An Ode to the Coconut

If I were a poet, I would have written an ode to the humble coconut and it would start with something like 'Oh my dear coconut, how much I love thee. You are my friend for life and I will never let go of thee'. I know, I know, it's pretty bad. I'm no poet but you do get how much I adore this drupe right? Yes, that's how Botany defines it. A fruit with an outer fleshy part that surrounds a hard shell with a seed inside.

The humble coconut is nothing short of a wonder product given to us by Mother Nature. It's use is immense in the areas of hair care, skin care, weight loss, digestion, dental care, diabetes and even HIV and cancer. Not to forget how awesome it tastes and anything cooked with the oil tastes! The goodness of coconut is immense and I would love to share with you all its benefits. But this is a beauty blog, so I'll stick to something that's related and that is the goodness of coconut for the skin. Read on to find out my ode (in prose!) to the coconut...

1. As a Moisturizer - Coconut oil is an excellent moisturiser for the skin because of its high fat content and is a major ingredient in many moisturising lotions and creams. I have very dry body skin in winter and to combat dryness, have been applying coconut oil for years now. It is also very effective against skin problems, infections and in the treatment of stubborn marks. Try using a mixture of coconut oil, lime juice and salt on the skin as a scrub and see how super soft it becomes. 

2. As a Scalp Nourisher and Dandruff Fighter - Coconut oil provides one of the best natural nutrition for the hair and if you are an Indian, this information is probably ingrained in your system, courtesy our grandmoms and moms. Coconut oil is effective in reducing the protein loss for damaged hair and regular massage with the oil ensures a scalp that's free of dandruff, lice and other infections.

3. As an Infection Fighter - Coconut oil not only hydrates the skin but also protects it from various infections. The chemicals in the oil have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties that can prevent minor infections. Applying the oil on the infected areas really helps and it also keeps away dirt and bacteria from reaching the broken skin. This is a remedy only for minor infections though, not the major ones. Moreover, make sure that the oil is clean before applying to the skin.

4. As a Stress Reliever - Many massage oils use coconut oil, both for its pro-skin properties and also for the aroma. It is absolutely non-toxic therefore a safe oil to be used for massages. The oil also has soothing properties, which makes it a great stress reliever.

5. As a Wrinkle Remover - Coconut oil softens the skin, promotes healing of damage that's already done, like wrinkles and protects it from further damage. The oil penetrates deep into the skin to make the tissue strong which in turn prevents sagging of skin. It also helps remove the outer layer of dead skin cells thus making the skin look softer, smoother and younger. All that you need to do is massage a bit of the oil to your face.

Those were some of the many good things that coconut can do for your skin. So if you've not been giving this oil much attention till date, look at it with new respect pretties. No wonder in the Phillipines, it is commonly called as the 'Tree of Life'! 

And if you still want to stay away from the oil, yet reap all its benefits, try the new Parachute Advansed Body Lotion. Will make your skin so soft, smooth, radiant and glowing that you will fall in love with it, all over again!