Every morning, after my shower, I sit in a towel and stare at myself in the mirror. I squint my eyes and get so close to the glass that my breath fogs it up. My eyes wander from the flakes of dry skin to the new zits on my forehead to the acne scars on my cheeks. I exhale an exaggerated sigh and force myself not to pick at my skin. When I’m done over-analyzing the details of my face, I whip out my handy dandy concealer to create the illusion that my skin is even and smooth. Yet, constantly covering up my blemishes with makeup only makes my skin break out more, thus creating a never-ending cycle of waking up to a pimple, picking at it, and then getting mad at the scar left in place of it.
I searched for the perfect facial cleansers. I used a long list of acne treatments. I tried everything, but nothing worked the way I wanted it to. Then, I discovered organic, virgin coconut oil for the skin.
Coconut oil has the ability to reduce inflammation in skin, prevent infections like breakouts, and moisturize dry skin. Coconut oil is also filled with fatty acids and Vitamin F will help hydrate quenched skin and protect it from bacteria build up. However, it is true that using coconut oil works best on flaky skin, so if you have oily skin, this may not be the best product for you.
Another cool benefit of coconut oil is that it can lighten or fade dark spots and scars. Those fatty acids that moisturize the skin can also increase cell production, which not only helps wounds heal faster, but also makes scars smaller. I even found that coconut oil can help lighten stretch marks (remember – stretch marks are totally natural and beautiful, and no one should feel pressure to hide them, ever!). Coconut oil may lighten stretch marks and scars, and it can reduce the itchy feeling that often comes with stretch marks. Because coconut oil can reduce inflammation and produce collagen, the protein in your skin, it helps heal scars on the skin’s surface. It’s important to remember that coconut oil is not a miracle worker, though. It won’t completely get rid of every blemish or scar on your skin. It might just make them less visible.
I started using coconut oil in place of night creams by rubbing just a smidge onto my problem zones, like the scars on my cheeks and the bumps on my forehead. Don’t expect to wake up the next morning with perfect skin, but after just a few weeks, I noticed how much brighter my skin looked. The acne scars on my cheeks are barely noticeable now when I sit in front of the mirror after my shower. My skin feels smoother, and there’s definitely less dry skin flakes. Coconut oil has even given me the confidence to skip putting on foundation and concealer.
If you’re interested in adding coconut oil to your pile of skincare products, you can find it for less than $15 at your local drug store, Target, or Walmart. For better results, you can mix the coconut oil with lemon juice. Remember, you should evaluate your own skincare needs before applying coconut oil to your face.