Coconut oil for hair and skin: how to use it
This tropical oil is not just a great natural moisturizer. It is also ideal for treating acne and sensitive skin, nourishing dry hair and removing dandruff.
Gone are the times when coconut oil was only associated with summer, sun protection creams and tanning, when its aroma was always added to summer cosmetic products to transport us to tropical paradises. It is true that the sweet aroma of coconut, with its seasoned and vanilla touch, evokes the sun and the water at our feet, but in recent years its benefits for skin and hair , especially when it comes to good olive oil. virgin coconut, they have made it an essential cosmetic product in itself and at any time of the year.
Coconut oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit. At room temperature, it is a semi-solid white oil, with more than 90% saturated fat and essential fatty acids, in addition to lauric, palmitic and myristic acids.
On contact with the skin it melts easily, and it is this characteristic that makes it ideal for use in countless cosmetic products, although it is no longer relegated to the summer cosmetics section; More and more products contain it as an ingredient under the name of coconut oil or cocos nucifera oil on the label.
You can find pure oil in both the beauty and food sections of supermarkets and herbalists. It can be bought virgin or refined . Virgin coconut oil will always be of better quality.
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The properties of coconut oil in external use are many. The most basic is its ability to hydrate both skin and hair . It is also an antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial. So you can use it:
To hydrate and nourish the skin
You can apply virgin oil as a moisturizer on the skin of the body and face .
It is very well absorbed , thanks in part to the presence of myristic acid. In fact, this good absorption is one of the reasons why the cosmetic industry uses it in so many cosmetic formulas.
If you like to make your own creams and ointments at home, coconut oil is ideal for its consistency and manageability.
To remove makeup and remove impurities
Another component of coconut oil is lauric acid , which gives it antimicrobial and solvent properties. This means that it can be used on problem skin and to clean makeup and other impurities.
It is therefore a good makeup remover , with the advantage that, while cleaning, it leaves the skin hydrated.
The palmitic acid makes it ideal for making soaps after being treated with soda.
To treat sensitive or acne skin
Coconut oil is highly suitable for sensitive skin . Its antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal properties also make it suitable for acne skin.
Coconut oil not only cleanses the skin of impurities in the acne skin, but also improves the typical acne inflammation .
On the other hand, its vitamins E and K prevent the marks and scars that it can leave.
If you have sensitive or dry skin, coconut oil is ideal, for example, to cleanse and hydrate it at night.
To nourish dry hair
Hair also benefits from the properties of coconut oil. The women of Polynesia, who for centuries have macerated in it the fragrant tiare flowers to make the famous Tahitian monkey, knew it well.
In the hair, coconut oil provides hydration and shine . You can use it as a mask for dry hair :
- Separate a tablespoon of coconut oil and make sure it is warm, so that it is liquid and you can apply it well.
- Spread the oil over the entire head with your fingers giving a gentle massage.
- Let it sit for an hour or overnight.
The dandruff caused by dry scalp also improves with this moisturizing mask. For dandruff caused by a fungal infection, coconut oil can help thanks to its antifungal property.
Some people are sensitive to coconut . If you notice any type of reaction like itching, redness or rash, you should stop using it immediately and make sure to choose cosmetics that do not contain coconut oil.
You also have to be careful when using this ingredient to give your skin a more intense tan, however tempting it may be. What makes skin beautiful is that it is hydrated, smooth and healthy, three things that tanning does not contribute in itself.
