For a long time, coconut oil has been considered a “cure-all” beauty product and an end solution for all problems. In a perfect world, the sweet-smelling oil can solve all your problems like acne and eczema and make your hair grow longer and thicker, but does it do all of it, or is it just hearsay? Coconut oil is a great beauty product that can be using for a wide spectrum of things, including hair and skin.
What Is Coconut Oil?
Although coconut oil needs no introduction, it is an oil that is derived and extracted from coconuts and contains lauric acid. The components that make up coconut oil are what make it so popular and good for use.
The lauric acid in coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, which help in killing bacteria and reducing inflammation. Additionally, it contains good omega-6 fatty acids like linoleic acid, which helps in soothing the skin.
How Does Coconut Oil Benefit Your Skin?
Coconut oil has many benefits –
- Antibacterial
The lauric acid found in coconut oil helps in killing bacteria and reducing inflammation.
- Exfoliator
Coconut oil helps in the exfoliation of the outer skin and removes any dead skin cells, making the skin smoother.
- Makeup Remover
Coconut oil acts as a good tool to remove makeup from the face. The oil has antibacterial and anti-yeast agent properties and attracts dirt and builds up to it.
- Makes The Skin Plump
A good quality coconut oil acts as an anti-aging coconut oil moisturizer. When the oil is absorbed into the skin it strengthens the connective tissue reduces fine lines and wrinkles leaving your skin soft and supple.
- Smoothens The Skin
Coconut oil contains a high quantity of medium-chain fatty acids, which helps in retaining the moisture content of your skin while making the skin look and feel smooth.
- Reduces Inflammation
Virgin coconut oil can suppress inflammation and protect the skin by enhancing skin barrier function.
- Locks In Moisture
Virgin coconut oil reduces transepidermal water loss levels and increases skin surface lipid levels.
- Prevents Water Loss
Maintaining good hygiene is very crucial. Using abrasive products to wash hands or bathe can cause damage to the stratum corneum part of the skin’s epidermis. The stratum corneum is the topmost layer of the skin which prevents water loss and infections.
A breakdown of this layer can make your skin inflamed and susceptible to infection. This can also increase the risk of developing chronic skin inflammation over time. But this can be prevented by hydrating and using moisture-repairing products. This is when coconut oil enters the chat. Coconut oil has ingredients that help in holding the moisture of your skin.
How Can Coconut Oil Be Used?
Some ways in which coconut oil can be used are
- Coconut Oil Moisturizer
Raw or dried coconut flakes are used to make coconut oil, which is a kind of fat. As a result, when used as a nighttime moisturizer, its emollient characteristics may be advantageous for some skin types, such as dry skin.
Using coconut oil in place of your typical moisturizer if you have dry, flaky skin may smoothen and moisturize your skin, making it look rejuvenated and soft when you wake up. There are many coconut oil lotions on the market today which can moisturize your body.
- Makeup Remover
Coconut oil is a great makeup remover. As mentioned above, the oil attracts dirt and makeup. Coconut oil breaks down lipid-soluble impurities like makeup and sebum, which are the reason for oily skin.
If you wear heavy makeup or have naturally oily skin, then use coconut oil as an initial cleanse and then follow it up with a gentle water-based wash to clean the face more deeply.
This method can also be used by acne-prone skin people only if they make sure to wash their face after the cleanse as the oil leaves behind residue, which can cause breakouts on their skin.
- Hair Mask
Coconut oil is fairly popular for the benefits it provides to hair. Applying coconut oil to the hair shaft helps in hydrating the dry hair and treating the ones that have been damaged. It prevents any kind of damage to hair after showering or drying them.
The oil penetrates deep into the hair cuticles and then seals them in to prevent any aggravation caused by water and damage caused by drying and heating of hair.
Don’ts Of Using A Coconut Oil Lotion
When it comes to using your coconut oil lotion, there are a few things you must be careful about. You should never use a lotion way beyond its set expiry date. This can serve as a possible harm to your skin and make way for increased skin problems.
Additionally, you must never indulge in low-grade coconut oil lotion, which compromises the quality of the ingredients used. This is essential to ensure that your skin stays perfect and smooth.
Wrapping Up
Applying coconut oil to your skin just after taking a bath, when it’s still somewhat moist, is recommended by experts if you want to utilize it correctly. The stratum corneum will feel soft and silky smooth when touched as a result of the water being trapped in the stratum corneum. Your hands, knees, and arms can instantly receive a hydration boost from coconut oil.
Coconut oil is a wonderful beauty essential that can be utilized for a variety of purposes, including hair and skincare. It works incredibly well on its own and is a fantastic hydrating element found in many skincare and cosmetic products. Just below room temperature, coconut oil is solid, but when warmed with palms and massaged into the skin, it quickly dissolves. Many ladies swear by the use of coconut oil as a bedtime facial moisturizer since it has natural antibacterial, antifungal, and hydrating properties.
It is integral to include high-grade coconut oil products in your daily skincare regime. This helps in improving your overall skin texture and allows you to get rid of stubborn pigmentation. To top it all, it is also beneficial for treating your acne!