Coconut oil, natural anti-wrinkle?

In this article we will understand how coconut oil can be used as a natural anti-wrinkle and why.

In fact, vegetable oils have always been used not only as ingredients in the kitchen, but also as cosmetics, exploiting the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of oils such as olive, almond, rosehip, argan or of coconut have on their skin.

In particular, coconut oil, thanks to its chemical composition, would be able to create aprotective barrier for the skin and, furthermore, the compounds phenolics, present in all vegetable oils but in different concentrations, show an antioxidant effect and can modulate processes physiological such as the homeostasis of the skin barrier.

For these reasons, coconut oil can be considered the perfect ally for the routine ofdaily facial beauty, ideal as a moisturizer, cleanser, soothing after-sun or as an anti-wrinkle and much more…

Oxidative stress and skin aging

The aging of our skin can be of the type chronological or influenced by environmental factors. In both cases it shows skin changes including thinning, loss of elasticity, wrinkling, increased dryness and compromised skin barrier.

Chronological aging depends on a decrease in cell turnover (senescence) of the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. While the environmental one is mediated byextrinsic factorssuch as exposure to UV rays, air pollution, smoking, changes in external temperature and other agents of exposure to skin aging.

Photoaging due to chronic UV exposure is the most common and is attributed to photo-oxidative damage to the skin. Clinical signs can be different and include depigmentation (such as freckles), solar elastosis (degradation of collagen and its accumulation in the dermis) and keratosis.

Why use coconut oil as an anti-wrinkle?

Coconut oil is cold extracted from the pulp of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). Coconut oil is composed almost entirely of saturated fatty acids: lauric, myristic, palmitic, caprylic, capric, oleic, linoleic and stearic acids.

Due to its chemical composition, coconut oil would be able to protect the skin from UV rays, which can cause sunburn, wrinkles and premature aging. Vegetable oils, such as coconut oil, have a high protective potential thanks to theirantioxidant activity.

Antioxidants play a very important role in the fight against free radicals which are the main cause of many negative skin changes.

For these reasons, among the potential beneficial effects of the topical application of coconut oil on the skin there is also that of counteracting skin aging and it can be used as a natural anti-wrinkle.

Coconut oil as an anti-aging treatment

Here's how to use coconut oil on your face as a natural anti-wrinkle.

1] Cleanse your face thoroughly.

2] Apply a few drops of coconut oil in the area around the eyes, near the lips or where the first wrinkles are present.

3] Leave to act for a long time

Coconut oil is excellent for hydrating the eye contour, it nourishes this area of ​​the skin which is always quite sensitive and thin.

A thin film of coconut oil can create a barrier in defense of your facial skin from pollutants and environmental agents, keeping it at the right level of hydration and moisture.

The antioxidant action reduces oxidative damage and finally keeps the skin elastic and hydrated, thus preventing the formation of wrinkles.

Sources:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3263051/