Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Your Face

If you are a true-blue DIY person when it comes to skincare, coconut oil can be an extremely important ingredient in your armory. Thanks to its anti-bacterial and hydrating properties, coconut oil can do wonders for your face and skin. Here’s how you can exclusively use coconut oil for your face.

Benefits of Coconut Oil for Face
Who Should Use It
How to Use Coconut Oil
Side Effects of Using Coconut Oil on Face
Moisturiser
Protect From Sunburns
Under-Eye Cream
Clean Your Face
Makeup Remover
DIY Face Masks
Frequently Asked Questions:

Benefits of Coconut Oil for Face

Since coconut oil is a fat produced from raw coconuts or dried coconut flakes, its qualities make it useful as a moisturiser for particular skin types, such as dry or normal-to-dry skin. Coconut oil is rich in nourishing fatty acids that moisturise and protect the skin. Linoleic acid (vitamin F), which helps the skin maintain moisture, and lauric acid, which has antimicrobial qualities, are two examples.

It is believed to improve hydration by helping to strengthen your skin's protective barrier layer, holding fluids within and keeping your skin supple and moistened. This decreases inflammation even further, making it excellent for sensitive, chafed skin. Coconut oil has also been linked to an increase in collagen synthesis. The lauric acid, promotes collagen formation helping skin maintain firmness and elasticity.

Pro Tip: Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which has antibacterial characteristics that kill bacteria on the skin and relieve irritation.

Who Should Use It

People with dry skin are the most common and successful users of coconut oil. Because dry skin can cause skin irritation, rashes, breakouts, and persistent inflammation in cold weather, the anti-inflammatory qualities of coconut oil cure and repair these dry skin issues. Sometimes people use coconut oil as a face cleanser or moisturiser straight on their skin. This may help with acne, however, it is not suggested for individuals with highly oily skin.

Pro Tip: People with oily skin will want to avoid it as coconut oil may aggravate acne in certain people.

How to Use Coconut Oil

1. Overnight Repair:

By gently rubbing 1 tablespoon of smooth, light-textured coconut oil between your palms, you can liquefy it. Then apply it to your face and neck. Remove any thick residue using soft tissue. Cotton balls should not be used since they will become entangled in the oil on your face. Let the thin layer of coconut oil on your skin overnight and you will be greeted with baby soft skin in the morning!

2. Organic Makeup Remover

The many qualities of coconut oil make it an excellent makeup remover, to be used before using as a night cream. Simply repeat the overnight instructions a couple of times with a soft cotton ball, you can use warm water to let go of the residue and then pat dry your face.

3. Cleanse and Exfoliate

Use a good amount of coconut oil to coat your palms, then massage them together. Apply the oil to your face thoroughly. For it to penetrate your skin, massage it for a while. This will assist in removing dirt and pollutants from the skin. Next, remove the oil using a cotton towel. Wash your face with simple water if your skin is dry.

4. Boost Collagen with Honey

Antioxidant-rich honey can promote the formation of collagen as a whole. Take that organic sweetener off the shelf and include it into your beauty regimen by combining it with coconut oil. To begin, combine one teaspoon of coconut oil and one teaspoon of honey in a dish. Both honey and coconut oil act as adhesives. The end product would be highly sticky and gooey as a result. It is best to apply a small coating of it to your face and then rest for 10 to 20 minutes. Then, rinse the mixture with plain water and wipe it dry. After a few applications, your skin will undoubtedly be gleaming.

5. Reduce the appearance of lines

You should apply coconut oil as a serum to alleviate fine wrinkles. It can be used up to twice daily on a clean face. Apply a tiny quantity liberally all over your skin. Before using any additional items, let the oil dry. Coconut helps clean up the skin, fights free radicals, and minimises wrinkles. To achieve greater effects, carry out this each night before bed.

Pro Tip: Linoleic acid, an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found in coconut oil, can be utilised as an emollient and skin soother.

Side Effects of Using Coconut Oil on Face

Although coconut oil has significant anti-inflammatory and hydrating properties, not everyone will benefit from using it. Due to its high comedogenicity, coconut oil can clog your pores and make blackheads, whiteheads, and acne appear more prominently. It is best to stay away from this if you have oily skin.

Pro Tip: When used in the morning, it can have a number of negative effects, including trapping and clogging the skin with pollutants, dust, and debris.

Moisturiser

Moisturising is an inextricable part of any kind of skincare regimen. Coconut oil can be an excellent natural moisturiser, which can keep your face hydrated. Hollywood actor Gwyneth Paltrow claims to regularly use coconut oil to keep her skin moisturised after a shower. Coconut oil on your face can protect your skin from pollution and changing weather conditions. Coconut oil neutralises toxins, thereby ensuring detoxification of the skin and maintaining the skin’s natural immune system. Needless to say, this moisturising or hydrating property is one of the most sought-after benefits of coconut oil for your face.

Tip: To keep your skin extra hydrated, apply a little bit of coconut oil after taking a shower.

Protect From Sunburns

Protection from sunburns is one of the myriad benefits of coconut oil. As we have already discussed, coconut oil can be used as a face moisturiser. And that, in turn, makes it a wonderful home remedy against tanning or sunburn. So, how does this work? Basically, sunburnt skin tends to get extra dry and irritable. By restoring moisture to your skin, coconut oil can help you get rid of all that itchiness and dryness caused by sunburn. Apply a damp towel to your face for about 10 minutes after sun exposure. Once your skin has cooled down, apply coconut oil to the affected areas.

Tip: Apply coconut oil on sunburnt areas after cooling your skin down with a wet towel.

Under-Eye Cream

Coconut oil can certainly help you get rid of under-eye bags and dark spots around the eyes. In fact, the miracle ingredient can prove very effective against puffy eyes or dark patches around your eyes, resulting from stress or fatigue. Coconut oil can also fight against fine lines around your eyes. The credit for these benefits goes to the antioxidants present in the oil that can, among other things, make dark spots fade.

Tip: Before going to be, apply coconut oil around your eyes to do away with fine lines.

Clean Your Face

If you have dry skin, you can use coconut oil to clean your face. Coconut oil, with its anti-bacterial and hydrating properties, can be an excellent choice. Wash your hands and take a spoonful of coconut oil in your palm. Rub your palms together to evenly spread the oil and then apply it to your face. Don't rub the oil vigorously. Go for circular motions. After a couple of minutes, wash off with warm or wipe the oil off with a warm damp cloth. This can be a highly nourishing face-cleaning routine.

Tip: Rub the coconut oil on your face in circular motions.

Makeup Remover

Coconut oil has anti-bacterial and anti-yeast properties. Experts say that coconut oil has a detergent effect as well and therefore, the super oil can be a glorious makeup remover. Apply a little bit of coconut oil directly to the face as an oil cleanser or let it sit on your skin with a cotton pad. Your makeup is bound to melt away. Once your makeup gets adequately melted away, wash your face with warm water and pat dry. so, here's another commendable benefit of coconut oil for your face.

Tip: After removing your makeup with coconut oil, rinse your face with warm water and pat dry.

DIY Face Masks

You can rustle up a host of DIY face masks with the help of coconut oil. Here are some coconut oil masks for your face:

Turmeric and coconut face mask

This can help in driving away dark spots or pigmentation on your skin. Mix 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 1 tbsp of honey, 1 tbsp of milk and half a tsp of freshly ground turmeric to form a smooth paste and apply it to your face. Leave the pack on for half an hour and then wash off with lukewarm water.

Tea-tree oil and coconut oil

This DIY mix can help you fight acne. Mix 2-3 drops of tea tree oil in half tsp of coconut oil. Dab on the acne and zits for overnight spot treatment.

Coconut oil and baking soda

This can be effective against blackheads on your face. Mix one and a half tbsp of coconut oil with a teaspoon of baking soda. Make sure it's a smooth paste. Apply to your skin. Wait for 7-10 minutes, and rub it gently in circular motions. Wash your face with mild soap.

Coconut oil and aloe vera gel

This can effectively reduce itchiness. Mix about 2 tsp of coconut oil with 4 tsp of aloe vera gel (naturally extracted). Apply the mask to your face. Wait for 20 minutes. Wash with cold water.

Coconut oil, curd and lemon juice

This can reduce the oiliness of your face. Take 1 tbsp of coconut oil, 1 tbsp of curd and a tsp of lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients. Apply the mask to your face and neck. Wait for 20 minutes and wash off with warm water.

Tip: Use virgin or extra virgin coconut oil for these face masks. This is because unrefined coconut oil won’t be exposed to any harsh chemicals.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. Can people with oily skin use coconut oil on their face?

A. If you have extremely oily and sensitive skin, check with a dermatologist first. Coconut oil masks can sometimes be effective against acne, but, experts say, people with extremely oily skin can avoid using coconut oil on the face. It is said that coconut oil is highly comedogenic - it means this oil can clog pores, which in turn can lead to further breakouts.

Q. Can coconut oil act as a primer?

A. All ye makeup buffs would know this - no makeup can be perfect without the application of a primer! Believe it or not, coconut oil can be used as a natural primer. All you need to do is simply dab some coconut oil on your face, let it penetrate the skin and then apply your foundation. If you apply coconut oil as a primer, you cannot help but marvel at how smooth the skin will look after the application of this natural primer - what's more, coconut oil will help your makeup stay longer. You can also dab some coconut oil on your cheekbones to highlight them. Now, isn't this a wonderful benefit of coconut oil for your face?

Q. Can coconut oil be used as a face scrub?

A. Coconut oil can be used as an effective face scrub as well. Just make sure you don't apply it when there's a breakout on your face. Here’s what you can do to get that clean, dirt-free skin - mix half a cup of coconut oil with granulated sugar and apply the mix on your face as an exfoliator. You will notice the magical glow on your skin almost instantly.

Also Read - Top 6 Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Your Skin