Have you ever spent over $50 on a facial night cream or product with hopes in it solving all of your skin problems? I have and let me tell you, it hurt my bank account and my self-esteem!

When I was a college student, I went through a horrible skin breakout that lasted months and later resulted in scarring. To this very day, I am still self-conscious about the indentions on my cheeks and I am always on the lookout for a miracle-working product to repair the damage. Unfortunately, we all know that scarring is the hardest skin affliction to remedy. When I first started on my natural hair journey, I decided to include skin ingredients as well. I did research for what worked best for cystic, acne-prone, scar-damaged skin, and was overwhelmed with the results.

There are so many natural oils that aid in repairing damage and keeping skin moisturized and clean, but the question of what I could afford was still on the table. I found that coconut oil was a natural triple-threat oil that helped with hydration, anti-aging, environmental protection, acne, discoloration, scarring, hair growth, etc, and it was budget friendly. The list was endless. As soon as I finished using that high-end face cream from a previous purchase, I replaced it with coconut oil.

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I haven’t broken out or experienced random rough skin patches (my skin is crazy”>. I no longer have skin discoloration, and there has been a reduction in the appearance of the skin indentions on my cheeks. There isn’t much to completely get rid of them (unless you do laser resurfacing, which costs thousands of dollars, and ya’ girl just doesn’t have that at the moment”>, but I definitely do see a much better improvement. 

Now, here is what coconut oil can do

The powerful moisturizing properties that it contains keeps skin deeply hydrated which reduces the risk of wrinkles, breakouts (for some, not all”>, and environmental damage. This natural oil penetrates deep into the skin and creates a protective barrier to block harmful UV rays and pollutants that cause skin damage that will later be difficult to tackle. It is an anti-inflammatory ingredient, that helps skin abrasions, redness, and puffiness. It is also loaded with vitamin E, which is a major key in fighting free radicals (sun rays and pollution”>, killing bacteria, and repairing damaged skin tissue (skin discoloration and scarring”>.

The three benefits of coconut oil that I use it for include acne, anti-aging prevention, and healthy hair growth promotion.

Photo Courtesy of iStock.com/PeopleImages
Acne

Coconut oil may not work for everyone who has acne, but it can work for anyone with extremely dry skin or very oily skin. I use astringent products (witch hazel and tea tree oil”> to wash and tone my face, so coconut oil balances my skin regimen to not strip it of all its necessary oils. And because it is an antimicrobial ingredient, it will aid in killing all the bacteria that gets clogged in the pores that later result into breakouts.

Anti-aging

Photoaging is caused by harmful sun rays and environmental pollutants, and while coconut oil helps in protecting from these harmful radicals, sunscreen should always be part of one’s skin routine in order to reap all of the benefits. It goes without saying that this natural oil is extremely moisturizing and when used at night when skin renews, the results will be obvious. My skin is at its best in the morning due to the promotion of college production, and skin renewal that it did overnight. If oily skin is an issue, I recommend to not wash your face in the morning with a harsh product, because it will strip your skin of all it’s hard work it did overnight. Instead, rinse your face with water, use a toner to cleanse it, and just watch it glow.

Hair growth

Beautifully shaped thick eyebrows are in, and believe it or not, coconut oil aids in promoting hair growth if you haven’t reached your “eyebrows on fleek” moment. The vitamin E in the oil is what’s essential for healthy hair growth, and when applied regularly, you are definitely on your path to achieving thicker brows.

I have been using coconut oil for my skin and eyebrows at night, and so far, I have no complaints.

Do you also swear by this natural oil? How do you feel about coconut oil in your skin regimen?

 Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Irma Garcia

Irma is a full-time Afro-Latina womanist and reproductive justice warrior with a passion for poppin’ curly hair. She steps on the pro-choice battlefield as a patient advocate at Austin Women’s Health Center and supports people of color during their birthing experiences with positive, healthy outcomes as a trained doula with Mama Sana Vibrant Woman.

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