Photo from Unsplash
Originally Posted On: https://www.directcbdonline.com/blogs/news/what-is-cbd-coconut-oil-and-what-are-the-benefits
What is CBD Coconut Oil and What are the Benefits?
Over the course of recent years, natural wellness has become a major talking point for people looking to feel their best. There are any number of compounds and solutions you can employ to help with the stresses and strains of the everyday, but people tend to find that natural options allow the most beneficial boost, free from harsh side effects and crashes. Among the most beneficial natural products, CBD oil and coconut oil are never far from the conversation.
Coconut oil has a wide range of uses, with food-grade oil being an increasingly popular cooking aid due to its high smoke point and adeptness for roasting, sauteing and stir-frying. It is also growing in popularity for external uses on skin and hair due to a range of properties. CBD oil, for its part, is also something of an all-rounder. The oil, derived from the non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant, can be taken as a supplement and has benefits against anxiety, while external application has been identified as an effective way to keep skin looking its best.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD works by binding to endocannabinoids, receptors in the human body and brain that bind to cannabinoids. This binding has been shown to have beneficial effects in a number of areas, from anti-anxiety properties to immune system benefits. It has also been shown to have a beneficial effect on people who are using pain medication which can cause nausea, providing considerable relief from that side effect.
For the skin, meanwhile, CBD has a wealth of benefits. It is anti-inflammatory, controlling breakouts and pain from conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Its antioxidant properties provide an excellent defence against the thinning of the skin that can come with ageing and some medications, and it has excellent hydrative properties which stop the skin from drying out; something that is particularly a threat in winter, but can happen any time of year for a number of reasons.
What is Coconut Oil?
As the name suggests, coconut oil is extracted from coconuts, and is available in both food grade and non-food grade formulations. Food grade coconut oil can be used as a cooking oil and an ingredient in a range of recipes, with its high smoke point making it hugely popular as an oil for stir-frying – which is an excellent way to get a lot of beneficial vegetables in your diet. The non-food grade version of the compound has a lot of benefits, too, including for the hair and skin.
Coconut oil when used on hair is particularly valued as an anti-dandruff ingredient, moisturizing the scalp to reduce flakiness and irritation. Regular use of a coconut oil shampoo or treatment with the oil itself is also seen to give depth and life to the hair. Anyone who experiences dull, lifeless hair, or deals with regular scalp itching, could do a lot worse than trying a coconut oil compound as part of their haircare routine.
It is for the skin benefits that coconut oil is most valued, though. It’s not recommended in all cases for people whose skin is already oily, but for those with dry skin and blemishes it has proven to be a hugely beneficial treatment. The presence of fatty acids in coconut oil products rejuvenates the skin, making it beneficial for wound healing, treatment of acne, psoriasis and eczema, and reduction of inflammation. When used in combination with CBD oil, the effects are more pronounced, and compare favorably with more artificial products.
What is CBD Coconut Oil?
Having looked above at the benefits of these products separately, we come to the matter of how CBD coconut oil can make a difference for people who need skin care assistance. It is worth first covering the question of what CBD coconut oil is, in terms of its formulation. The product is made by processing the usually semi-solid coconut oil with a tincture of CBD oil. When reformed into its originally semi-solid state, the coconut oil is infused with the additional benefits of CBD oil, and can be applied to the skin in the same way as non-infused oil.
In effect, coconut oil acts as a carrier oil to assist the absorption of CBD into the skin. There are many options for carrier oils which are commercially available, but the advantage of using coconut oil in this capacity is that it has its own benefits for the skin, which is not always the case with commercial carriers. As a result, CBD coconut oil is a multi-beneficial product, and highly natural too, which means there is less concern over side effects.
Health Benefits of CBD Coconut Oil
One of the major issues that can happen with skin is that it becomes inflamed, which has both cosmetic and physical impacts. Skin will look redder and feel hot, and can be genuinely painful. Anyone who has had a major acne breakout or a minor burn will know how much these issues can affect you, and the impacts are so persistent that they can also have an effect on mental health. CBD coconut oil is wonderful in situations such as these; with its impacts on healing and anti-inflammation, it will result in the skin looking and feeling better in a very demonstrable way.
The topical application of CBD coconut oil is also beneficial for conditions like psoriasis and eczema which can dry the skin out and cause it to crack. Its antibacterial and antifungal action can treat the issue at source, while the anti-inflammatory and hydrative properties are a real benefit for dealing with the symptoms, making CBD coconut oil an excellent all-round product for people with a range of skin conditions.
It should not be ignored, meanwhile, that the relaxing properties of the oil can have additional mental health benefits. Given the way that CBD binds with the receptors in the body and brain, regular use can have positive impacts on sleep, immune function and stress response. When taken in conjunction with the antioxidant properties of both ingredients, which have an impact all over the body, there is frankly and endless list of benefits to be taken from the product.
How to Use CBD Coconut Oil
In the main, CBD coconut oil is prized for its benefits in skincare, and those benefits are derived principally from topical application. While it can be ingested in certain forms, these are much less widely available and – if you want to see results in a specific area with minimum delay – less effective for skincare purposes. Overall, the benefits from CBD coconut oil are going to be more pronounced if it is applied on the skin. It is worth bearing a few things in mind when doing this.
- Do not apply CBD coconut oil to broken skin. Once a cut is healed over, application of the product can encourage quicker full healing, but application to an open wound risks infection.
- Always clean an area before applying CBD coconut oil to it. This prevents dirt or debris from being sealed beneath the oil, where it can cause breakouts and discomfort.
- Be careful when applying the oil on sunny days. Coconut oil does increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays which can cause sunburn and increase the risk of skin cancer. Always allow the oil to fully absorb before going out in the sun, and even then try to ensure the area is covered.
- Use a little at a time. A little CBD coconut oil will really go a long way, so less is usually more. If you need further benefits, then reapply as necessary.
It is fairly clear, then, that CBD coconut oil has extensive benefits that are highly valuable to general health, and specifically to the wellbeing of your skin. If you are looking for a solution to a chronic condition such as psoriasis or eczema, to achieve timely wound healing and avoid scarring, or simply to maintain a more youthful appearance, CBD coconut oil is one of the most valuable natural products you could wish for.
Taken in tandem with the other health benefits it can have, the message for anyone curious about the potential of CBD coconut oil is a strongly positive one. It is packed with benefits that spread across the spectrum of skincare needs, and as long as you use it carefully and sparingly, you are likely to see benefits that are both quick and long-lasting. There’s really little more to be said: If you have skin problems or want to improve your skincare regime, you’ll find a use for CBD coconut oil.
