{A Repost From The Archives}
I used to have bumps and large pores & irritation on my legs, and I just thought I had sensitive skin and was stuck with it.
Well, I was half right. My skin IS sensitive to all the irritants I was using from my shaving cream, soap, & those fun scented & colored body lotions, but I’m NOT stuck with it.
I’m so happy with the solution I have found. I want to avoid parabens (they mimic estrogen in the body and my cancer was fed by estrogen) and all the different harsh chemicals that are beauty products.
Parabens are a group of compounds widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, including underarm deodorants. Parabens are absorbed through intact skin and from the gastrointestinal tract and blood.
Measurable concentrations of six different parabens have been identified in biopsy samples from breast tumors (Darbre, 2004). The particular parabens were found in relative concentrations that closely parallel their use in the synthesis of cosmetic products (Rastogi, 1995). Parabens have also been found in almost all urine samples examined from a demographically diverse sample of U.S. adults (Ye, 2006a).
Parabens are estrogen mimickers, with the potency of the agonistic response being related to the chemical structure (Darbre, 2008). They can bind to the cellular estrogen receptor (Routledge, 1998). They also increase the expression of many genes that are usually regulated by estradiol and cause human breast tumor cells (MCF-7 cells) to grow and proliferate in vitro (Byford, 2002; Pugazhendhi, 2007). Nevertheless, parabens as a class do not fully mimic estradiol in the changes in cellular gene expression nor are the effects of all parabens identical (Sadler, 2009).
I am also on a mission to simplify my beauty routine and the cost of beauty supplies.
My answer to ALL of these issues? Coconut Oil.
I love coconut oil so very much. It is a unique oil, solid when cool and liquid when room temperature or warmer. It does not need refrigerated.
It is
~anti-inflammatory
~anti-microbial
~anti-fungal
Caprylic Acid, Capric Acid and Lauric Acid are the essential saturated fatty acids that are powerful ingredients in coconut oil. I love having an organic, natural product with such great benefits to it. It has the slight scent of coconut, but not overpowering at all.
I have been using coconut oil as a pre-shave oil this summer, in place of shaving cream or soap, and I can’t tell you how great my legs feel. Gone are any bumps or irritation. My pores are small and my skin has a healthy glow to it. I just love it.
I keep my jar of organic coconut oil in the shower, and not only use it as a pre-shaving lotion, but also as a quick after- shave oil and moisturizer. At the end of my shower, when I turn off the water, I do a quick slather of coconut oil all over my whole body. I find it is a bit too heavy for my face, so I skip the face, but I’ve heard people rave about it as a face moisturizer. As I dry off, my legs are amazingly soft and smooth. My skin feels silky and has a great glow. I love skipping the step of body lotion after a shower! Rumor has it that coconut oil has an spf of 4, so it gives some natural sun protection, too!
An added benefit? It is on my hands as I go to squeeze the water out of my hair, and I have found it acts as a great hair de-frizzer. I can now air dry my curls and they are soft and amazing with no frizz! There is very little oil on my hands, so this benefit does not take much coconut oil. Bonus!
Try it and tell me what you think!
