As advocates for living happy and holistically health-centric lives, we’re always on the search for research, strategies, and tips that support us along the path of continual growth and let us thrive. While we love diving into the science and research that informs every aspect of our health, we’re laser-focused on learning how to best protect and care for our skin.

Because our skin is the largest organ in the body, conditions in our exterior such as acne, dry skin, redness, and accelerated aging can indicate positive changes to our health and beauty routines need to be made. The good news is that certain interventions to our routines, such as eating hydrating foods, diving into the world of oil-pulling, and switching up your approach to skincare can have an amazing impact on your skin health. Keep scrolling to get our tips for effective ways to transform your skin.

Evaluate Your Diet

We all know the saying, you are what you eat, and that holds true for your skin as well. In recent years, research has linked the level of our dietary health to certain dermatological conditions. Board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Anne Chapas, explained that what we eat plays a key role in the health of our skin for several reasons. “Your skin is the first organ to be deprived of nutrients and the last to receive them again when you are very cold or under a lot of stress...you can’t afford to consume anything less than optimal nutrition on a regular basis if you want to ensure that your skin will get through emergencies without ‘starving.’”

Some skin-supporting ingredients and foods include collagen for plumping and moisturizing, avocado for hydrating skin, and of course coconut oil (our favorite superfood) for keeping inflammation in check. Ones to avoid or consume in moderation? Dermatologists cite alcohol, artificial sugars, and fast food as being some of the worst offenders.

Of course, the best route to take is eating a diverse diet that’s rich in an array of vitamins and minerals and centering on hydrating and high-fat (the good kind!) foods with antioxidants aplenty for skin that’s glowing, plump, and radiantly-moisturized.

Start An Oil Pulling Practice

Oil pulling, an Ayurvedic tradition that’s been practiced for centuries, has largely been touted for its ability to whiten your teeth and give you healthy gums. But did you know the practice can be a gamechanger when it comes to clearing up your skin? Oil pulling is most effective right after getting out of bed in the morning, because it’s known to remove toxins from the body that have built up overnight and can prevent harmful bacteria from entering your bloodstream before it has the chance to negatively impact your skin. A healthier and clearer complexion, check.

Ready to get started? Before eating or drinking anything in the morning, scoop out a tablespoon of Conscious Coconut oil and swish around in your mouth for at least 20 minutes. If this sounds like forever, know that oil pulling pairs well with almost any part of your morning routine. Swish in the shower, while you get dressed, or let the practice encourage you to slow down and take the time to read a book, journal, or serve as a reminder to pour into yourself before you start your day.

Practice Exfoliation For A Healthy Glow

Exfoliation is an important part of any skincare routine that often gets overlooked. This practice helps improve skin texture by supporting the shedding of dead skin cells and stimulating collagen synthesis. Fresh skin can breathe freely and function easily without any obstructions—and *bonus,* your skin will be better-equipped to take in your products, helping your moisturizers and serums do their work.

Apply coconut oil to dry skin, and if you want to increase the results, add dry brushing to your exfoliating arsenal to boost lymphatic drainage and rejuvenate and renew the top layer of your skin.

Proactively Protect Against Aging

Okay, so aging is inevitable (and as we become wiser and amass more experience each year, it’s something to embrace), but there are certain steps we can take to ensure our skin stays healthy throughout every stage of life. Vitamin E is coconut oil’s best-kept secret that’s full of antioxidants known to reduce the darkness of age spots by lowering oxidative stress for skin that’s glowing year after year.

For truly ageless skin, make Conscious Coconut oil a part of your healthy breakfast routine and blend up a tablespoon with antioxidant-rich berries for a beauty-boosting smoothie. Applying coconut oil topically can also produce additional benefits.

Center In On Self-Care

Here’s the truth: If we aren’t approaching our self-care practices with love and appreciation for our bodies and minds, then we’re missing out on a key part of caring for ourselves. Try intentionally stepping into every part of your skincare routine with curiosity, compassion, and love for where and who you are in the present. 

The goal is never to change ourselves, but to grow closer to the person we’re always becoming throughout every step in our health and wellness journeys. Remember this the next time you find yourself criticizing a blemish or wishing you had “perfect skin”: it’s not about reaching an ideal, but coming into alignment with your strongest and most empowered self.

Make Conscious Coconut a part of all of your wellness, beauty, and healthy living routines by shopping all our offerings for coconut oil, dry brushing, hair care, and more, right here.