Coconut Oil for Skin Care

Using coconut oil for skin care is a great way to reverse the toll our daily routines can take on our skin.

Showering and washing the skin destroys the natural bacteria which live on our skin and work as a barrier to protect our skin from bacteria, viruses and fungi. Those exposed to multiple hand washes a day find themselves with dry cracked hands especially during winter months. Regular lotions contain water as the main ingredient which is a temporary fix to the dryness which causes the need to reapply throughout the day.

Remember what you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. Marketers would have you believe that you are only being exposed to tiny amounts of cancer causing chemicals through your skin but remember that birth control comes in the form of patches. If you would like to test this theory, rub your feet with garlic and when you have garlic breath after 20 minutes you will know how permeable your skin is. A good rule is if you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your skin. It's not disappearing, it's being absorbed into your body.

Using coconut oil for skin care is a great way to both look and feel great. The fat in coconut oil helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles on your skin and actually makes it look healthy because it is nourished by the coconut oil benefits. Since it is predominantly medium chain fatty acids, it is easily absorbed by the skin. Eating coconut oil will also show itself in healthier skin and you should notice less need for a topical treatment of dryness.

Some ideas for coconut oil skin care:

• Just rub it on after a shower for healthy skin. Coconut oil for skin problems - like eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis - is also beneficial. The oil will leave your skin feeling slightly oily until it's absorbed and can rub off on clothing so make sure to put it on when you can let it take time to absorb. (Because it is so readily absorbed by skin the absorption rate isn't as long as other oils, such as jojoba.)
• Don't skip your underarms. Coconut oil works great to keep bacteria under control and may eliminate your reliance on deodorant.
• Use it on cracked feet with some organic cotton socks overnight for softer feet.
• It works great as an after-sun treatment when your skin is left feeling dry and dehydrated from the elements.
• Coconut oil is an excellent oil for massage! All of the above benefits combined with the beautiful smell will leave you relaxed and feeling revitalized.

I highly recommend dumping those expensive face creams with mystery ingredients and replacing them with coconut oil. Coconut oil skin care protects your skin from the aging effects of free radicals. Of course, those living in tropical areas have known this secret to beautiful skin for years. It is best to use it as a night treatment to avoid glistening during the day but you should have no need to apply any lotion in the morning after applying at night no matter how dry your skin is. Coconut oil will feed and nourish your skin and it will not only look healthier, it will be healthier.

And lastly, nothing could be a better choice for baby's skin than coconut oil. Babies shouldn't be exposed to the chemical concoctions being marketed specifically for babies these days. Pure coconut oil will soothe dry baby's skin just as it would an adult and leave them smelling lovely. It will also give their skin that added protection from bacteria. If desired, add a drop of lavender to a jar of oil to promote restful sleep. Add a little bonding massage and it can soothe an upset tummy. No more worries of what is safe to use for nursing mothers either. Coconut oil is completely safe to use while nursing.

The Best Coconut Oil for Skin

Because your skin absorbs coconut oil so readily, it's important to use quality oil that hasn't been grown with pesticides or fertilizers and without high heat in the processing.

This is why we prefer to shop from and affiliate with Tropical Traditions. They offer a large variety of products, including the best oil at the best prices.

AND they are currently offer all new customers a FREE book, Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people's lives, and how it can change yours!

April Sheets is a peaceful parenting, babywearing and unschooling mom of three, an alternative medicine and natural immunity advocate, and raw food loving, juicing enthusiast. She is a lactivist, intactivist woman "altruistically trying to save the world from itself." Learn more from Sheets at Primitive Mommy: Instinctual Eating, Parenting and Living.

Ready To Take More Sustainable Baby Steps?

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Whatever step you take, remember to have fun!

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