Natural and organic skin care and makeup products are experiencing exponential growth in the beauty industry. 40% of U.S. consumers believe natural beauty products are a healthier alternative to conventional cosmetics.
Argan oil, coconut oil, shea butter, rose water, honey, healing clays, and essential oils are in the spotlight, replacing harsh chemicals and synthetic perfumes. These ingredients are derived from plants and fruits, and all of their healing, soothing, and beautifying properties are kept intact in the production process.
For example, coconuts produce coconut oil — one of the most commonly-used natural ingredients with incredible antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. Coconut milk and coconut butter are two more natural products made from coconut meat that can also be used for beauty purposes.
Check out these amazing benefits of coconut and learn how to apply them to your everyday beauty and skincare routine.
External Beauty Benefits of Coconuts
Coconut milk, coconut butter, and coconut oil are common ingredients in skin care products, but they can also be used raw to treat dry and flaky skin. Coconut body butter is a natural, healthy alternative to commercial body lotions, while coconut oil gives the skin a rich, smooth layer of nutrients.
Coconut oil can also be used as a massage oil, sunburn remedy, nail and cuticle cream, natural lubricant, hand cream, and lip balm.
Natural Shaving Cream
One of the most famous benefits of coconut oil is to use it as shaving cream. It works because the oil is smooth enough for the razor to slide through it and moisturizing enough to keep the skin healthy and nourished.
Bear in mind that coconut oil can clog the pipes, so try to shave before you take a shower. Just wipe down both the razor and your legs with a wet wipe after shaving and throw the wipe in the trash.
Nourishing Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner
The most widespread use of coconut oil is for hair conditioning. The fats in the oil nourish the cells from within and help protect the hair from harsh weather conditions and drying out.
Use coconut oil as an ingredient in DIY hair masks or do a hot oil treatment and apply it all over your hair. Wrap the hair up in a plastic bag and cover with a warm towel. Let the oil absorb in the hair for at least one hour and rinse thoroughly.
Frizz Tamer
Coconut oil is great for taming frizzy hair – just put the tiniest bit of oil onto your palm and rub your hands together to melt it. Apply onto your hair to tame flyaways and style it as usual. You’ll get a healthy glow and a sleek look in no time.
In DIY Face Scrubs
Coconut oil and coconut milk are excellent bases for DIY face scrubs and lip exfoliators. They provide a non-soluble environment for other ingredients like sugar, coffee, cocoa, and ground oatmeal.
If you don’t have coconut oil at home or have oily skin and don’t want the additional oil, you can substitute it for full-fat coconut milk.
Natural Face Moisturizer
You can apply coconut oil as an overnight face moisturizer, but this works best for dry skin. People with combination and oily skin should avoid coconut oil as it’s highly comedogenic and can cause breakouts.
One-Ingredient Makeup Remover
Stop buying expensive makeup removers and switch to coconut oil instead. Your skin will love how gentle it is and you’ll save tons of money as you only need the tiniest amount.
Coconut oil contains fats that can easily break up makeup particles so they’re easy to remove. The oil will also nourish the sensitive skin around the eyes and prevent premature aging and wrinkles.
Beauty Comes from the Inside
Though coconut oil and milk are mostly used externally for beauty purposes, they’re perfectly safe to eat as well. In fact, coconut nutrition is rich in healthy saturated fats and has antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-parasitic properties.
You can use coconut oil in cooking, baking, smoothies, and breakfast bowls, while coconut milk is a great non-dairy alternative.
Coconut Oil for Cooking
Coconut oil can be used for cooking as it has a high smoke point, but be careful not to use too much. Though healthy, bear in mind the oil is still rich in fats and has a high-calorie content.
You can also use it as a butter replacement in some vegan recipes and desserts.
Coconut in Smoothies
If you’re a smoothie lover, you can enhance the nutritive content of your morning concoction by adding a splash of coconut milk or coconut oil into the mix. You can also use coconut shavings or flakes to add a little texture to your breakfast bowl or to add flavor to muffins and cupcakes.
Coconut Milk as a Non-Dairy Alternative
Aside from coconut oil and coconut meat, this tropical fruit can also produce coconut milk. It’s a thick and creamy consistency with high-fat content, great as a coffee creamer and in desserts.
You can use coconut milk substitute in your recipes, but the end results will have a different taste, texture, and nutritive properties.
Coconut Water For Deep Hydration
Coconut water is another coconut product with incredible beauty and health benefits. It’s rich in potassium, it’s fat-free, and has low sugar and calorie content, but it’ll provide you with plenty of electrolytes and hydration.
Indulge in the Incredible Benefits of Coconut
Coconuts are not only delicious in desserts, but also as natural beauty ingredients. Whether it’s coconut oil, butter, milk, or water, the benefits of coconut are not only great for your skin and hair on the outside but also on the inside when consumed as ingredients in food.
You can use coconut oil as a hair mask and conditioner, a skin moisturizer, a teeth whitener, and as an active ingredient in face scrubs. Raw, unprocessed coconuts contain high amounts of nutrients, including vitamins C and vitamin E, both of which do wonders for the skin.
If you liked this article, read more on our beauty blog for skin care and beauty tips and tricks.
