Protect Your Skin This Winter With Coconut Oil
It’s no secret that the changing of seasons can take a toll on your skin, and the transition to the winter months tends to be the biggest culprit. The cold weather and dry air can zap the moisture from your skin, causing it to become dry, flaky, and even cracked. And staying inside doesn’t offer a lot of reprieve, as cranking up the thermostat leads to lower humidity, which also causes transepidermal water loss.
More often than not, it seems like no matter what you add or subtract from your skincare routine, you can’t seem to ditch the dry skin. If this struggle sounds familiar, then it may be time to up the ante when it comes to your skincare routine.
Up the Ante With A Natural Moisturizer
When it comes to combating dry skin during the winter months, we all want a solution that packs a punch without exposing us to unnecessary ingredients or harsh chemicals. Thankfully, you can get all of this in one of the most powerful natural moisturizers around—coconut oil.
In order to understand why coconut oil is so powerful, you first need to understand the three different types of moisturizers that are out there.
1. Humectants
Moisturizers that fall on this end of the spectrum are described as hydrophilic (water-loving) because they pull water into the skin and then hold it there. Some of the most common humectants are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and some seaweed extracts. While these types of moisturizers have their place, using them during the winter months can be counter-productive. Why? Because when the air around you has low humidity, humectants will pull water up from the deeper layers of your skin to the top layers, where it can evaporate and dry your skin out even more.
2. Emollients
Technically, these aren’t moisturizers by themselves, but they are ingredients that are often used in moisturizers because they help soften dry, flaky skin by filling in the cracks with lipids. They don’t bring moisture or lock it into the skin but rather help keep it soft and smooth. Common emollients include different kinds of butter, lipids, and fatty acids, and they are infused into creams and lotions to enhance the performance of the products.
3. Occlusives
These are agents that work by sealing moisture into the skin. They basically create a barrier on top of your skin that helps lock moisture in, which is particularly helpful for protecting your skin in dry environments. Occlusives tend to be oil-based and include hydrocarbons (such as petroleum jelly), jojoba oil, olive oil, and coconut oil.
Why You Should Use Coconut Oil
Now that you understand the different types of moisturizers, it’s clear that there are many out there that can get the job done, but few do so as well as coconut oil. Here are just a few of the reasons you should consider moisturizing with coconut oil this winter.
- Locks in moisture. While those harsh winter conditions can accelerate moisture loss, coconut oil comes to the rescue to counteract the effect. As an occlusive, coconut oil works to create a barrier that locks moisture into your skin to prevent evaporation.
- Packed with vital fatty acids. Coconut oil contains fatty acids like linoleic acid which helps the skin retain moisture. It also has lauric acid, which has antibacterial properties and promotes collagen production. The antibacterial properties of coconut oil have made it a popular choice for combating breakouts, and the ability of this oil to promote the production of collagen makes it great for helping maintain the firmness and elasticity of the skin. In fact, one study found that simply adding virgin coconut oil to an existing lotion can lead to an increase in both skin elasticity and hydration.
- Vitamin E. Coconut oil doesn’t contain many vitamins, but one of the few it does contain is vitamin E, which is known for its antioxidant properties. This means it’s great for protecting your skin cells from oxidative stress and the damage that comes along with it. That’s why this important vitamin has been used in skincare for decades as a way to help protect the skin from aging, dulling, and irritation.
- Quick absorption. One of the most impressive benefits of using coconut oil over other types of moisturizers is that it can be quickly absorbed by your skin. The fatty acids found in coconut oil are similar to those that are naturally found in the cells that make up the top layer of your skin. This allows the oil to not only be absorbed quickly but also reach the deeper layers of skin that other moisturizers may not be able to touch.
How To Use Coconut Oil For Skincare
Ready to add coconut oil to your winter skincare routine, but aren’t sure how to go about it? Here are three of our favorite ways for you to try.
1. A gentle massage
Apply a little bit of coconut oil onto your palms and rub them together, then spread it over your face or arms. Use your fingertips to work it in, then leave it undisturbed for up to 30 minutes before wiping it off with a soft cotton towel and rinsing with water. This a simple and effective step that you can easily add to your night-time skincare routine.
2. DIY blends
The goal here is to maximize the value of the coconut oil by using it together with other complementary ingredients such as shea butter, olive oil, glycerin, yogurt, or vitamin E oil.
To make your own blend, just mix a few drops of liquid coconut oil with your desired agent, then massage the blend onto your face, arms, chest, or other dry areas of skin. Give it some time to absorb, then wipe or rinse it off. For a blend with shea butter or yogurt, it’s usually best to wash it off after about 15 or 20 minutes, but a mixture with olive oil can be left on overnight if desired.
3. Lotion up
If you’d rather not use coconut oil by itself or create your own mixture, then you can always turn to lotions that include coconut oil as one of their ingredients. Lotions that contain coconut oil have the added benefit of being made with other skin-nourishing ingredients, like vitamin E, shea butter, or aloe vera. Plus, the coconut oil in these mixtures can also help the other ingredients absorb quickly, making them even more effective.
Protect Your Skin With Nutrabeautiful
Now that winter is in full swing, the coming weeks may be tough on your skin, which means you’ll need to give it the best protection possible. How? By bringing the value of coconut oil into your skincare routine with an all-natural moisturizer like Nutrabeautiful from New Earth.
This mildly citrus-scented lotion combines the power of coconut oil with other botanical ingredients such as jojoba oil, rosemary, rose extract, witch hazel, and organic Wild Microalgae®, which makes it the ultimate moisturizer for healthy-looking skin, even during the harsh winter months.
What’s more? You can put Nutrabeautiful to the test risk-free with our 90-day money-back guarantee.
At New Earth we are on a mission to positively impact the health of every body and soul we come in contact with. We specialize in producing third-party certified, organic whole food supplements including a variety of probiotics, and digestive support. Our supplements feature a rare, yet highly nutritious superfood, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA). Also known as organic Wild Microalgae®, AFA is a unique type of microalgae that is available in many forms including tablets, capsules, and powders all designed to help you on your journey to holistic wellness. The best part? We offer a 90-day money-back risk-free guarantee on all of our products. Visit our website to learn more.
