The popularity of coconut oil has been increasing day by day in both inside and outside of the kitchen with its remarkable therapeutic properties. It is not only used as nutritious and delicious cooking oil but also widely used to moisturize your skin.
Coconut oil is loaded with good fats, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that provides instant energy, reduces bad cholesterol, fights microbes and strengthens your immune system.
Regular usage of coconut oil not only used to eliminate toxic ingredients from the body but also acts as a cost effective way to care for the body, as it penetrates deep into the skin with its low molecular weight and also it bond up with proteins.
Are you interested to know some surprising benefits of coconut oil on your skin to make it healthy and radiant? Then here in this article, we will came to know some best ways of using coconut oil on your skin.
How to use Coconut Oil on Skin?
Here you know some of the best reasons that make you to start applying coconut oil on the face and skin and thereby to grab the benefits from its therapeutic properties.
Let’s get started…
1. Skin Moisturizer:
Coconut oil acts as an excellent skin moisturizer that moisturizes and nourishes your skin to prevent dryness. This natural oil is solid at room temperature which is below 75 degrees F and gets melted when applied on the skin without any greasy or sticky nature.
It easily penetrates into the skin pores and moisturizes deeply to prevent skin tiredness, dryness or irritation. Regular usage will provide the best results in moisturizing the skin.
Here are some ways of using coconut oil as a moisturizer.
- For Dry Skin – After taking your bath or washing your face and drying your skin lightly, you have to apply coconut oil on the skin. Massage it gently for few minutes to get absorbed into the skin. Wait for few minutes and wipe off the excess oil using a soft cotton towel.
- For Oily Skin – Do you know that overproduction of sebum may be due to inadequate skin hydration? So, apply warm coconut oil liberally on the skin after rinsing with a mild soap. Let it sit for 15 minutes and wash the oil applied areas with warm water and dry with a soft towel. Continue this application regularly to condition your skin along with reducing sebum secretion.
Know More About Coconut Oil for Dry Skin
2. Natural Makeup Remover:
Are you one among those people who struggled to take off their make up? Do you know that it is a good skin care practice to remove makeup before going to bed? Removing makeup will help the skin to breathe and prevent clogging.
Coconut oil is an excellent remedy used to remove the makeup better than commercial anti-grease products which contains sodium lauryl sulfate. Simply apply coconut oil on the face by using a cotton ball. Leave for 5 minutes and rinse the area with warm water and mild soap.
For removing eye makeup, close your eyes tightly and gently wipe off the area with the coconut oil dipped cotton ball. It is safe and easy way to remove makeup around the eye and other skin areas.
3. Deep Cleanser:
Cleansing your face regularly is essential for maintaining proper skin care why because no other part of the body gets exposed to makeup chemicals, pollution, dust, grease or toxins in the air and thereby clogs the skin pores.
Coconut oil is very gentle and cleanses your skin by exfoliating thoroughly. It helps to soften the keratin caps to prevent sebum trapped in the hair follicles. It dissolves the hardened sebum and brings up to the skin surface.
For dry to normal skin, Mix enough coconut oil in 2 tablespoons of almond flour until it forms a fine thick paste. Apply it on the face and neck and start massaging it gently in circular motions. Then dip a soft towel in warm water and squeeze. Place this warm towel on the face for about 10 – 15 minutes. Finally, rinse the area with warm water and then splash with cold water to close the skin pores. Pat dry the skin to apply a thin layer of coconut oil to lock the moisture levels.
For Oily skin, mix enough coconut oil in 2 tablespoon of rice flour/oatmeal to make a thick paste. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or few drops of lemon oil to this paste. Apply it on the skin and cover the area with warm wet towel for 15 – 20 minutes to open up the skin pores and to get rid of the accumulated dirt debris softened by the oil. Finally, rinse with mild soap and warm water.
4. As An Antibacterial Shield:
Coconut oil has lauric acid and other medium chain fatty acids that exhibit antibacterial properties that help to protect the skin from many potential pathogens, including bacterial infections like acne. The sebum filled whiteheads will enlarge to become acne vulgaris, with bacteria proliferating in the trapped sebum.
It not only clears bacterial infections like acne, boils and others but also helps to moisturize and deep cleansing. Regular usage of coconut oil will keep the bacteria under control and enhance the skin to prevent infections.
5. Protects Skin from Sunburn:
Coconut oil is used as a great remedy that protects the skin against solar radiation. However it won’t keep you safe if spend on the full day on the beach but if you apply it on the skin before stepping out of the house, it will help to escape the solar radiation during the brief periods out in the sun.
If you’re spending time in the sun without any kind of protection, then immediately apply some coconut oil to soothe the irritated skin and to reduce the damage. The antioxidant property of coconut oil will help to reduce the oxidative stress and soothes the burnt skin by reducing pain and inflammation.
6. Facial Wrinkles:
Due to the effect of UV rays, smoking, pollution and any physical injuries, the collagen may breakdown and thereby forms wrinkles or fine lines on the skin to mar the youthful look. Coconut oil when applied on the affected skin areas will penetrate deep into the skin and moisturizes to enhance the collagen production to prevent wrinkles.
The triglycerides in this coconut oil will attract the protein molecules which will ensure the timely repair of the collagen layer to reduce the formation of wrinkles on the skin.
7. Fungal Infections:
Coconut oil exhibits antimicrobial property that extends to the fungal infections of the skin. Fungal or yeast infections like ringworm, etc. will start as small patches of the dry, scaly or rough skin. So, applying coconut oil to the face as mask or spot application will help to clear these infections along with its symptoms by soothing the skin.
8. Prevents Premature Aging:
The oxidative stress due to UV rays, injuries, usage of harsh chemicals or environmental pollution will result in the premature aging signs. The facial skin is the most affected area because it is the only part which is most exposed to environment and its pollutants.
Coconut oil is gentle on the skin that not only moisturizes the skin but also acts as a physical barrier to dust and other environmental pollutants. It prevents premature aging signs by reducing the oxidative damage with its antioxidant property. It promotes the formation of collagen and keeps the skin smooth and supple.
9. Lip Balm:
Coconut oil is an effective remedy that not only soothes the cracked or chapped lips but also moisturizes your dry lips as a lip balm. All you need is to apply a simple coconut oil on your clean and scrub lips to get rid of crack and dryness.
10. Insect Repellent:
Coconut oil can be used as a base of all natural bug repellent salves that make you not to use other commercial chemical filled insect repellent on the skin. Add 1 cup each of peppermint and catnip leaves in a double boiler in which 2 cups of coconut oil is warmed. Stir well and let it steep for about 5 – 6 hours and filter the oil into a wide mouthed container. Apply this as insect repellant oil on your face and other exposed parts of the body whenever you step out of the house.
Other Effective Uses of Coconut Oil:
- It is used as a cheekbone highlighter by simply sweep a small amount of organic coconut oil on the top of your makeup and leave it like that to enhance your beauty.
- It is used as an inexpensive natural antimicrobial shaving cream that not only shave your legs, hands and underarms but also makes it hydrated without any greasy feeling.
- It acts as massaging oil to the whole body. Just apply coconut oil on all over the body and massage gently for few minutes to nourish your skin.
- Used as a body scrub to clear the dead skin cells. Just simply mix coconut oil with coconut sugar and start scrubbing to reveal the smoother skin. Repeat it regularly for few times a week.
- Dabbing coconut oil on cold sores will help to speed up the healing time with its antimicrobial property by alleviating the pain and thereby reduces the risk of discoloration or scarring.
- Rubbing coconut oil as your cuticle oil will help to keep the germs at bay and also to loosen up the cuticles, making them easier to push back or cut.
- Simply use coconut oil as a detox bath by adding 1/4 cup each of Epsom salt and coconut oil in a bathtub filled with lukewarm water to remove toxins from the body. For aromatherapy, add few drops of favorite essential oils.
- Keeping skin hydrated is not only important for day time but also for night time. So, apply coconut oil as a night cream at night before bed time to all over the skin to get well moisturized.
Read More on Some Coconut Oil uses on the Skin.
How to use Coconut Oil for Diaper Rash
DIY Coconut Oil as Homemade Deodorant
DIY Body Wash using Coconut Oil
Final Word:
Always use pure, unrefined, cold pressed and virgin GMO free coconut oil instead of filtered oil for best results. Coconut oil doesn’t show any side effects like skin allergies or irritation on the skin. If you’re first time user then make sure to perform skin patch test to know whether they are allergic to it.
Try to use coconut oil regularly to grab these benefits to the skin. Do you know any other natural coconut oil uses for face and skin? Then share your experience with us in the below comments box.
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