Coconut Oil (Part 1): A skin saviour

So, finally I am writing a post about Coconut oil. I've held out on writing about it for a while, as there are just so many things you can do with it, and I wasn't sure how I would incorporate it all into one blog post! With that in mind, I've decided to split this topic into two posts; one being the 'why?' and the other being the 'how?'. Consequently, this first post is all about why coconut oil is so great for our skin. And there's a lot to say about that... so let's get started!

Saturated fats

Coconut oil is rich in saturated fats, which, when applied to the skin make it smooth to the touch. The presence of these fats means that the oil retains the moisture content of the skin, as the fats eliminate moisture loss through the pores. That makes this oil ideal for those of us with dry skin. If you have oily skin, you can still use coconut oil as it will not overly clog the pores on the face, as long as it is removed in the correct way! (Which I will explain in part 2 of this post).

Vitamin E

You may remember from previous Skindividual posts, such as the Sweet Almond Oil and the Almond Flour Face Mask posts, that Vitamin E really is the King of all vitamins when it comes to skin health! It's essential for healthy skin growth, repair of wear and tear on the skin, and preventing dry skin. It can also help to prevent premature ageing of the skin, because of its abundance of moisture and antioxidant properties. These properties make coconut oil ideal to use at night as it can work it's magic overnight on your skin.

Proteins

The many proteins found in coconut oil keep the skin both healthy and rejuvenated. Proteins also contribute to cellular heath and tissue repair, therefore if you have any pigmentation marks or scarring, coconut oil can help to reduce their appearance over time.

Capric/Caprylic/Lauric acid

These fatty acids have strong disinfectant and antimicrobial properties. As a result, coconut oil can prevent any sort of infections that may attack open wounds on the skin, making it ideal for use on active blemishes. A lot of antibacterial store bought products can be harsh and irritate acne even more, but coconut oil will do the same thing in a gentle and natural way!

Buying Coconut Oil

When buying coconut oil and planning to use it on your skin, try to buy Raw Virgin Coconut Oil. The best kind will be organic, cold-pressed and of course chemical free. Make sure to look at the ingredients before buying to make sure that organic raw virgin coconut oil is the only one! It may seem a bit pricey, but I have been using mine for months and months and only half of it is gone. Here is one I would recommend from Evergreen, Ireland. But of course you can shop around in any health food store or online to find it too.

Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon, to find out how exactly to use this miraculous oil on your skin!

Sinéad 

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