The coconut is a highly versatile fruit that allows you to take all of its components and incorporate them into daily living. Coconuts are packed with various health benefits and are easily implemented in your diet via coconut water or milk.
Coconut oil is one of the many products you can make from coconuts and its multipurpose formula allows you to replace your cooking oil, makeup remover, shaving cream, etc. However, many can still overlook the benefits of coconut milk.
Coconut milk comes from the flesh of the coconut and is incorporated into international cuisines or even beauty routines. It’s packed with multiple nutrients your skin will love inside and out, which is why people make coconut milk soap.
What are some coconut milk soap benefits? Coconut milk in your soap can offer a boost of nourishment. Its soothing components can enrich the skin against signs of aging or calm skin irritants. It is also antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.
One advantage of coconut milk soap is that it’s easily accessible by your local markets or you can attempt to make your own DIY soap at home. So, what else should you know about coconut milk soap before adding it to your beauty regimen? Read on!
What Is Coconut Milk?
Coconut-based products are abundant. You can choose from a wide range of products like coconut oil, coconut water, and coconut milk. However, what is coconut milk and how can you extract it from the coconut?
Healthline claims, “Coconut milk is made by grating flesh from a brown coconut, soaking it in water and then straining it to produce a milk-like consistency.” There are two popular types of coconut milk: thin and thick.
Coconut milk can then be added to any dish you’re cooking up in the kitchen or into a bar of soap for your beauty regimen.
Vitamins Found In Coconut Milk
Why is coconut milk a commonly used ingredient to formulate beauty products like soap? Coconuts are a superfood packed with vital nutrients for our body, hair, and skin that can provide numerous benefits.
Coconut milk contains many vitamins and minerals often used to formulate skin care products. For example, it’s packed with copper, vitamin C, selenium, MCTS, vitamin E, and more.
Benefits Of Coconut Milk Soap
What are some benefits of coconut milk soap? This creamy and nourishing bar will be great to add to anyone’s skincare routine. It’s suitable for all skin types but ideal for sensitive, dry, or mature skin.
It can provide numerous benefits like increased hydration, improved skin elasticity, soothe irritants, removing makeup, etc. The benefits can also vary by what coconut milk soap bar you use, like if there are added components or made from scratch.
What can coconut milk soap do for your skin?
1. Hydration & Moisture
Firstly, coconut milk soap will provide intense hydration and moisture for dry skin. Coconut milk is rich in fats that help boost the moisture levels of various skin types. Most coconut milk soap bars are creamy and nourishing to combat dryness.
The small amount of MCTs in coconut milk may also help reduce skin irritants and promote a softer complexion. Other soothing components of Coconut milk may also help shield the skin barrier to keep the skin hydrated.
2. Reduces Signs Of Aging
Another reason coconut milk soaps are rising in popularity is their potential to reduce signs of aging. Fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots can be tricky to treat, but coconut milk soap can increase skin firmness for a youthful complexion.
Coconut milk is rich in vitamin C and copper, known ingredients in antioxidant or peptide serums. These components can help improve skin elasticity, resulting in a more youthful appearance.
3. Soothe Skin Conditions
Do you suffer from various skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis? Consult your dermatologist to see if coconut milk soap can soothe your skin conditions. This rich, creamy, and hydrating bar of soap can help relieve irritants.
Coconut milk can potentially carry antibacterial or anti-inflammatory benefits that can trigger multiple skin conditions. In addition, its soothing properties can increase hydration and potentially soothe irritated or weakened skin barriers.
However, always double-check with your medical provider if you plan to use coconut milk soap to heal intense skin conditions.
4. Conditioner & Detangler
Coconut milk soap can do much more than cleanse the skin and body. It can also be a powerful haircare tool. Coconut milk has rich, soothing, and hydrating properties that work wonders for your hair. It can double as a hair conditioner and detangler.
More conscious consumers are turning towards cleaner and simplified beauty, including haircare.
Coconut milk soap can be made at home with minimal ingredients and provide your strands the conditioning it needs. It can also remedy tangles and knots.
5. Remedies Sunburns
What’s your go-to product to soothe sunburns? For most people, the number one sunburn soother is aloe vera. However, try coconut milk soap if you’re tired of aloe vera or want to incorporate a more nutritional component.
We’ve mentioned how coconut milk can potentially carry anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in fats that can help soothe irritated skin. Sunburns can be challenging, but coconut milk soap can remedy red, raw skin.
6. Exfoliates The Body
One way to keep the skin looking its best is with frequent exfoliation. However, harsh sugar scrubs can quickly damage the skin’s surface, so you may want to try a more healing option like coconut milk soap. It can eliminate dead skin cells gently.
You can mix coconut milk soap with oat powder (oats have their own soothing properties and are also formulated in skincare) to create a scrub and customize the level of exfoliation you desire.
Then you can have soft, exfoliated, and moisturized skin.
7. Removes Makeup
Another unique way to use coconut milk soap is by removing makeup. Have you ever tried removing makeup with coconut oil? It can often be heavy and greasy, but coconut milk soap may be the next best option because it is formulated for the skin.
The creaminess of coconut milk can gently break down traces of dirt, makeup, sunscreen, and debris. However, this can be a significant first step in a double-cleansing routine.
8. Potentially Anti-Inflammatory
The small number of medium-chain triglycerides found in coconut milk is what helps it potentially have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, it’s also been said that coconut milk can also have antibacterial or antiseptic properties thanks to MCTs.
Coconut milk can remedy various concerns where inflammation, like scalp irritation/itchiness, sunburns, and dandruff may be present.
However, it may not provide a drastic change overnight, so it’s crucial to stay consistent or contact a dermatologist.
9. Gentle Cleanser
We’ve mentioned how coconut milk soap can help break down dirt, makeup, and sunscreen, but it can also provide a gentle cleanse to bare skin. In addition, coconut milk soap can be used to wash from head to toe while eliminating daily grime.
Because it’s rich in fats and moisturizing, you can cleanse your skin without feeling tight or over-stripped. You may also give your scalp a quick wash with coconut milk soap if it’s feeling particularly dry or itchy.
10. Versatility
Finally, a massive advantage of coconut milk soap is its versatility. It can provide numerous benefits to hair, skin, and body, most of which are soothing and hydrating. Also, coconut milk soap can be customized and altered to your skin’s needs.
It can easily be turned into a scrub for the body with oat powder or as a scalp treatment for itchiness. Finally, it can improve the skin’s appearance by minimizing inflammation, offering potential antibacterial properties, and boosting moisture.
Side Effects Of Coconut Milk Soap
You may be wondering, are there any side effects of using coconut milk-based soaps?
Thankfully, coconut milk and most coconut products are generally well-tolerated. However, they may cause a reaction if you’re allergic or sensitive to coconut.
One way to prevent any adverse reactions is by conducting a patch test with your coconut milk soap before adding it to your skincare routine.
Make Your Own Coconut Milk Soap
You can quickly learn how to make your coconut milk soap at home. However, some brands may incorporate added ingredients into their bars which may affect what benefits you’ll gain from using this coconut milk-based soap.
For example, essential oils may be present, providing their own benefits or increasing irritation depending on their potency. Or it may include carrier oils.
Creating your soap allows you to keep ingredients minimal, and you can customize it based on your skin’s characteristics.
Here’s a great cold process coconut milk soap tutorial from Holly’s Soapmaking – Kapia Mera on YouTube.
The Takeaway
Coconut milk soap can make an excellent addition to any beauty regimen. It’s ideal for boosting moisture, soothing skin irritation, and creating a more youthful appearance. It’s also fantastic for the hair, skin, and body.
Coconuts are a superfood, and coconut milk is rich in vitamins usually found in skincare, like vitamin C and copper. In addition, its potential anti-inflammatory properties can soothe various skin ailments like eczema or acne.
Will you be trying coconut milk soap?
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