Coconut, more than just a fruit in Indonesia
Besides being a very Instagrammable and refreshing fruit to enjoy at the beach, coconuts play an important role in the Balinese culture, religion and economy. They’re also called “tree of life” since all the parts of the entire tree - from top to bottom - are used to sustain human life.
When it comes to gastronomy, grated coconut is present in almost every traditional recipe - as for example in lawar - ingredients are fried exclusively in coconut oil and much of the food is simmered in coconut cream or milk. Regarding Balinese spirituality, the coconut is a basic sacred element. Leaves take the form of plates, baskets and decorations in the daily offerings to gods and whole coconuts are also used as natural containers of tirta, the holy water. In terms of money, Indonesia was the world’s leading coconut producer in 2020, with about 16,82 million metric tons of coconuts produced, meaning it generated plenty of job positions for the local population. All in all, coconuts are an amazing profitable natural source.
The benefits of coconut oil for skin and hair
Coconut oil is an excellent ally for skin and hair and using it daily in your selfcare routine can provide you with many advantages:
- Moisturizing properties
Coconut is rich in vitamin E, vitamin K and lauric acid, making it an ideal moisturizer to fight dryness. If you have cracked skin, using coconut oil will make it look healthy and glowing again.
- Antioxidant properties
Thanks to its phenolic acids and polyphenol antioxidants, coconut is an outstanding regenerating ingredient that can help prevent aging, expression lines and wrinkles. Moreover, it regulates the skin pH in a natural way.
- Anti-inflammatory properties
Not only was coconut oil found to have an anti-inflammatory effect, but it relieves pain as well. It’s ideal for people with skin problems such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis and it has also been shown to help treat eczema, a skin condition characterized by scaly, itchy rashes.
- Antimicrobial properties
The fatty acids found in coconut oil have antimicrobial properties that effectively kill bacteria and fungi, therefore helping prevent and combat skin infections, such as warts or herpes.
- Lightening properties
Coconut oil does a great job at lightening skin blemishes caused by free radicals and UV rays, which usually appear over the years due to an excess exposition to the sun.
Bali Life products made with coconut
At Bali Life, we wanted to provide you with a nice variety of products that include coconut oil and derivatives so that you can take advantage of this amazing ingredient. Let us present some of our favorites!
Enriched not only with coconut, but with frangipani and almond oils, our Lunak Hand Cream is the perfect treatment for dry and cracked skin. Say hello to baby-smooth hands!
Our Segar Shampoo’s formula include cocamidopropyl betaine and miglyol coco, natural derivatives of coconut oil that remove the chemical residues left by commercial shampoos as well as balance the pH of your hair. Nature has the best remedies!
All our sugar scrubs are formulated with a base of coconut oil to provide extra moisture to your skin while exfoliating it. You won’t even need to apply body lotion after shower!
Our face oil melts into your skin leaving it smooth, supple and hydrated for hours. This is a very complete treatment for your face since coconut oil, along with water lily oil, brings hydration, antioxidant, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. What else!
If after reading this post you feel like you can’t longer go without coconut in your life - don’t worry, it happened to us before! We invite you to have a look at our shop and include this extraordinary ingredient in your beauty routine through our curated selection of natural and vegan cosmetics.