Mother Nature’s Wondrous Gift
Coconut oil is viewed by many as Mother Nature’s wondrous gift to skin care. It is capable of helping ease multiple skin issues including dry skin, inflammation, and even eczema. That said, if you are thinking of including coconut oil in your daily or night regimen, you have to assess your skin’s tolerance for coconut oil.
The use of natural ingredients in beauty supplements has always been a lauded sustainable practice. And although some dermatologists are not quick to recommend it as a cure-all solution to pressing skin conditions, they recognize the benefits that the components of coconut oil deliver.
An article from Allure.com cites Dr. Robert Finney in one of the latest findings on coconut oil. According to the board-certified dermatologist, there is evidence that coconut oil’s fatty acids are potent against fungal, bacterial, and even viral pathogens.
While Coconut oil is getting good press all over, some dermatologists are not quick to recommend it as a cure-all solution to pressing skin conditions. However, they do recognize that some of coconut oil’s contents have antimicrobial effects. These were found to be potent against multiple harmful pathogens.
However, using coconut oil on your face might not necessarily be a good idea. According to Dr. Joyce Park, a New York-based dermatologist, coconut oil is comedogenic. Comedogenic is just a fancy way of saying that it tends to give you blackheads because it can block the pores.
As the matter stands, if the skin on your face is not prone to blemishes, it is best to keep coconut oil away from it. Doing so might only lead to breakouts that would prove more challenging to resolve.
With these in mind, we can safely assume that applying coconut oil to your body might still prove rewarding. Here are six ways to use coconut oil as part of your beauty routine.
6 Ways To Include Coconut Oil In Your Beauty Regimen
1. Use It As A Body Moisturizer
As mentioned earlier, coconut oil is not conducive to use on your face. However, it may do wonders for your entire body. The skin on your body is thicker and has a slower skin cell turnover, making it more inclined to dry faster than your face.
Applying coconut oil to your body takes advantage of its moisturizing effects. It can provide your skin with efficient barrier control and retain our natural moisture. These help your skin prevent and treat any skin dryness problems.
2. Treat Your Hair With It
Coconut oil would be a good remedy if you are struggling with hair breakage and dandruff.
You can leave coconut oil on your hair to repair the damage caused by coloring, sun exposure, and chemical treatment. If you are set to shampoo your hair, apply coconut oil first at least an hour before you do so.
According to Very Well Health.com, applying coconut directly to your scalp may help prevent dandruff. The fatty oils that provide your skin with moisture are the same hydrating elements that can assist reduce your scalp’s dryness and itchiness. You can try it out by applying 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on your scalp. Rub gently until the entire problematic region has been covered and treated.
If you’re about to hit the beach or the pool, you can also protect your hair from harsh sunlight, saltwater, and chlorine by coating your hair with coconut oil.
3. Add It To Your Body Scrub
Using coconut oil as part of your body scrub will effectively exfoliate your skin. Some people worry that scrubbing coconut oil into their skin will lead to irritation. This could not be further from the truth. Coconut oil may even help soothe irritations brought about by exfoliation.
You can exfoliate with a coconut oil-infused body scrub at least once a week.
4. Use It to Prevent Your Lips From Chapping
While petroleum jelly and other lip balm variants help ease lip-chapping, coconut oil also does the job.
According to experts, coconut oil can create a thin barrier that retains moisture in your lips and protects it from irritants.
To apply it on chapped lips, make sure the coconut oil is kept at room temperature as this keeps it in a semisolid state.
5. Remove Your Make-Up With It
While the case has been made against applying coconut oil on your face, using it as a make-up remover is harmless.
Coconut oil can effectively remove makeup, a lipid-soluble impurity. It also gets rid of sebum which causes oily skin. Depending on your skin type, leaving makeup for a long time may clog your pores and invite bacteria. These problems are compounded if you have oily skin.
Once the day is over, you can apply coconut oil on your face to slowly remove makeup. Treat it as your initial cleanse. But as coconut oil is also comedogenic, you must follow it up with a wash once all your makeup is removed. The combo will provide you with a full cleanse that leaves your face smooth and bouncy.
Coconut oil comprehensively cleans every inch of your face. It effectively removes oil and dirt that may have built up on your face while traveling or working.
6. Use It As a Deodorant
One of the surprising uses for coconut oil is deodorant. Studies and trials have found that coconut oils can prevent body odor.
To understand this, we must go back to an earlier statement. The fatty acids found in coconut oil are potent at combating bacteria pathogens. Because bacteria cause body odor, coconut oil can help diminish it. Aside from that, coconut oil also smells pleasant, making it a good alternative to deodorant.
Use The Gift: Include Coconut Oil In Your Beauty Must-Haves
Without a doubt, coconut oil has proven its worth as a beauty product. And the good thing about it is that it’s not hard to find and may be used by all regardless of age.
Synthetic products may have improved over the years because of various technological advancements. However, natural products remain potent and probably even the best option for maintaining holistic bodily health. So if you find that your skin care treatment could be better, give coconut oil a shot.
