DIY Coconut Oil Beauty Treatments

Coconut oil is a multifunctional beauty superfood which can be used for hair, skin, nutrition, and practically any DIY spa treatment. This skin care gem is absolutely packed with beauty benefits – but you’ll need to do your homework to reap its full potential. See below for how to use organic coconut oil for skin care and concerns, DIY tips, recipes, and more!

Find a large glass jar of organic coconut oil at your local health food store or vegan beauty supplier, and keep it on hand for any skin care woes that call for a quick fix or TLC. Remember, not all coconut oil is created equal: opt for unrefined and cold pressed varieties, which maintain the essential fatty acid profile of the raw oil, and don’t compromise on any of the nutritional benefits.

When it comes to plant based beauty, organic coconut oil for skin is an ideal base that can be used to dilute or desensitize more active ingredients, or add a kick of nutrition and moisture to otherwise clarifying formulas. That said, it’s important to experiment and figure out how your skin reacts before going ahead and applying a face mask or spot treatment that’s coconut oil based.

There’s an ongoing debate about which skin types react best to coconut oil, and ultimately, the answer is different for everyone. Some acneic skin types respond to coconut oil as a comedogenic pore clogger, due in part to to its large molecular size and propensity to block the hair follicle openings under which sebaceous glands sit. But other acneic skin types benefit from the ultra antimicrobial and antibacterial chemical profile of the natural oil, plus experience redness relief, a reduction in inflammation, and a balancing effect on overall lipid production throughout the day.

For drier skin types, coconut oil is typically a super effective addition that fortifies the epidermal lipid layer, locks in H2O, and encourages dense, supple, and elastic skin. However, applying oil to your dermis won’t treat your skin if it’s lacking in H2O. If water loss is your skin issue, it’s important to combine coconut oil with hydrating humectants like aloe juice, cucumber water, and organic floral hydrosols. For both sides of the debate, and answers to your questions about all thing coconut oil, hop over to our Guide to picking the right coconut oil for you skin.

Several of our Puristry products incorporate organic coconut oil into their formulas, but it’s only within synergistic combinations that work with the natural antioxidant and moisture benefits of the oil alongside lighter ingredients with complementary chemical profiles.

Our Vine therapy Serum combines coconut oil with hydrating and vitamin rich organic aloe water. Plus the formula contains hyaluronic acid, which keeps collage synthesis up and pores able to continually slough away dead skin and excess lipids.

Our Yerba Mate Eye Cream similarly combines coconut oil with vitamin C-rich and circulation boosting Yerba Mate – meaning that the formula is rich and nourishing, while also encouraging healthy skin cell production and renewal. Ultimately coconut oil needs to be incorporated into your routine alongside other ingredients that will allow your pores to self-regulate, and it’s with this in mind that we’ve crafted our Puristry formulas. For a full breakdown of Coconut Oil skin nutrition, peep our guide to the benefits of coconut oil.

The same guiding principles in ingredient synergy go hand in hand with DIY coconut oil treatments. You need to combine and pair ingredients in a way that works with your unique skin type – and help you tackle specific concerns and symptoms. Get the scoop below!

For Dry and Mature Skin

For super dry skin or mature skin with developed fine lines and wrinkles, try a nourishing DIY moisture face or body mask with coconut oil as a base. Mix coconut oil with one mashed avocado and a drop of brightening citrus oil (try bergamot or lemon). The avocado will give a wide range of essential fatty acids, and the citrus oil will encourage healthy collagen production and detoxification. Plus citrus keeps formulas fresh, acting as a natural preservative (although this isn’t the kind of mask that will keep for more than a day in the fridge).

Apply the mixture to your face and leave on for 15 minutes before washing off and gently patting your face dry. Since this mask contains citrus oils, take extra care and apply a daily sunscreen. Coconut and avocado can act as a prefab base for a variety of super rich face masks that are healing for dry and mature skin – try incorporating pomegranate seed oil (for a serious antioxidant boost) or vetiver oil (for regeneration of skin tissue) and tweak the formula until you find the right combo. DIY coconut masks are super flexible, and can also double as body care for dry areas like knees, elbows, and upper arms.

PRO TIP: If you’re experiencing severe flaking or rough patches, try applying coconut oil as a protective overnight spot treatment under a bandage. Apply a generous dab and keep protected all night. In the morning you should see reduced flaking and a smoother, more nourished skin texture.

For Oily or Acneic Skin

For acne-prone skin or skin that experiences an overabundance of lipid production, coconut oil can still be a powerful ingredient in DIY formulas. The trick is to use it with clarifying, toning and exfoliating plant based ingredients. Try throwing together a DIY facial scrub, which will manually slough off dead skin, toxins, and impurities, and open up pores for any products you’ll apply after the fact.

The basic recipe? Combine coconut oil with oats and warm water to create a paste-like consistency. Using gentle circular motions, manually exfoliate your face for up to ten minutes before rinsing with warm water. Your pores will be open, so now is a good time to apply any super nourishing and concentrated ingredients (like our Restorative Facial Oil) for maximum absorption.

This basic oatmeal-coconut base can be riffed on, depending on your skin type. For a more clarifying formula, try incorporating tea tree oil, witch hazel, or neem oil. Or if you’re looking to bring down inflammation, cucumber water or lavender essential oil are both great boosts. And if your skin isn’t so much blemish prone as it is oily, try mixing one part organic coconut oil for skin with one part jojoba oil. Jojoba mimics the natural composition and texture of human sebum, and applying it to an oily dermis can restore balance and ‘retrain’ skin into producing health amounts of lubrication.

PRO TIP: This scrub can be taken into the shower and used to exfoliate rough parts on your bod (backs of legs and arms, back).

For Everyday Use

Keeping a jar of coconut oil handy can also come in big for everyday basic care. Use coconut oil as a cuticle or dry hand treatment, for swiping off eye makeup in the evenings, as a lip balm in hot or dry months, and as a split end treatment for frazzled locks (but keep it away from your scalp, unless you’re dealing with seriously dry tresses).

The takeaway? Coconut oil is an absolute staple for anyone committed to plant-based beauty, and can come in big for virtually any mishap. Keep up with us here for more ingredient breakdowns!