It's winter and my skin is terribly dry. Within a couple weeks of the colder weather, my hands are cracked and bleeding from washing dishes and my skin is so dry after the shower that it literally flakes everywhere. I usually have to lotion my face at least twice before the dry skin finally has enough moisture, but the result? Breaking out with pimples like an adolescent teenager.
Finding all-natural, chemical-free skin moisturizers is possible, but they are usually very expensive, and justifiably so considering these organic materials are more costly then the laboratory man-made chemicals most lotions contain. Most conventional lotions contain parabans, petroleum derived materials (yes, that is the same stuff gasoline is made from) and sulfates, which all have harmful long-term side-effects, and more testing still being done.
What is my new 100% all-natural, organic, chemical-free and affordable miracle skin care you ask? Organic coconut oil! Yes, the same stuff that I am cooking with is now my face and hand moisturizer and it works wonders! My initial thoughts when I learned that people use coconut oil as a face moisturizer was, "Won't that clog my pores and cause me to break out more?" The answer is simply no. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid whose properties are antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-fungal, antibacterial and more. So in essence, it is not only moisturizing my face, it is naturally healing it.
In addition to it being a great cooking agent and helping maintain cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion, stress relief and more, it is more than affordable for a moisturizer. I used to use a couple of teaspoons worth of lotion in order to moisturize my face, but now I use less than an 1/8 teaspoon of coconut oil and the job is done. My favorite brand is from Garden of Life and is available at Health Foods Unlimited in Dayton, Ohio. They almost always have at least a 35% off sale on all Garden of Life products throughout the year which makes the total around $18 for 32 ounces. For more information on where to find coconut oil near you, visit Amy's List.
To read more on using coconut oil as a cooking substitute and its health benefits, read my blog on Substitutes.