Minggu, 14 Juli 2013
Benefits of Coconut Oil for Facial Skincare
Natural coconut oil is a truly amazing thing. Most people use coconut oil for cooking or as an ingredient in recipes, but I would encourage you to consider using it outside of the kitchen as well! After doing some research I've discovered that coconut oil is known as an effective natural acne remedy. There are so many different uses for coconut oil, but I'll just stick to the benefits of coconut oil for acne prone skin.
What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil is derived from the flesh of the coconut. Unlike most oils that may come to mind, natural coconut oil actually comes in more of a solid form, but it slowly melts and becomes liquefied as it warms up. It is found in many beauty products and even some cosmetics products. It has excellent moisturizing qualities which is why it is often used in soaps and lotions. Before we talk about how coconut oil helps treat and prevent acne, we should first talk about what kind of coconut oil is most effective. If you intend to use coconut oil on your face or skin you should choose an organic variety of coconut oil. Additionally, to get the full benefits of the �good� stuff in coconut oil, go for natural and organic extra virgin coconut oil. The goal is to get as close to the original untouched version of coconut oil as you can without having to actually buy tons of coconuts and make it yourself. The coconut oil that I use on my skin is unrefined extra virgin organic coconut oil by Spectrum.
Natural coconut oil contains two important elements that make it great for treating acne, lauric acid and capric acid. Organic coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal, and antimicrobial. All of these beneficial properties are attributed to the lauric acid and capric acid found in the oil. In fact, lauric acid is basically only found naturally in coconut oil and in breast milk in these high quantities. Lauric acid has been said to be effective against the bacteria linked to acne (P. acnes) which is why it is slowly gaining popularity as a natural remedy for acne. Since lauric acid is found in breast milk, this means that it is something that naturally occurs in the human body. This may actually make it more effective in treating acne because the body can easily recognize the compounds in lauric acid and how it can best be used to benefit the skin.
Okay, now that we've covered all the necessary information relevant to how and why coconut oil is a good natural remedy for acne, lets discuss how to use it to reap these benefits. Once you have your coconut oil you can get started.
As I mentioned, the coconut oil comes in solid form. All you have to do to get it into liquid form is put a small amount (about the size of a pea) between your fingers and allow it to slowly dissolve (the warmth of your fingers is enough to melt it). You DO NOT need a lot of the coconut oil, a little goes a really long way. A 14 oz. jar of coconut oil can last me over five months. Once you have your coconut oil dissolved on your fingers simply apply it in circular motions all over your face and neck, just as you would any other facial moisturizer. Keep in mind that it is an oil, so your skin will tend to look a little greasy just after application. After a few minutes it absorbs nicely. Be sure to only apply the coconut oil to cleansed skin. Do not apply it over makeup or other products because it will not absorb properly.
Coconut oil is great for more than just treating acne. You can use it as an all-over body moisturizer, hair conditioning treatment, and as a healthy ingredient in recipes. There are really hundreds of uses for coconut oil. Additionally, ingesting coconut oil regularly can also help improve the overall health and appearance of skin!
I'd also like to mention that because my skin is acne-prone, I cannot use chapstick or lip glosses because they cause breakouts. I recently started using the coconut oil on my lips as a lip moisturizer and I am amazed at how great it works in place of regular chapstick! I keep a small jar of the coconut oil in my purse and apply it like any other lip moisturizer. Since the coconut oil comes in solid form it works just like any other lip moisturizer that you can buy in the little miniature jars.
Doesn�t oil clog your pores?
Not necessarily. While there are a lot of oils out there that can clog pores and make breakouts worse, coconut oil is not exactly one of them. Olive oil and jojoba oil are two other well-known oils that are known to help with acne prone skin. The key is to use the coconut oil in moderation. You don�t want to slather it on morning, noon, and night (this would most likely clog your pores). When used correctly it can work wonders for your skin. I have been using coconut oil for a while now and have not had any problems with it clogging my pores.
Note: There have been claims that coconut oil has exacerbated acne in some cases based on reviews that I have found. However, majority of what I have found while researching coconut oil and its effect on acne states that it has actually helped reduce and prevent acne.
Note: There have been claims that coconut oil has exacerbated acne in some cases based on reviews that I have found. However, majority of what I have found while researching coconut oil and its effect on acne states that it has actually helped reduce and prevent acne.
Why is coconut oil an effective acne remedy?
Natural coconut oil contains two important elements that make it great for treating acne, lauric acid and capric acid. Organic coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal, and antimicrobial. All of these beneficial properties are attributed to the lauric acid and capric acid found in the oil. In fact, lauric acid is basically only found naturally in coconut oil and in breast milk in these high quantities. Lauric acid has been said to be effective against the bacteria linked to acne (P. acnes) which is why it is slowly gaining popularity as a natural remedy for acne. Since lauric acid is found in breast milk, this means that it is something that naturally occurs in the human body. This may actually make it more effective in treating acne because the body can easily recognize the compounds in lauric acid and how it can best be used to benefit the skin.How to use coconut oil to treat acne...
Okay, now that we've covered all the necessary information relevant to how and why coconut oil is a good natural remedy for acne, lets discuss how to use it to reap these benefits. Once you have your coconut oil you can get started.As I mentioned, the coconut oil comes in solid form. All you have to do to get it into liquid form is put a small amount (about the size of a pea) between your fingers and allow it to slowly dissolve (the warmth of your fingers is enough to melt it). You DO NOT need a lot of the coconut oil, a little goes a really long way. A 14 oz. jar of coconut oil can last me over five months. Once you have your coconut oil dissolved on your fingers simply apply it in circular motions all over your face and neck, just as you would any other facial moisturizer. Keep in mind that it is an oil, so your skin will tend to look a little greasy just after application. After a few minutes it absorbs nicely. Be sure to only apply the coconut oil to cleansed skin. Do not apply it over makeup or other products because it will not absorb properly.
Other uses for coconut oil...
I'd also like to mention that because my skin is acne-prone, I cannot use chapstick or lip glosses because they cause breakouts. I recently started using the coconut oil on my lips as a lip moisturizer and I am amazed at how great it works in place of regular chapstick! I keep a small jar of the coconut oil in my purse and apply it like any other lip moisturizer. Since the coconut oil comes in solid form it works just like any other lip moisturizer that you can buy in the little miniature jars.