Coconut oil is used for a variety of things from lip balms to food ingredients all because of the different health benefits that it has. It is abundant in most tropical countries where coconuts are found, but because of its wondrous qualities, people all over the world are beginning to go loco for coco (oil). Today, we’re going to see just how beneficial coconut oil is for our faces.
Also Read this informative post about using coconut oil for your hair
Table of Content
Coconut Oil Composition
Saturated Fats
The saturated fat content of coconut oil is mainly triglycerides. These can help smoothen the skin as the fats help retain moisture. These fats can also help keep your skin healthy and smooth even when the coconut oil is ingested.
Capric, Caprylic, and Lauric Acid
These fatty acids have antimicrobial and disinfectant properties that are effective whether the coconut oil is ingested or applied to the skin. They can boost your skin’s immunity and prevent any microbes from entering your body.
In addition, these fatty acids can also give you an energy boost to aid you during your workout. They also aid in getting a toned body as they help manage and reduce weight.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is particularly helpful in skin nourishment as it helps repair the skin and prevents cracking. It’s antioxidant properties help in keeping your skin look younger.
Proteins
Much like its source, coconut oil is rich in proteins. Damage skin cells get healed more quickly if your diet is protein-rich because they can repair tissues and cells within the body.
Benefits of Coconut Oil For Your Face
Moisturizer
Did you know that you can use coconut oil as a moisturizer? While it can become solid at room temperature, a little heating up by soaking your container in hot or warm water should do the trick. Alternatively, the heat of your face is enough to melt the solidified coconut oil. When you apply it to your face, it seeps in nicely leaving no residue and a barely there coconut-y smell. If you’re worried about it being sticky or greasy on your face, it’s not. It will seep into your pores, leaving you with soft and supple skin.
Coconut oil as a moisturizer can be used for both dry and oily skin. In both cases, it is the lack of moisture in the skin that causes both skin conditions. Because of the moisturizing properties of coconut oil, it should solve both dry skin and oily skin problems.
Make-up Remover
If you want an all-natural make-up remover, then coconut oil should do the trick. It’s a very effective grease-cutter, thus dissolving make-up in no time. To use coconut oil as a make-up remover, you can apply it to your face and leave it on for a few minutes before washing your face with warm water. If a bit of make-up still remains after that, you can dip a cotton pad into coconut oil then proceed to wipe your face with it.
For particularly tricky to remove make-up such as eyeliner and mascara, press a cotton pad with coconut oil on your eyes for a few minutes to help dissolve the make-up then wash and wipe as normal. Don’t worry about the oil getting into your eyes as it is safe, although it may hurt just a little bit.
Deep cleanser
Apart from being a moisturizer and make-up remover alternative, you can also use coconut oil as a deep cleanser substitute. Not only is it gentler on the skin than most deep-cleansers on the market, it cleans more effectively as well.
If your skin is dry or normal, you can mix the coconut oil with 2tbsp of almond flour and some milk in order to create a paste to massage onto your face. You can also use oatmeal instead of almond flour, although take care in using this substitute if your face is dry as it can dry your skin even further. Dip a towel in warm water then put it on your face for about 10-15 minutes then wash off your face with warm water to remove the paste. Afterwards, rinse with ice cold water to close your pores. Once your face is dry, apply some coconut oil to moisturize your face.
For oily skin, a paste made from rice flour/oatmeal and coconut oil can be used to exfoliate along with a little lemon juice or oil. For five minutes, steam your face to open up your pores and remove all the accumulated dirt in your face. Finish off by washing your face in warm water and mild soap.
Antibacterial and Antimicrobial
As discussed earlier, the fatty acid content of coconut oil is an effective antimicrobial agent. But it is also antibacterial. This means that using coconut oil on your face helps reduce the growth of any bacteria or microbes in order to prevent acne, whiteheads, and blackheads.
Sunscreen
To some degree, coconut oil can also function as a sunscreen to help protect you from the harmful effects of sunburn. It has SPF 4, so it may not be enough for a beach party but just enough if you’re going out of the house for short periods of time. It also reduces damage even when applied after being exposed to solar radiation. Its antioxidant properties will help reduce any damage as well as reduce any inflammation and pain caused by a sunburn.
Anti-aging
If you want your skin to look younger, then add coconut oil to your beauty regimen. It helps reduce any wrinkles and prevents your skin from prematurely aging. The protein content of the coconut oil helps repair your skin in order to keep it healthy and younger-looking.
Conclusion
With its many benefits, coconut oil is surely good for your face. You can choose to add it to your diet or add it to your beauty routine because it not only keeps your face healthy, it also helps reduce any dirt that can cause your face to break out in acne. Whether you have normal, dry, or even oily skin, using coconut oil can help treat your skin and keep you younger looking, too!
