Why Coconut Is a Must-Have Ingredient in Your Lotion
Coconut oil is a highly saturated oil that has been found to contribute to our skin health and provide us with a multitude of health benefits. It is a type of fat this is well-known for its health-promoting properties, and today we will be taking a closer look at coconut oil to better understand why it is a must-have ingredient that should be included in our lotion.
But first…
What Is Coconut Oil?
Coconut oil is extracted from raw coconuts and becomes solid when it is maintained at room temperature. When the oil is heated, it becomes soft and can even melt down. For this reason, it is commonly used in cooking, for skin, and hair treatments.
It is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, which is another form of saturated fat. In addition, coconut oil also contains a good percentage of lauric acid, myristic acid, caprylic acid, palmitic acid, capric acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid. It also contains trace amounts of both mono and polyunsaturated fats as well.
Benefits of Coconut Oil
There are many benefits that can be derived by introducing coconut oil into our skin health regime. The following are a few of its most notable benefits:
Kills Harmful Microorganisms
The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil contain antimicrobial properties that can help protect us against potentially harmful microorganisms that may threaten our health. It is essential when it comes to our skin health due to the many infections we face, including acne, cellulitis, and other conditions typically caused by a type of bacteria or fungi.
It is the high lauric acid content that is effective at combatting these harmful microorganisms and makes up approximately 50% of what is contained in the coconut oil. The lauric acid can also effectively block the growth of bacteria.
Reduces Inflammation
Another important benefit of coconut oil is that it helps to reduce inflammation. Several skin conditions come alongside inflammation, including psoriasis and eczema. The anti-inflammatory properties contained in coconut oil can help combat this and even neutralize the reactive atoms that may ultimately cause the inflammation in the first place. It helps the antioxidants that are stabilizing the free radicals in the body.
Effective Acne Treatment
One such inflammatory condition is acne. Incorporating coconut oil in our lotion can help reduce inflammation, and the antibacterial properties can help treat the acne. The capric acid, in addition to the lauric acid, has both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that prove to be beneficial to our skin health.
Moisturize Dry Skin
Coconut oil is also effective at hydrating our dry and cracked skin. It has been found to be just as effective as mineral oil for skin hydration. You will also find that it can help treat skin conditions characterized by dry and flaky skin.
The use of coconut oil in lotions for the skin has been found to help reduce dryness which significantly helped people suffering from the symptoms of eczema which also led to a decrease in the severity of this condition.Aids in Wound Healing
Coconut has also been found to help increase collagen and helps with enzyme activity. All of this means it is effective at healing wounds, including minor scratches, cuts, and abrasions. It can even help relieve the uncomfortable symptoms of razor burn and ingrown hairs.
Why Coconut Is Important in Lotion
Having coconut as the key ingredient in your lotion is important when it comes to maintaining healthy skin. Since coconut is naturally antibacterial, antifungal and hydrating, it can help contain the moisture in the skin while slowing down evaporation.
It also contains Vitamin E, which is essential to skin health along with the essential amino acids and other components we need to create a protective barrier for our skin. This natural barrier keeps the moisture in and is light enough not to leave our skin feeling weighed down or greasy.
Coconut can also be used on the more sensitive areas of our skin, including our face, ears, neck, and chest. We are constantly shedding skin cells, and this daily loss contributes to dry skin. Coconut as a key ingredient in our lotion can help combat this while allowing us to achieve smooth and fresh skin. Coconut for Oily, Dry, and Combination Skin
No matter the type of skin you have, coconut still benefits you. It is a must-have ingredient because it works wonders for all skin types. It helps aid in moisture to prevent dry skin; it helps exfoliate the skin, dissolve excess oil, and doesn’t strip the skin of its natural lipid barrier.
Coconut Lotion and Essential Oils
If you are not yet fully convinced of the many benefits coconut has for your health, you should try one of several coconut lotions to see if it will help any current conditions you may be experiencing.
Coconut lotion with lavender, for example, is made with natural coconut oil. It is a fast-absorbing lotion that will not leave you feeling greasy and leaves no residue behind. It can help improve the elasticity of the skin and reverse the signs of aging. The lavender oil in this lotion promotes feelings of calm and relaxation.
For even more hydrating power, coconut lotion with mint can help dry skin as well as skin that is looking drab and tired. The addition of the mint helps boost your energy levels, while the lotion is quickly absorbed and will last all day.
It is a naturally moisturizing body lotion that will lock in your skin’s hydration, prevent dryness, and leaves you with a refreshing uplifting minty cool scent to get you through your day.
Other Ways to Use Coconut for Skin Care
Coconut oil can be used in a variety of ways. So, if you like what it does in your lotion, you may also want to consider what it can provide you when it is used in other applications. For example, due to its antimicrobial properties, it is the perfect ingredient to include in a DIY deodorant, and it can also be a great alternative to the traditional store-bought shaving creams or foams.
Now that you understand the many benefits you can experience with coconut as a must-have ingredient in your lotion, what are you waiting for?
Due to the benefits of coconut for skin, it seems like an important ingredient for skin lotion.
wow I didnt know this!
I didn’t know coconut oil was useful for acne.
The necessary next maintenance step , incorporating immediately, Get ready 2020, you will be unprepared 🙂
Interesting article. It’s usually difficult for me to tell a good coconut-based product from another. My first instinct is to smell the scent to determine if it’s authentic, but so many products today use artificial fragrances.
I didn’t know that Coconut Oil had all of these benefits. I love that it moisturizes and it smells good.
I’ve heard that coconut oil is very healthy. I’d like to try it on my dry skin.
So many great reasons to have coconut oil in lotion, like hydration…and it helps with acne, has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Its soothing and healing while being suitable for all skin types. Coconut oil exfoliates but doesn’t break down the natural skin protective barrier. This is just to name a few of it’s benefits!!! Great in deodorant as well because of the antimicrobial properties! Love this❤!!
And it smells great too!
“Coconut oil is a highly saturated oil that has been found to contribute to our skin health…”
I had no idea about this. Thanks for posting!
COCONUT’S A MUST-HAVE because it smells and feels divine
natural and nurturing adding nutrients to this aging skin of mine
I love coconut for its taste, scent and texture and in products generally but had no idea about its antimicrobial or antifungal properties. That is another reason to love eating coconut and using coconut products.
Coconut oil is also very useful for skin rashes.. I love to use this oil in winter..
I love that coconut oil is anti-bacterial! And it does have some effectiveness against mosquitoes.
Didn’t know coconut kills microorganisms, learn something new everyday
How informative! I had no idea that coconut helped reduce inflammation! Thanks for the info.
COCONUT IS A MUST-HAVE because it has antimicrobial properties that can help protect skin
Oh wow, I didn’t know that it could be used for Acne! Fascinating.
Coconut oil smells great and bonus that it’s a natural antibacterial
Love coconut oil for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties!
I love that it moisturizers my dry, sometimes cracked, skin… No stinging and pain!
I’m very interested in learning more about how coconut can help alleviate inflammation. Is it good for inflammation both externally and internally?
My mom says back in there days they didn’t really nlknow about lotion and cosmetics soduring winters they used to use coconut oil.
I used coconut oil on my stomach when I was pregnant to help prevent stretch marks. It kept my skin soft but didn’t prevent the stretch marks.
Coconut oil is fantastic for keeping your skin supple, but many people don’t use it because they prefer products with more ingredients, assuming that more is better. Not always true!
Coconut oil is also excellent for hair.
I did not know it was so versatile!
I like coconut in a lotion but only if it has enough essential oils to smell of something other than coconut.
To be honest I can not live without coconut in any form it was.
In cooler climates i use the organic virgin coconut oil directly on my skin as a moisturizer and barrier. When in a warmer climate however i steer towards a lotion that contains coconut properties, as the oils spreads out of control
Its benefits for skin is interesting.
I love coconut oil to use for the ends of my hair and, also, for massages. Someone I follow on youtube, a skin care expert, says that you should use it on your face as a moisturizer because it blocks your pores. We all know that like your lungs, pores need to breath too… like leave pores actually 🙂
Coconut oil = the real MVP
Coconut oil is amazing!
Coconut oil sounds like a great skin care ingredient.
Where I live it’s hard to find coconut oil.Im gonna start searching for it to kill those pesky microorganisms
I never knew coconut was so beneficial all I knew was is its good for dry skin . Thankyou for the information
My face tends to break-out from any natural coconut i’ve used in my skincare routine so as it does work for many people, whoever tries it might want to test it out on a small patch of skin first.
I didn’t know that coconut oil was antibacterial! I’ll have to try it as a lotion as my skin is dry in the winter.
it works good
informative coconut oil is great for the skin
Wow didn’t realize there were so many benefits to using coconut oil thank u!
Great read, coconut oil is amazing for the skin
i actually use coconut oil on my lips when they are chapped,it tastes good and works well
I knew high lauric acid was good for the skin, I just didn’t know it could come from coconut oil!
Coconut oil is my go-to to moisturize. I love mixing shea butter, coconut oil and lavender oil together for my homemade lotion.
I never knew all this information about coconut. I have always liked it in my lotion for the smell and softness.
I have a problem with eczema. It never occured to me to use coconut oil on it. I will definitely give it a try.