for a really silly question... I was browsing thru our local Wal-Mart and found coconut oil in the cooking section. Is that the right kind to buy???

*blush*

Yes, it is a good one to buy. Often the one in the cooking section is refined which is good but many on LHC prefer unrefined. I can't stand the smell so I buy refined. The only ones you need to stay away from for general hair care purposes is fractionated coconut oil and partially hydrogenated coconut oil (also known as 92 degree coconut oil because that is it's melt temperature)

[jojo]

A possibility would be where they sell it is a warm weather/would never be hard. Warming a bottle is less troublesome than spilling liquid oil from a jar that has a too large opening (which is better for solid).

Where I live the oil is liquid about 90% of the time. They sell in bottles.

True! :o never thought of that!

[Sereia]

coconut oil melts at 25 degrees, not 76 :)
where I live it's far less than room temperature.
when I buy a coconut oil jar it's usually hard because of the air condicioner in the store, but after one or two days it's totally liquid, and I use it that way, and never had any problem with it :)

[PolarCathy]

coconut oil melts at 25 degrees, not 76 :)
where I live it's far less than room temperature.
when I buy a coconut oil jar it's usually hard because of the air condicioner in the store, but after one or two days it's totally liquid, and I use it that way, and never had any problem with it :)

25C is 76F

[jil]

I keep my coconut oil in a room temperature cupboard, in a liquid state. But I use it to make cocaloe (coconut oil, avocado oil and aloe vera gel) which I keep in the fridge. :) I guess it's just about personal preference.