Coconut Oil Uses for Skin
that Brings Out the Radiance in You

Whether you use it externally or in food preparation, coconut oil uses for skin will amaze you.

The skin is the largest single organ of the human body. It contains two main layers of cells, the epidermis (outer) and dermis (inner). Aging makes the skin delicate and prone to injury.

Chemical or Natural?

Everybody wants to have baby-like skin. That's why the multi-billion dollar global cosmetics industry is more than willing to provide it for you.

Sadly though, most body- and facial-care lotions and creams either contain harsh chemicals that can secretly ruin your skin. Or they are predominantly composed of water which makes them a waste of time and hard earned money.

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is all natural and cost-effective. It doesn't contain chemicals that can harm your skin, especially your face. And it certainly isn't all water.

Skin-Friendly Fat

The medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) or medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) abounding in coconut oil strengthen your skin's connective tissues. Strong connective fibers make your skin soft, smooth and supple.

MCTs also serve as antimicrobial molecules to fight off infection. Coconut oil is nature's richest source of MCTs.

Did you know that your skin is vulnerable to infection right after taking a bath? Especially after a long warm bath, your skin is stripped off of its natural oils that serve as protection.

Apply MCT-rich coconut oil topically on your skin to immediately restore the chemical wall that defends you against disease without the greasy feeling. Coconut oil uses for skin are at their best when used directly. ;-)

Free-Radicals

There are numerous coconut oil uses. For skin to be healthy, your body must obtain the right nutrients. Without proper nutrition, your body has no answer for free-radical destruction. Free radicals can injure cells and speed up the development of heart disease, cancer and of course, skin diseases.

Free-radical reactions are an inescapable effect of being alive. It's here to stay so you have to deal with it. And the only way to fight it is with antioxidants. Vitamins C and E are good sources of antioxidants.

Virgin coconut oil has superb antioxidant activities. You can leave a bottle in room temperature and it can stay fresh, easily, for up to two years or so. It doesn't get rancid or stale because of its natural antioxidant properties.

Beware of freckle-like spots on your skin? Age spots or liver spots is a sign of old age and an indication of free-radical damage done inside your body. The more liver spots you have on the outside, the more damage done to the cells of your internal organs such as kidney, brain, etc.

Your skin serves as a protective barrier. Without it, millions of disease-causing bacteria will gain entry into your body. You simply can't live without it. But it's more than just a covering.

The Skinny on MCTs

Healthy skin has a slightly acidic layer with a pH of around 5. This creates a chemical environment that is deadly to most menacing microbes. Sweat together with sebum, body oil secreted by sebaceous glands located at each hair follicle, encourage this acidic environment. Together, they make sure that damaging microorganisms are kept in check.

Sebum is what prevents your skin from drying and cracking. It also contains MCTs. Harmless bacteria found on your skin break down MCTs into potent antimicrobials called free fatty acids. These fat molecules effectively kill a wide variety of bacteria, fungi and parasites they come into contact with on your skin.

MCTs found in sebum are the same MCTs, and lots of it, that give coconut oil its remarkable healing qualities. Coconut oil contains approximately 64% MCTs. This places it head and shoulders above any other oil.

The relatively small molecular structure of MCTs allows for easy absorption into your skin. Almost all other oils used in lotions and creams contain little MCTs, if any at all. This is one reason why water is abundantly used in these products. Water is a convenient substitute to mimic the quick-absorption characteristics of MCTs.

Your Skin Loves Coconut Oil

The coconut oil uses for skin we have discussed barely scratch the surface. There are many other coconut oil applications.

For skin to be supplely soft and smooth, you need to keep it from infection and excessive free-radical reactions. Coconut oil gives your skin radiance by providing it with MCTs and antioxidant protection to prevent infection and fight off free radical formation.