5 Ways Coconut Oil Can Up Your Beauty Game
/Coconut oil must be one of the most frequently used oils in the world. Its high content of nourishing fatty acids, ease of use and the fact that it is solid at room temperature while it melts in contact with skin make it a very sought after ingredient, especially in skin and hair care products.
Coconut oil is an edible oil obtained from mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It is extracted by pressing fresh or dry coconut meat. What you get is a naturally antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and moisturizing plant fat that you can apply to your skin and hair in order to restore their moisture levels and protect them from harmful external influences.
Granted, coconut oil is not a good fit for everyone. However, people who can use it on their skin often report significant improvement in a number of beauty issues. Here are the 5 most important beauty benefits of coconut oil…
Coconut Oil Is a Great Body Moisturizer
Coconut oil is highly moisturizing and nourishing. There is a reason why you can find it in so many body moisturizers and scrubs – it can help treat and control dry skin and many issues connected with it.
Coconut oil helps reinforce the skin’s natural lipid barrier. It prevents loss of moisture and even has an antioxidant effect on the skin. Due to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, coconut oil can help you treat all sorts of inflammatory skin conditions, contact dermatitis and even eczema.
Moisturizers that contain coconut oil can help maintain your skin soft, healthy and glowing, increase levels of collagen and even somewhat promote the skin healing process.
2. Some Girls Can Also Use It as a Facial Moisturizer
Now, all those properties that make coconut oil a great body moisturizer could help you nourish your facial skin as well. But, there’s a catch.
The problem is – not everyone can use coconut oil on their face because it can be highly comedogenic. That means that coconut oil could potentially clog your pores and cause acne breakouts.
But, many girls don’t ever get this problem when applying coconut oil and it is impossible to tell whether or not it is going to happen to you. The only thing you can do is test it on your skin and see how it goes.
If you are amongst the lucky ones, coconut oil can help you thoroughly moisturize dry skin, reduce inflammation and flakiness, soften and smooth out your skin, delay aging signs and prevent future damage and drying out. And, though a famous pore clogger, ironically many girls have noticed a significant improvement in their acne after a regular use of coconut oil.
3. It Is a Natural Cleanser & Makeup Remover
If you are searching for natural, non-toxic ways to replace some of your store-bought cosmetics, you should definitely consider using coconut oil as a natural makeup remover. Not only will it help you remove all the makeup, sebum and grime of the day, but coconut oil has also shown some excellent results in fighting the acne causing bacteria.
For best results, you should add ½ tablespoon of castor oil to each 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Apply the mixture to your whole face and thoroughly massage it in. When all your makeup is resolved, remove the oil with a clean, soft washcloth and wash off the residue with your regular face cleanser.
4. You Can Nourish Your Lips and Hands with It
We’ve already mentioned a few features of coconut oil that can help you save your hands and lips during these cold months. It moisturizes dry skin, restores it, protects it against the environment, soothes redness and irritations and even enhances the skin healing process.
So, it provides pretty much everything your hands and lips need to stay soft, smooth, healthy and well protected.
Another great thing about coconut oil is that you can even use it on its own to achieve all of this. Just apply a small amount to your hands and thoroughly massage it in and use it as a replacement for your lip balm.
5. Coconut Oil Is One of the Best Natural Hair Oils
Almost all plant oils are great for your hair, but coconut oil can provide something most of them can’t – it can actually penetrate the cuticle and sink into the hair shaft. That way, coconut oil nourishes the hair from deep within, providing it with all it needs to be healthy, strong and beautiful.
To get some of those benefits, you can simply get some of the many, many hair care products that contain coconut oil. You can also use it on its own by adding it to your natural hair packs, using it as a scalp treatment or applying a small amount to your ends.