7 Best Benefits of Coconut Oil on Your Skin: Your Simple Guide
Image: Mathilde Langevin/Unsplash
Do you find yourself endlessly searching for ‘miracle’ skin products, spending more money only to be disappointed with the
results? I think we’ve all been there at some point.
But what if something that might be sitting in your pantry (yes, pantry), could be more useful than anything you’ve spent a great
deal on in the past? And what if it cost no more than $16? For one litre!
So what am I talking about?
It’s coconut oil.
The benefits of coconut oil on your skin, and body, are so valuable, it’s almost crazy it’s such a simple, affordable, easy to
find product.
When produced correctly it’s a 100% natural product with no additives, preservatives, or fragrances, much unlike the majority of
beauty products available today. That ticks a ‘winner’ box right from the get-go!
But as well as this significant health benefit, there are numerous other benefits for using coconut oil for the body such as healing dry
scaly skin, boosting collagen production, and adding a healthy glow to your complexion.
To find out more about the benefits of coconut oil on your skin, how to use it and more, keep reading. You’ll be glad you did!
Image: Fleur Kaan/Unsplash
To begin with, it’s a condiment health experts encourage for use in cooking as it’s much healthier than other options such
as peanut and canola oil. And although extra virgin olive oil is very healthy it looses these qualities when heated, while coconut oil
retains them.
And you know that in order to look well on the outside you need keep well on the inside and coconut oil looks after you from the inside,
out.
Now keep reading to find the 7 best beauty benefits of using coconut oil on your skin.
As mentioned above, one of the main benefits of coconut oil when used on your skin is that a quality version of this product contains no harmful additives, fragrances or preservatives - nothing unnatural - meaning coconut oil is healthy for your body all round.
Being free of any additives also means that if your skin is often sensitive to products your less likely to react to coconut oil.
My own experience using coconut oil on sensitive skin can vouch for this.
When I became unwell with an autoimmune illness years back my skin suddenly reacted to the products I’d been using for years.
This meant for a very long time the only face wash and moisturiser my sensitive skin could tolerate were Cetaphil and QV products, which
fell short of keeping my skin at its best.
But when I thought more about the super health benefits linked with the coconut oil doctors had encouraged me to introduce to my diet, I
decided to try it on my skin.
And I was very pleased!
There were only benefits to using coconut oil on my skin. I had no reactions and it helped heal a problem I’d had for years.
I’ll refer to this soon, so keep reading.
One of the main issues that sees us searching for miracle beauty products is when our skin begins to show signs of aging, losing its
firmness and elasticity. Obviously this is a natural process, but I know that doesn’t usually help us enjoy the change.
One of the causes of this are free radicals, responsible for the breakdown of your skin’s collagen which then results in dark spots,
lines, wrinkles and sagging skin.
The natural antioxidants found in coconut oil are 100% pure, raw and unrefined and they naturally protect your skin against free radical
damage and therefore premature ageing.
Also, the lauric acid content in coconut oil can improve
collagen production, which further helps your skin maintain its
firmness and elasticity.
Good quality coconut oil contains nourishing fatty acids, including linoleic
acid (vitamin F),
that hydrate and protect your skin, which helps your skin retain moisture and leaves it looking soft and refreshed.
Another major benefit I experienced when I started using coconut oil was that it quickly healed a problem I’d had for years with
really dry, flaky skin, which had made applying make up difficult.
I’ve continued to use coconut oil every evening and this problem has never returned.
Skin inflammation usually appears as a raised, red rash but can also form into blisters or pimples and may cause burning, stinging or
itching sensations.
Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties which means it can help reduce this sort of inflammation in your skin.
When I noticed a reaction to my beauty products initially my skin was very inflamed and I experienced a rash across my face and neck that
also produced severe pimples which went on to leave some minor scars.
Now coconut oil on my body leaves nothing but a healthy glow.
Lauric acid gives coconut oil its antibacterial, anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties, which helps prevent infection meaning
it’s possibly suitable for even the most blemish prone skin.
The anti-inflammatory properties mentioned above also mean that one of the benefits of coconut oil on your skin is reducing the likelihood
of rashes, blisters and pimples as a result of inflammation.
Of course, it’s always wise to try things on a small area to see if you have any reaction before applying it across your face or
keeping it on over night.
Coconut oil is also gentle enough to be used around sensitive areas like under your eyes and on your lips, which means you can also use it as a makeup remover. I’ll mention more about this soon.
Image: Matteo Valle
I’ve suggested several ways you can use coconut oil on your body, including for the skin and in your cooking, but I’ll add some
extra valuable information here about what coconut oil is used for in a beauty routine.
First, if you’ve had any past reactions to coconut or to nuts then you may want to speak with a doctor before using it.
Now for the good stuff: how to use coconut oil on your skin.
Some cleansers, such as those containing certain alcohols
or beta hydroxy acids (BHAs), are known to exacerbate dry skin while one of the health benefits of coconut oil is that it’s gentle
and boosts moisture retention.
If you have acne prone skin this may not be the option for you, otherwise it might be worth a go.
Follow these basic steps when using coconut oil as a
cleanser:
You could also try coconut oil as a makeup remover. As whenever you remove makeup, avoid abrasive washer or cotton pads and instead
gently rub the oil onto dry skin, focusing on any heavy eye makeup. Once your makeup is sufficiently melted away, rinse with warm water and
pat dry.
Again, if you think you’re skin may not respond well to this, you may want to continue using your current makeup remover.
As I mentioned before, the benefits of using coconut oil on your skin are numerous, particularly as a moisuriser for sensitive skin.
So if you’re having trouble with dry skin, reactions to other products, or would just like to use a treatment that bares no chemicals
or additives, then coconut oil is well worth trying.
Use as you would any other moisturiser, applying it to clean skin, massaging it in to help your skin absorb it. Using it in the evening is
best as it could leave an oily gleam.
And if you’re generally prone to dry skin, not just on your face, then you could also try coconut oil for your whole body.
If you have oily or combination skin, you may wish to experiment using coconut oil as a spot treatment around your eyes or on dry skin
patches before using it more broadly.
When I’m cooking and end up with coconut oil all over my hands I happily rub them together to best absorb the oil rather than
wash them. So long as they’re clean, of course! No waste and all the benefits!
If you find using coconut oil as a mosituriser leaves your skin too oily or if you’re acne prone, then using it a mask might be
the best option for you.
Simply apply a reasonably generous amount of oil to the face, neck and chest then leave it for 10 minutes or so before washing it off with
warm water.
I also like to use it as a source for a healthy shine, brushing just a light amount across my cheek bones and over my eye lids after I’ve applied my makeup.
As an added extra coconut oil can also be used as a base for home-made deodorant because it kills fungi, yeast and bacteria.
Image: Brittney Weng/Unsplash
As with any product knowing what coconut oil is best to use is important to see good results for your skin.
The benefits
of coconut oil vary depending on the quality
of the process used to prepare it. If an oil is refined using a chemical process this may be harsh on your skin, contain fewer
beneficial properties and means the health benefits may be lost.
Unrefined, also know as cold-pressed, coconut oil is made by pressing the edible flesh of the coconut and generally
doesn’t
contain added chemicals.
Coconut oil produced this way is reported to contain more of the fatty acids and compounds that are beneficial to your skin.
Except in some warmer summer temperatures (like in Queensland where I live), you can pick unrefined or cold-pressed coconut oil as
it’s solid at temperatures under 25°C (76°F) and only melts when warmed. It also has a strong coconut flavor and scent.
Using a certified organic coconut oil is also important so you know chemicals haven’t been included in any of the processes while
creating this product.
Virgin coconut oil is also what you’re looking for as this product uses fresh coconut meat while the refined version uses copra,
dried coconut kernels. Unlike with olive oil there’s no difference between virgin and extra-virgin when it comes to coconut oil.
Also check the ingredients list for any added ingredients - if it’s the right quality it should say 100% coconut oil.
You can buy products from beauty companies that use coconut oil, but if they’re offering the raw product (which is best if you
want to avoid any additives or allergens), then it’s just the same as a good quality coconut oil you might use for cooking, but
likely to cost more for much smaller quantities.
To experience the benefits mentioned earlier of coconut oil on your skin, see the products I collected below.
Coconut oil is comedogenic, which means it can clog pores, so leaving it on over night as a moisturiser may not work for everyone.
Although some people find coconut oil can actually help clear breakouts because of its antibacterial qualities, others find it’s too
heavy to use as an overnight treatment.
You could still try using it as a makeup remover or mask and see how your skin responds to that.
As you can see the benefits of using coconut oil on your skin are valuable and include healing dry, scaly skin, being gentle on sensitive
skin and helping to reduce skin ageing.
I discovered the benefits to using coconut oil by chance and can speak of a positive personal experience.
Having been strongly encouraged by doctors to include it into my diet when I became unwell I thought it might also help my dry, scaly,
highly reactive skin.
When I tried coconut oil the response was all positive. Skin no longer scaly and dry and no reactions like I’d had with a bunch of
products I’d tried previously.
It’s such a healthy choice with no man-made additives or chemicals. Plus, so affordable!
And it has further benefits for the body when used in cooking. Really, it’s a win, win situation.
So check out the options I provided earlier and see if introducing coconut oil to your beauty routine has the positive effects so many
others, including me, have experienced.
And if you join my emails I can let you know when new blogs are published (I’ll be talking more about coconut oil in the future -
I’m a bit obsessed!), new stores are added and any other exciting changes happen.
For instance I can let you know about sales at listed stores or updates to what’s on offer at With Bogart (something new is coming
soon and if you love second hand or vintage fashion, you’ll want to know when it arrives!).
Thanks for stopping by and love to see you again soon!
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