As you go about your quest for optimal health and fitness, you must make sure you aren’t overlooking skin health in this picture. While the foods you eat on a daily basis will have an influence over your complexion, it helps to go that extra mile and really pinpoint which foods in particular help you regain that youthful glow you had back when you were a teenager.
Today, we’re talking about one specific food that will completely revitalize your look. That food? Coconut. Coconut oil has been widely accepted as one of the healthiest forms of fat that you can put into your body as it’ll strengthen your immune system, improve heart health, increase your energy level, and may even help you shed weight faster.
Now however, we are starting to see just how great coconut, or more specifically, coconut oil, is for your skin as well.
Let’s take a look at how you can use coconut oil to help soothe and revitalize your skin, along with a few smart recipes using this oil that you can put to good use today.
Rehydrate Dull, Tired Skin
Just as you need to hydrate your body on a regular basis, you also need to hydrate your skin. Dehydrated skin is going to be more prone to developing wrinkles than well-hydrated skin thanks to the fact it’ll lose some elasticity when in this state.
Not to mention, those who have dehydrated skin will also often find their skin becomes irritable, often showing signs of redness, peeling, or can become very itchy to the touch.
If regular moisturizer just doesn’t seem to be doing the trick, consider turning to coconut oil instead. This oil will help add natural oils back into the skin, helping keep it moist and radiant.
Create a mixture using two to three tablespoons of oatmeal with a few more tables of coconut butter (which is coconut oil in solid form) and then place this mixture in a muslin bag.
From here, you’ll want to heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so until a paste has formed. Now, simply rub this into the area of the skin where you need the most hydration, doing so for a few minutes. Rise with lukewarm water and you’ll be all set.
Note that this can be used on any area of the body, not just the face for hydration benefits.
Tame Hangnails And Foot Fungus
One topic you may not want to hear about, foot fungus, does plague many people. If you’re gearing up to go get your toenails done or simply want to prettify your feet, the last thing you want is long hangnails or signs of infection/fungus.
Once again, coconut oil can come to the rescue. As coconut oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, it helps reduce your chances of suffering quickly.
In addition to this, the added moisture will help tame those hangnails, making them easier to click up off as the skin heals itself.
To concoct this treatment for your feet (or hands if you prefer), simply place coconut oil in a small jar and then add about two tablespoons of honey along with one tablespoon of sugar. Mix well and then scrub onto the feet or hands as needed.
Scrub in a circular motion, sloughing away any of the dead skin or calluses that may be present.
If you want to take this pampering a little further, you can rub the feet lightly with some coconut oil and then place two plastic bags over the feet, securing them with an elastic around the ankles. Now, sleep with these on and you’ll wake up with the softest skin you’ve ever experienced.
Get A Closer Shave
Another part of your daily routine that does a real number on skin health is shaving. Whether you shave your face if you’re a man or you’re often shaving your legs and underarms if you’re a woman, that razor is stripping moisture from your skin, stroke by stroke.
While you can of course use hydrating shaving creams that will do a decent job at preventing ingrown hairs and ultra-dry skin, sometimes a better strategy is to go home-made.
Once again, turn to coconut oil. The great thing about this is that the coconut oil won’t be full of chemical ingredients like the store bought shaving cream will, making it a far safer solution. Some people may notice irritation from the chemicals in commercial shaving creams, rendering them a challenge to use.
The recipe for this is simple – just rub some coconut oil straight from the jar right onto the spot you plan to shave and then begin the process.
After the shaving has finished, you might rub in a little more oil for added hydration benefits.
As An Eye Make-Up Remover
If you’re a woman who regularly puts on eye make-up during the day, it’s imperative that you take this off before bed. Sleeping in eye make-up is a big no-no as not only can it cause eye irritation and rub off on your pillow, but it can seep into your pores, increasing your risk of fine lines and wrinkles.
You should always go to bed with a completely clean and moisturized face if you hope to keep wrinkles and age spots at bay.
Coconut oil comes into play here again as well. It can easily be used to remove all that unwanted eye make-up in a hurry, doing a much better job than any store bought eye make-up remover would.
Plus, as you swipe the oil over your eye lids, it’ll also help add more moisture, further reducing your risk of wrinkles and lackluster skin in this delicate area.
Want a bonus tip? Be sure that you pay extra special attention to the under eye area, especially as you get older. Swipe a little of the oil here to remove all make-up and prevent under eye circles from developing.
Once your make-up has been removed, you’ll then want to wash your face as normal, making sure to use a non-dehydrating facial cream.
As A Massage Oil
Finally, the last way that you can use coconut oil to help improve your skin tone and gain back the radiance you had as a teenager is to use it as a massage oil. If you look at many massage oils on the market, they already contain coconut or jojoba oil, often listing it as the primary ingredient.
In all reality, you really don’t need all the other filler ingredients their including – just use the oil. If you really want to add a scent, consider getting some essential oils that you can easily mix a few drops in with the coconut oil before using.
Then, have someone treat you to a massage as they rub it into your skin, bringing back the moisture, elasticity, and radiance.
As you will find you’re quite slippery after this, you’ll likely want to shower that coconut oil off after the massage is over.
So there you have a few of the best ways that you can put coconut oil to use for helping improve your skin’s look and feel. Remember that taking care of your skin now will set you up for better looking skin in the future. Far too many people wait until it’s too late and then simply do damage control from there.
You’ll fare far better if you start taking steps now, even before you are starting to see signs of aging to care for your skin and prevent those fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots from developing.
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