Coconut oil for skin

The biggest issue for most people when it comes to their skin is aging and age-related problems like wrinkles, dryness and lack of elasticity. Those problems are usually tackled by using commercial cosmetic products, like lotions and creams. However, their effect is usually superficial and temporary, which makes them inadequate for the problem.

Common skin issues

Dryness is one of the major causes of many skin blemishes. The skin needs moisture in order to function normally as a protective shield and as the body’s largest organ. Dry skin is usually treated or prevented using lotions and creams, which mostly consist of water. When water penetrates the skin, it expands the tissues, which makes the lines and wrinkles appear smaller and less pronounced. However, this effect is only temporary and does not solve the problem.

On the other hand, the second most used ingredient of such cosmetic products is oil. Some oils can have an amazing effect on the skin and its structure, but the problem is that most products contain highly refined vegetable oils, containing no antioxidants or vitamins at all. Not only that, but refined oils are one of the main sources of harmful free radicals. Free radicals damage the connective tissues which provide the skin’s elasticity. As a result, the skin is poorly structured and more prone to wrinkles.

Fortunately, free radicals can be tamed by antioxidants which stop the chain reaction and prevent further damage. Therefore, the solution for dry, flaky and dull skin, as well as for wrinkles, lines and sagginess, is to use a product that provides enough antioxidants. Coconut oil is one such product.

Coconut oil for the skin

Coconut oil is highly praised for its content of vitamin E, a very important vitamin when it comes to skin nutrition. However, its antioxidant content is even more important, considering both their direct and their indirect action.

Products containing oils can do more harm than good, as it is explained above. With coconut oil, such risk does not exist, because this oil is not stripped of its natural ingredients and their antioxidant content is still high and active.

Pure virgin coconut oil works great if used alone or in a cosmetic product. There are great recipes for making coconut-based lotions, creams and even soaps and cleansers at home, for a reasonable price. High-quality products based on pure coconut oil are also a good solution, as long as the manufacturer is honest about the ingredients in the product.

Coconut oil not only softens and smoothes the skin, but it also prevents and repairs the damage due to oxidative stress. Long-term use of this oil and its products is a safe and efficient way to obtain young, fresh appearance and to postpone the onset of wrinkles, which are, unfortunately, inevitable for most people.

Finally, pure coconut oil has the ability to speed up the healing of the skin after it has suffered damage, for example due to sunburns, cuts, bruises and bacterial infections.