Coconut oil is in fact the only natural moisturiser that exists for your skin and the reason for this is that it contains anti-oxidants that cancel out the cell-damaging effects of free radicals. Unfortunately, most of the highly refined vegetable oils used in many of your commercial skincare products are completely devoid of natural protective anti-oxidants.

Furthermore, these commercial lotions and creams (even the expensive anti-wrinkle creams) contain a large amount of water. The dry wrinkled skin quickly saps up this moisture and in doing so expands the tissues so that the wrinkles appear to fade away and the skin is left feeling smoother. But this is only a short term effect, because as soon as the water evaporates or is carried away by the blood stream your skin once again becomes dry and wrinkled and until more cream is applied. No matter how much cream one applies and ultimately buys, it will be impossible to permanently cure dry wrinkled skin with these oils.

Coconut oil on the other hand can actually slow down the ageing process with its high concentration of anti-oxidants. Basically, the skin is made up of connective tissue or fibres which give the skin its strength and elasticity, but as we age these fibres are constantly under attack from free radicals which try to break the fibres down. The result is a weakened connective tissue which makes the skin sag and look wrinkly. The only way our body can fight these free radicals is by using and eating products that contain a high concentration of anti-oxidants, hence the effectiveness of unrefined coconut oil.

Therefore unlike most moisturisers, coconut oil will not only bring temporary relief to the skin, but it will aid in healing and repairing and can help bring back a youthful appearance. The coconut oil will help remove the outer layer of dead skin cells, making the skin smoother. The skin will become more evenly textured with a healthy “shine”. While doing this the coconut oil will also penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and strengthen the underlying tissues and in some cases it may even restore damaged or diseased skin. Due to the fact that it can penetrate the connective layer, coconut oil can also help to keep the skin from developing liver spots, and other blemishes caused by aging and over exposure to sunlight.

But the benefits of this natural oil don’t stop here – talk about the power of nature! Due to its antimicrobial properties, coconut oil helps to prevent bacterial and fungal infections that encourage acne. It contains many medium chain fatty acids which, when broken down into free fatty acids, can kill disease-causing organisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi. Even though it seems counter-intuitive, coconut oil actually penetrates the skin and helps the body get rid of the impurities, and therefore acne, while the toxins are expelled from the skin. The skin should show improvement in a few weeks with continued application.

Hemporium Shampoo

Hemporium Conditioner

Coconut oil works the same wonders with your hair and scalp as it does for your skin. Beauticians who are familiar with coconut swear by it. It softens the hair and conditions the scalp and is actually more effective at curing dandruff than even a medicated shampoo. Research has also concluded that coconut oil can give you thicker hair with less drying and split ends as it is the only natural oil that can penetrate the hair shaft giving you stronger, healthier hair.

Coconut oil also has a wealth of benefits if eaten – all this to be covered in next month’s newsletter. For a sneak preview in the meantime check this out