With colder weather comes some beautiful changes. Leaves change color and fall, snow liters the ground and the air is crisp and clean.
All of these winter changes might be wonderful, but cold weather can wreak serious havoc on your skin. Supple, hydrated skin becomes dry and flaky, which can become an unending issue for the entire winter season.
Though a change in your skin come winter season is hard to avoid it isn’t impossible, especially when it is properly hydrated! Battle dry, flaky skin with this hydrating coconut oil mask and watch your skin transform!
What Makes Coconut Oil So Good For The Skin?
It is coconut oil’s molecular make-up that makes it so beneficial for skin and hair health. Rich in antioxidants and healthy fats including capric acid, caprylic acid and lauric acid, coconut oil helps to soften, lubricate skin cells, break down dead skin cells, and heal acne and acne scars all while hydrating the skin.
The Stars of Coconut Oil
Coconut oil makes a terrific skin hydrator because of its nutrient content. Let’s take a look at what compounds make up coconut oil and how they benefit skin:
- Lauric Acid – Fights against acne causing bacteria
- Capric Acid – A strong anti-microbial and anti-viral acid
- Capryic Acid – Provides antioxidant protection perfect for sensitive and oily skin
- Vitamin C – Aids in collagen production. Promotes skin tautness and elasticity.
- Vitamin E – Protects the skin against UV protection as well as fine lines and signs of aging.
- Medium Chain Fatty Acids – Protects skin from bacteria. Creates a pH level that is deadly for microbes, especially the acne causing bacteria
- Medium Chain Triglycerides – Unclogs pores removing dirt, grime, pollution and germs. Dissolves oils that clog pores and cause acne
With all of those nutrients in coconut oil, its no wonder coconut oil makes such a terrific skin hydrator!
Coconut oil is so beneficial that it has many more beauty uses than just hydrating and conditioning the skin. Coconut oil can be used as:
Make up remover – Coconut oil can gently remove make-up from your skin, even that pesky waterproof mascara. Due to its high vitamin E content, coconut oil also helps to protect your skin as well as condition it.
Wrinkle Cream – With antioxidants like vitamin E, coconut oil can help slow down the aging process by fighting against oxidation. These antioxidants also aid in fighting fine lines and dark spots.
Acne Cream – Coconut oil’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties make it the perfect pimple fighter. Instead of purchasing creams and salves that contain skin-drying ingredients, simply dab on a thin layer of coconut oil to that pesky pimple. The omega-3 fatty acids in coconut oil will fight against the bacteria in the pimple 15 times better than benzoyl peroxide.
Face Moisturizer – Skin can easily absorb the fatty acids found in coconut oil, making it a fantastic moisturizer for dry, flaky skin. Simply massage a small amount of coconut oil ( a little goes a long way!) onto your face after your usual cleansing to deeply hydrate your skin.
Another simple yet skin-saving way to use coconut oil is as a face mask. With its antioxidants, fatty acids and anti-bacterial and anti-fungal benefits, coconut oil makes a terrific hydrating face mask to combat that nasty, dull winter skin!
Hydrating Coconut Oil Face Mask
This hydrating coconut oil face mask works wonders on dry, parched skin. Though coconut oil is a skin miracle worker on its own, this mask triples its effectiveness by utilizing two more skin superstars: honey and lemon.
Honey – Honey moisturizes and hydrates skin while also exfoliating the skin’s dead cells. A natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, honey fights pimples, acne scars and inflamed blemishes.
Lemon – Lemon is a natural astringent that kills acne causing bacteria. It also helps to tighten and shrink pores.
Coconut Oil Face Mask
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, unrefined, extra virgin, organic
- 2 teaspoons raw honey
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Apply mask to your face, massaging it gently into your skin.
- Allow mask to set for 10 minutes.
- Wash clean with warm water.
- Pat dry with a clean towel.
What You Can Expect
Not only will this mask refresh and rehydrate parched, dry skin, but it will also help to combat any acne flare ups or pimples you may be fighting.
As with any new product there is a detox phase, which means that your skin will start to purge the gunk that is hidden beneath the surface.
This can lead to quite a few initial breakouts, but the combination of coconut oil and honey will help to remove the infection from your skin cells while soothing any redness.
This mask is safe enough to use each night but if you feel your skin is not reacting properly, simply scale back on how often you use it.
Also it is always best to test a small area of your skin first to make sure you do not have any sort of adverse reaction to the coconut oil.
Use The Right Kind
A word of caution: not all coconut oil brands are created equal. Just like with the foods we put into our bodies, you can’t expect positive results from cheap and fake coconut oil.
Coconut oil that has been highly processed won’t help you achieve smooth, bright skin. As a matter of fact, you can kiss almost every benefit of using coconut oil goodbye if you buy a processed kind.
As with foods, it’s best to buy high quality, unprocessed coconut oil. Look for the words organic, unrefined, cold pressed or extra virgin when purchasing coconut oil to get the right one for your skin.
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