At BellaNaturally, we love all things Coconut! Not only is coconut oil great for cooking, it has some excellent health benefits for your skin and general well being. As a great do-it-all beauty product, the following are some of the beauty secrets that coconut oil has to offer:
- cleanses, softens, moisturises your skin and even removes makeup!
- contains Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA’s), which are also found in your natural skin oils - MCFA’S are naturally anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti fungal;
- helps to cleanse and neutralise a build up of toxins such as fungi and bad bacteria on the outer layers of your skin;
- detoxifies and also helps to build your skins natural immune system and protection;
- can be used in your hair as a deep conditioning treatment;
- makes your hair shine by bringing out your natural vibrancy and beauty;
- applied topically - it can help alleviate some forms of eczema and psoriasis.
In this month's blog I review products containing our favourite star ingredient ....you guessed it - Coconut Oil! Read further for more details....
Ecotan Organic Coconut Deodorant: This all natural coconut deodorant is pretty good! And I'm not just giving a biased opinion here because I sell it! It is the best natural deodorant that I have tried so far. The light fresh coconut scent is subtle, not overpowering and I found the product to be quite effective. It doesn't stop you from sweating all together but it allows your skin to breathe and reduces the odour. I tend not to sweat much anyway, however I found while I was pregnant the sweating increased significantly. Add Brisbane's muggy summer heat and this allowed me to really put this products' performance to the test!
Overall verdict: Needed to be reapplied during the day in hot weather (30 degrees plus). Having said that - during the summer time and with other semi natural deodorants I have used in the past, needed reapplication throughout the day anyway.
Pros: Great for both men and women, unisex scent - I even made hubby try this and he is a lot smellier than me!
Cons: The only downside is that I needed to spray several times (4x) which uses more of the product as opposed to a roll on and it feels a bit sticky when you out your arms down straight after spraying. Once dried though, it wasn't an issue.
Rating: 4 stars!
Ecotan Coconut Body Milk: A great everyday moisturiser suitable for the whole family. It contains a lovely blend of natural plant extracts and oils; Coconut, Aloe Vera, Jojoba and Macadamia.
Overall verdict: Absorbs easily and is non-greasy. As with the coconut deodorant - I love the fact that it's lightly scented and applies well. Works great on dry leathery winter skin (like mine at the moment) and the pump size bottle is good value for money!
Pros: Love, love, love this moisturiser!
Cons: Can't fault it really, maybe if it came in a tube size for the handbag perhaps?
Rating: 5 stars!
Ecotan Body Wash (Organic Coconut Oil and Mint): A refreshing minty and coco-nutty scented body wash that is great for everyday use. I don't know about the claim of it being like 'showering in a Pina Colada' but it gently cleanses the skin well without any harsh ingredients. I tried this body wash on my newborn baby and she smelt lovely :)
Overall verdict: Another great Ecotan product, what more can I say!
Pros: Is soap free and smells fresh.
Cons: Doesn't lather up as much as what I am used to and the consistency is a bit runny but that's something I can get used to.
Rating: 4 stars!
Ecotan Natural Coconut Sunscreen (Untinted): This natural coconut sunscreen smells divine and is light and non-greasy. The 'no nasties' formula makes it suitable for the whole family and is a must have for the beach bag.
Overall verdict: Comes in a tinted version also which I haven't yet tried. I use this sunscreen daily on my face - even in cooler weather and especially because I reside in the sunshine state.
Pros: Light - delicious coconut scent and is water resistant for 3 hours. Handy tube size that lasts!
Cons: Sunscreen appears a bit white on my olive tone skin but it's not really an issue with makeup over the top when applying on the face.
Rating: 4 stars!
Skin Naturalé earth & body Coconut Bliss (Nourishing Cream): A gentle nourishing moisturiser made from fruit and vegetable extracts - coconut oil and papaya. Small size is handy and great to use as a hand moisturiser.
Overall verdict: I use this mainly on my hands and elbows. With a new baby, constant hand washing dries out the skin on my hands leaving them cracked and sore around the cuticle area. I could see an improvement with my dry skin within a weeks use. The trick is to keep applying (sometimes I forget) and best at night with a pair of cotton gloves on to keep the hands soft and supple while snoozing.
Pros: Available in 2 handy sizes: 100ml and 250ml bottles. Gentle on the skin (I have sensitive skin) - and certified by Safe Cosmetics Australia and Choose Cruelty Free.
Cons: Though very lovely - I found the scent to be quite strong initially compared to other moisturisers.
Rating: 4 stars!
I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post! Comments are welcome. Don't forget to like and share :)
Shop Ecotan, Skin Naturalé
Resources:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20855271,00.html
http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/beauty/body/10+beauty+secrets+of+the+coconut,24439
http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/
*Rating is out of 5 stars
