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Oil pulling: A look at Gwyneth Paltrow's favourite beauty trend

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Gwyneth Paltrow recently caused a stir in the beauty industry when she revealed that she had taken up 'oil pulling' – a trend that involves swishing a mouthful of oil around your mouth for up to twenty minutes and then spitting it out. Since then, other celebrities including The Fault in Our Stars actress Shailene Woodley have revealed that they also swear by the trend.

gwyneth paltrow© Photo: Getty Images

Gwyneth Paltrow swears by oil pulling

"I use coconut oil a lot," Gwyneth revealed to E! News. "I do on my face, on my skin and in my cooking.

"And I just started oil pulling, which is when you swish coconut oil around [in your mouth] for 20 minutes, and it's supposed to be great for oral health and making your teeth white. It's supposed to clear up your skin as well."

Shailene also had nothing but praise for the practice. "It's amazing!" she told Into The Gloss. "It really makes your teeth whiter, because the plaque on your teeth is not water soluble, it's fat-soluble. So the lipds have to dissolve in fats, which is why oil works in your mouth."

shailene woodley© Photo: Getty Images

Shailene Woodley is also a fan of the beauty craze

It comes as no surprise that the actresses have turned to the supposedly ancient holistic practice - oil pulling is claimed to have a range of other benefits including drawing out toxins in your body, helping to cure headaches and improving your overall health.

Coconut oil, Gwyneth's oil of choice, is often hailed as one of the best options for the beauty trick. Not only does it have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial benefits, but a new study has shown that it can also significantly reduce levels of plaque and gingivitis, with researches noting a difference after just seven days.

For those wanting to try the trend that's sweeping the nation, Coconoil makes a great option – it already boasts celebrity fans including Tinie Tempah.

For more information head to coconoil.co.uk