The small molecular structure of coconut oil allows for easy absorption through the skin, giving it a soft, smooth texture. It makes an ideal ointment for the relief of dry, rough and wrinkled skin.
According to Bruce Fife, natural health researcher and N.D., coconut oil the only type of oil you should use on your skin. Why? The answer is free-radicals!
"Most commercial creams and lotions are predominantly water. Their moisture is quickly absorbed into dry, wrinkled skin. As the water enters the skin, it expands the tissues, like filling a balloon with water, so that wrinkles fade away and the skin feels smoother. But this is only temporary. As soon as the water evaporates or is carried away by the blood stream, the dry, wrinkled skin returns. No matter how hard you try people will never be able to permanently cure dry, wrinkled skin with any commercial body lotion or body care products. Besides the water, most lotions have an oil of some type. This oil is almost always a highly refined vegetable oil devoid of all natural protective antioxidants. One product in our food supply and in body care products that leads to a great deal of free radicals is oxidized vegetable oils. Conventional body care products that are made with refined vegetable oils which have all the antioxidants stripped from them are highly prone to free-radical generation both in and outside the body. That is why eating processed vegetable oils can cause a deficiency in vitamin E and other antioxidants. The antioxidants are used up fighting off free radicals causing permanent damage to connective tissues. This is also the reason why you should be careful about the type of oils you use on your skin, and in your lotions, creams and lip balms. If you use a lotion, or cream with a refined oil in it you are in fact causing your skin to age faster.
The ideal lotion is one that is made from an oil that not only softens the skin, but protects it against damage, promotes healing and gives it a more youthful, healthy appearance. Coconut oil fits that description. Pure virgin coconut oil is the best natural ingredient for skin lotion available. It prevents destructive free-radical formation and provides protection against them. It can help to keep the skin from developing liver spots, and other blemishes caused by aging and over exposure to sunlight. It helps to keep connective tissues strong and supple so that the skin doesn't sag and wrinkle. In some cases it might even restore damaged or diseased skin. The oil is absorbed into the skin and into the cell structure of the connective tissues, limiting the damage excessive sun exposure can cause.
*Coconut oil will not only bring temporary relief to the skin, but it will aid in healing and repairing. It will have lasting benefits, unlike most lotions. It can help bring back a youthful appearance. The coconut oil will aid in removing the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smoother. The skin will become more evenly textured with a healthy "shine". While doing this the coconut oil will penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and strengthen the underlying tissues."
Source: The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil by Bruce Fife, N.D.
I was pleased to read an article that talks about the benefit of using natural remedies and not the commercial alternative. My battle with dry skin has been a long one, using most of the moisturizers advertised on TV, but with little help, especially in the colder months. I have tried your suggestions and found that they do work, but was a little time consuming, I wanted to combine all this information into a single product that was easy to use.
ReplyDeleteA friend asked me if I had ever used goat milk lotions? never heard of the thing but was willing to try as I had tried everything else. To my surprise it contained some of the basic ingredients you spoke of in your article, made with olive oil and goat milk which has the same pH as your skin. They also make soaps from goat milk which I was told is very moisturizing. Here is the link to there website : http://carlylefarm.com/
Hi Naturelover-
ReplyDeleteUsing coconut oil on your skin is a single step solution, so I'm not exactly sure what you mean.
Of course! There are more natural skin-savers in addition to coconut oil. Always read the ingredients and look for cold-pressed, virgin oils free from fragrances (organic essential oils are ok).
Best,
Bridget