Coconut Oil Body Moisturiser
We all know it's best to eat fresh, real food, and avoid the packaged stuff. Given so much of what we place on our skin can be absorbed in the blood stream, this same rule applies to skin care - it's time to abandon those bottles of moisturiser filled with chemicals we can't pronounce!
As most of us are now aware, coconut oil has a vast array of helpful ways to boost your health. It contains a form of 'healthy' saturated fat called MCFA, rather than trans fat, which is said to be metabolised in the liver rather than being stored as fat. It's also believed to boost metabolism, ease digestion, support your immune system, protect you from insulin resistance and stop sugar cravings. Magic stuff.
You don't have to eat it to get benefits, though! If you place coconut oil directly on your skin, it helps keep the connective tissues strong, which ultimately helps prevent wrinkles. No chemicals or numbers in sight!
You can scroll down for links to a couple of my favourite natural body products, but for those who don't have buckets to spend and want to make a start now, try this quick, easy recipe.
I used this combination myself every day for a year, and absolutely loved how moisturising it is. When my husband became ill, every routine I had went out the window, including this one - and it was the one I missed most. For around two months I used whatever body moisturiser I could get my hands on (the little bottles in hotel rooms, whatever was at the hospital, half empty bottles given to me by friends and family, etc etc) and my skin quickly showed me how much it missed the coconut oil. It became so dry, patchy and easily irritated.
Because this recipe is wonderfully preservative free, your coconut oil moisturiser won't last forever - if you still have some left after a month or so (I rarely do), you'll notice it may start to smell a little stale. When that happens, it's time to whip up a fresh batch! :-)
Ingredients
- 1 cup virgin, organic coconut oil
- 15 drops good quality lavender oil (aside from smelling beautiful and known for it's stress-reducing potential, lavender is said to contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties which can help treat and prevent skin conditions like acne and eczema).
- 10 drops good quality tea tree oil (an excellent natural acne treatment)
You can increase or decrease the quantities of essential oils above, or mix and match different oils for scents you prefer. Other oils that are amazing for your skin include rose hip, jojoba, and cedar wood (amongst MANY others).
If you'd like to go all out and invest in upgrading your skin care products to more natural ones (a decision you definitely won't regret), take a look at these -
zkin Organics Line Smoothing Serum
I think I must be on my sixth bottle of this. I first tried it as a sample at a wellness expo, and found myself desperately rationing the tiny last morsels left in the sachet... you absolutely won't regret trying this. It leaves you with matte, moisturised, soft skin that smells divine (husband says it smells like fresh tea). After two months, I saw a very noticeable difference in fine lines. It's supposed to be for around your eyes, but i love it for the forehead as well.
Coffee scrubs seemed to become crazy popular overnight, with the high caffeine content being shown to stimulate blood flow and helping improve cellulite, stretch marks, acne and scarring. This scrub is beautifully exfoliating and incredibly moisturising, all in one step!
Oh gosh, this stuff... my absolute favourite fake tan. You can literally apply this right before bed, climb into crisp white sheets and wake up in the morning beautifully bronzed and not a single smear of product on anything. A very natural-coloured tan - no orange here!
Occasionally, like everyone, I just canNOT be stuffed with the whole skin care regime song-and-dance before bed... which is why there's always a pack of these on hand! I find most make up remover wipes to be a bit harsh, but you can just tell these only have lovely natural ingredients, and they smell divine. They're also great for a post-gym freshen up. They make a normal/sensitive skin version, too (with the pink label), plus a baby range!
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