Coconut Oil

It's not too hard to find a moisturizer. There are a gillion plus over-priced products being marketed to moisturize, tighten, and rejuvenate our poor, tired skin. With some new fangled formula of sciency sounding words we are targeted, especially women, to feel inadequate. Our skin, like the rest of us, is no longer desirable, but VOILA with this magical cure-all product we can once again be held in esteem, our value returned. The predatory stress the advertising of these products imbues is only one part of a much larger puzzle. Most modern beauty products are tested on animals, unenvironmentally friendly in production and distribution, and are generally comprised of some combination of water, alcohol, parabens, and fragrance.
The whole mainstream beauty industry skeeves me out. So I went on my journey to find something new to replace all of these products that had once filled my shelves with something I could feel good about putting on my skin, my largest organ.
Moisturizer was a big one for me. I have always had chronically dry skin in the winter that required daily, fiendish slathering of lotion from head to tippy toe. After years of scratching my skin raw I was concerned I would never find something that would keep my surface soft and supple, let alone something natural. After much testing and many wonderful products I have found my personal moisturizing savior, coconut oil. Yep, just plain old coconut oil you buy along side your oil and grapeseed oils. I am a big, big fan of Spectrum's Organic Coconut Oil. It smells wonderful and gives my skin a soft sheen goodness that I love.
The benefits are wonderful and the price is so very right for how much coconut oil you get and how long it will last. In our house we simply pour the oil into a smaller, more bathroom friendly container with a lid for easy application. And get this, you can also use it on your hair (and of course to cook with)!

"The ideal lotion is one that is made from an oil that not only softens the skin, but protects it against damage, promotes healing and gives it a more youthful, healthy appearance. Coconut oil fits that description. Pure virgin coconut oil is the best natural ingredient for skin lotion available. It prevents destructive free-radical formation and provides protection against them. It can help to keep the skin from developing liver spots, and other blemishes caused by aging and over exposure to sunlight. It helps to keep connective tissues strong and supple so that the skin doesn't sag and wrinkle. In some cases it might even restore damaged or diseased skin. The oil is absorbed into the skin and into the cell structure of the connective tissues, limiting the damage excessive sun exposure can cause.

Coconut oil will not only bring temporary relief to the skin, but it will aid in healing and repairing. It will have lasting benefits, unlike most lotions. It can help bring back a youthful appearance. The coconut oil will aid in removing 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 penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin and strengthen the underlying tissues."

- The Healing Miracles of Coconut Oil by Bruce Fife

It's pretty awesome.

Namaste.
Tara