Yeah, coconut oil is known to be beneficial for hair and skin. While it might still be a surprise to some, many people are now beginning to understand that apart from being used in kitchen counters, coconut oil certainly deserves a spot in bedroom vanities and bathroom shelves as well. If there were ever a “beauty cure-all” solution, it’s coconut oil- which might as well be termed as magic oil.
You’ve perhaps heard of all the health benefits of coconut oil to your body- fights infection, increases metabolism and improves digestion, only to mention but a few- but what about coconut oil makes it just useful for your hair and skin? Well, that’s what you’ll get to learn in this article.
There’s a reason why coconut oil for skin and hair is so trendy these days. From moisturizing flaky, dry skin to taming frizzy hair to keeping your heels fungus-free and smooth, this natural ingredient has an extensive range of healing and beauty-boosting properties.
Let’s dive into some of the perks that coconut oil confers on its users concerning skin and hair.
- If you’re struggling with curly or frizzy hair, then coconut oil is your perfect solution. It helps to control dry and frizzy hair most especially when your hair strands are rough and split due to lack of nourishment and too much exposure to sunlight.
- Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants, fatty acids and it helps to prevent aging and damage to our skin and hair. Additionally, it has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help to keep skin healthy, and combat yeast infections and skin allergies that might be responsible for dermatitis, thinning hair and rashes.
- Just as you use coconut oil on your body, you can as well use it on your face to moisturize your skin. It’s mainly useful as a primer that’ll soften the skin surface before the application of makeup. It’ll give you a dewy, glowy look after you apply foundation and it’ll help to reduce water loss in dry skin and boost hydration.
- Coconut oil is the most plentiful source of lauric acid- a fatty acid that’s known for its hormone-balancing and antimicrobial properties. Apart from its skin healing and anti-aging abilities, coconut oil also encourages the production of collagen, and its vitamin E content protects the skin from sun damage.
- You can use a nightly coconut oil treatment to send moisture right to the roots of dandruff and dry scalp. Also, bug bites, bruises, and burns can all be soothed with a topical balm of coconut oil.
- Coconut oil helps to regrow hair, maintain moisture and prevent protein loss from combing damage. That’s great news especially if you’ve been plagued by dandruff, hair loss, dry, itchy scalp, and even frizz. All the fatty acids goodness of coconut oil also makes it ideal for nourishing brittle nails, chapped lips, and dry cuticles.
- Another advantage of coconut oil is that it’s useful in the curing of skin diseases like dermatitis, eczema, etc. That is usually caused by fungi, yeast, and other environmental infections.
- Studies have revealed the significance of coconut oil in offering protection from the harmful UV rays, that’s the major reason why it’s used in nearly all types of quality beauty care products.
- Coconut oil will make your hair softer and stronger. In its purest form, coconut oil hardens, and you need to heat it in the microwave oven for some seconds before applying it to your dry hair. Also, when you combine coconut oil with a pack of oats, it’ll help to recuperate the pH level of the skin, and its relaxing properties act like a spa massage when rolled over the entire body. Coconut oil will also leave your skin soft and smooth.
- According to a study carried out by the university college Nigeria, it was confirmed that the microbial properties of coconut oil can eliminate Candida albicans, which causes inflammation, yeast infection and cracking of the skin.
The number of benefits offered by coconut oil for skin and hair care can never be overemphasized, and it comes in handy for the enhancement of skin and hair health.
SOURCES FOR THIS ARTICLE
- Nevin KG, Rajamohan T. Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2010; 23(6): 290-7. PMID: 20523108
- Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. J Cosmet Sci. 2003 Mar-Apr; 54(2): 175-92. PMID: 12715094
- Korac RR, Khambholja KM. Potential of herbs in skin protection from ultraviolet radiation. Pharmacon Rev. 2011 July; 5(10): 164-73. PMID: 22279374.
- Ogbolu Do, Oni AA, Diani OA, Oloko AP. In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria. J Med Food. 2007 Jun; 10(2): 384-7. PMID: 17651080.