Coconut oil has become one of the best ingredients for DIY and home remedies in the past few years. There are just so many uses of coconut oil.
You can apply to your skin, use it to improve the shine of your hair, use it for cleaning stains in the kitchen, and more. But today, we will talk about how you can use coconut oil for skin whitening.
And of course, the question that many of you probably have, it is good? Or does it work? Well, spoiler alert, yes, coconut oil can improve the skin tone and make your skin appear brighter. However, it will take time, usually up to 30 days to get the results.
Therefore, we have to warn you to set your expectations accordingly. Do not expect miracles overnight. And of course, like with any other coconut oil home remedies, always use 100% pure cold-pressed, unrefined, and certified organic coconut oil. Let’s move on.
Chapter Overview
How coconut oil help brighten your skin?
You are probably wondering how can coconut oil for skin whitening work? After all, coconut is not known to have bleaching properties. However, what coconut oil does is lighten your skin by providing an abundance of essential fatty acids.
As we all know, coconut oil is composed of some of the healthiest ingredients, including essential fatty acids and vitamin E. These two have bleaching and brightening properties. It will take time to lighten your skin with coconut oil only.
However, you can always speed up the process by mixing it with a stronger bleaching agent. We will talk more on that subject later on. Remember, coconut oil is powerful and can penetrate your skin deeper than most other oils.
This helps make bleaching agents more effective and efficient in their role. More importantly, the inner layer of your skin will absorb the oil quicker than other oils. And this helps heal underlying inflammations and other skin conditions.
Benefits of coconut oil for skin
When you use coconut oil for skin whitening, you will be surprised by all the other benefits. We talked previously a bit about the many uses of coconut oil. If you are looking for a way to get healthier skin, coconut oil helps definitely.
Here are some benefits of this popular oil.
- Can reduce inflammation by calming down the skin
- Stop damage of free radicals and prevent any skin issues like fine lines and wrinkles
- Prevent infection
- Coconut oil is a great natural moisturizer
- Coconut oil is gentle enough and can be used on sensitive areas
- Makes your skin soft and smooth, and can have a great effect even on the driest skin types
- Coconut oil contains vitamin A and Vitamin E, two important ingredients in helping even out your skin tone
Five Coconut oil for Skin Whitening Recipes
We said before that coconut oil can help bleaching ingredients penetrate the skin deeper and improve their efficiency. Here are five ways you can use coconut oil to lighten your skin tone.
Apply only coconut oil
Yes, the first and simplest way to brighten your skin with coconut oil is to use the oil on its own. This recipe will be slower, but it involves only one ingredient. Applying coconut oil can help with an uneven tone, provide a gentle massage to your skin, and heal any infection and inflammation.
- Get some coconut oil in your palms
- Apply the oil to the skin area you want to brighten
- Gently massage the area for a few minutes. This allows your skin to absorb the coconut oil
- Leave the oil to the area during the night, and then rinse in the morning
- Apply a high SPF lotion to protect your skin from getting tan or darkening
- Repeat every day until you get the tone you want
Coconut oil and lemon juice
Speaking of potent bleaching agents, lemon juice is probably the most powerful natural remedy for lightening the skin. If you want to get results faster and in a more efficient manner, combine these two ingredients.
The potent lotion will help you lighten your skin, but also provide nourishment with vitamins to the skin.
- Combine 10 drops of lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Blend the ingredients using a spoon
- Apply the lotion to the desired area
- Leave it for 15 minutes, and then rinse with lukewarm water
- If you need to cover a larger area, mix 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and juice from half a lemon
- Repeat the treatment daily before bedtime
Coconut oil and turmeric
Turmeric, the magical spice is another ingredient you can use for skin lightening. You might be wondering how a spice that leaves yellow stains can brighten my skin tone.
Well, try it, and then speak. Turmeric has skin lightening properties because of curcumin, an ingredient that suppresses the melanin production process.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of pure coconut oil, 1 teaspoon of honey, 2 tablespoons of flour, and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric. Blend well to get a smooth consistency paste
- Apply the paste to the desired area, and wait for 20 minutes. Remove using a wet and warm cloth
- Now, rinse with cold water to close your pores
- Apply regularly before bedtime
Coconut oil and grapeseed oil
This recipe works wonderfully for dark circles under your eyes. It can also help you lighten the skin tone. Grapeseed oil is also rich in vitamin E, a vitamin that heals and moisturizes your skin. Combine the two together for a potent recipe.
- Mix 1 drop of coconut oil, 1 drop of grapeseed oil, and 10 drops of water
- Apply to the area under your eyes to help heal dark circles
- Wait for a few minutes, and then rinse with water
Coconut oil and baking soda
When it comes to lightening the skin, baking soda is another bleaching agent you can try. Baking soda has been used for teeth whitening, and also for skin whitening. Bonus, baking soda is a mild exfoliator, which will help your skin get rid of dead skin cells, dirt, debris, and other impurities.
- Mix ½ tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 4 drops of tea tree oil, and ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil
- Stir the mixture until you get a smooth paste
- Apply to the desired area, and then leave it for just 4 minutes
- Scrub of using your fingers afterward, and then rinse with cold water. Let your skin dry
Are there any side effects?
Coconut oil is mostly considered a safe home remedy and ingredient. However, you have to take a few things into consideration. For starters, coconut oil has a high comedogenic rating, which means it can clog your pores. When you try coconut oil for the first time, make sure to massage a small amount on the jawline and leave it overnight to check if there are no irritation symptoms.
Also, as mentioned at the beginning, you should always use 100% pure coconut oil. Last, but not least, make sure you are not allergic to coconut oil. You can also use coconut water and coconut milk for skin brightening.
When it is the best time to apply coconut oil?
Coconut oil works any time you apply to your skin, but there are few ways to make the treatment more efficient. For example, as you can see by most recipes, you should apply coconut oil before bedtime.
You must stay at home during the treatment, and for a few hours after the process. You do not want to expose your skin to any impurities after the treatment. When combining coconut oil with other ingredients, you should never leave them for more than 20 minutes.
Never apply coconut oil masks when you are outside since dust and dirt can clog your pores.