Coconut Oil for Natural Beauty

Coconut oil proves to be a very versatile naturally occurring oil and has been getting much attention lately. Anyone who reads and follows currents trends has learned all of the benefits of not only eating coconut oil, but also using it as a beauty treatment–some conventional, some not so much so.

Where does coconut oil come from?

First, where does the oil come from? Well… From the fruit of a coconut tree, of course! Coconut trees are native to tropical areas growing on sandy shorelines where the humidity is high. Coconut oil is extracted from the meat of a coconut, known as a drupe not a nut as some may assume based on its name.

There are several methods  to extract the oil. The most common method is unfortunately the most unhealthy. Most coconut oil is made from dried copra (the meat of the coconut) that has in some cases been dried for months outside or over a fire and then shipped to manufacturers of various products. Once the copra has been outdoors with the dirt and bugs or maybe full of smoke, it is then tossed around from truck to truck and arrives at its destination is no longer fresh and quite soiled. At this point the dried copra must be bleached, deodorized, and refined. It sounds alarming that a product that will ultimately be used in your food or on your porous skin must be bleached and deodorized. The oil that is ultimately produced by this method is depleted of the rich, prime nutrients offered by the coconut, such as antioxidants.

Without getting too scientific and for the reasons listed above, we recommend solid (not liquid) organic, unrefined coconut oil for your skin and hair. Coconut oil that has been cold-expeller pressed from fresh copra is the most natural method of extraction. If you are purchasing refined coconut oil for cooking, always buy organic. Most organic companies use a steam extraction method that requires no bleaching or deodorizing. Check your source before purchasing.

What can coconut oil be used for?

When it comes to beauty treatments, coconut oil can be used for pretty much everything. It can be used in facial soaps, as facial and body moisturizers, hair treatments, skin rash soother, acne treatments, or even makeup remover. Coconut oil may be mixed with other oils or essential oils to make great homemade remedies for your body that are tailored just for you. Really, the possibilities are endless. A general search will provide you with more recipes than you can make. As with anything, certain treatments are going to work better than others differing with each individual person. Please use caution when using essential oils as some are not suited for any and all applications.

If you are buying drug store beauty treatments full of toxins and preservatives switching to natural oil like coconut oil can save your skin, your health, and your bank account, too! Experiment with one oil at a time and see what works for you. Coconut oil is a great oil to start with, because it is readily available and has many, many uses!

 

If coconut oil is so adaptable, why isn’t it used in Neauties lip products?

A marvelous question with a very simple answer. Actually, several oils were experimented with in the testing phase of Neauties natural lip treatments. As you probably already know castor oil was the oil of choice for our products, because for the projected outcome, which was staying power and shine, coconut oil did not perform as well in those areas. (Click here to read more about why we chose castor oil!) Coconut oil is very light, producing a lip gloss that wore off the lips quickly and, in turn, required reapplying frequently. On the other hand, this is the exact reason it works better on the rest of your skin. It absorbs quickly and easily making coconut oil the superior choice for other topical applications.

We hope this article presented you with useful information for using coconut oil on your skin or in your hair. See your next time!

 

Shimmers ~ Carefully Selected Color for You!

Our team at Neauties is very enthusiastic about learning about anything concerning natural beauty. We have recently encountered opinions claiming that all mineral makeup is harmful due to the use of mica. We, at Neauties, maintain our top priority to provide high quality ingredients. As you may know, our Shimmers Collection was created with colors derived from mica. After careful research we decided that mica was the best choice for our Shimmers collection. Rest assured that all mica used in Neauties is carefully selected and of the highest grade available. We purchase our mica from distributors that pride themselves on full disclosure of all components of their products (even when it is not required).

What is mica?

Mica is a silicate mineral mined from the earth. It occurs naturally in thin, flaky sheets. The color variations are due to the different types of rock that the mica is mined from. Minerals like titanium dioxide, tin oxide, and iron oxide coat the mica for more color variations adding more white or a natural gold, bronzy color, allowing the finished product to shimmer.

What Does Mica Do?

Mica gives natural makeup its color. If you are using makeup without mica, it could contain artificial dyes or lakes which are much more worrisome. There are some natural dyes that work well for certain cosmetic applications; however, these would be the exception rather than the rule.

Nano-particles

The first concern we encountered was the risk that mica might be ground into such minute particles, that are sometimes referred to as micro-particles or nano-particles. The cause for concern is that the granules are so tiny that they would penetrate the skin. The fact of the matter is that nano-particles would be ineffective when used for any makeup product. Furthermore, mica is non-allergenic and not water soluble preventing it from entering the skin.

Inhalation of Particles

Another consideration you may have with mica is the inhalation factor. We use an extraordinarily small amount of mica in our lip glosses; and you, as the consumer, has absolutely no risk of inhalation because it is suspended in a castor oil base.

In Conclusion

As stated before, we tirelessly researched any and all options for the perfect ingredient to color our Shimmers lip gloss. Mica gives our lip gloss a naturally beautiful, sparkling shine of transparent and semi-transparent color. All colors are meticulously selected based on safety of use. Although the colors in our Shimmers collection are stunning, you may be left wondering why the colors were selected. Maintaining our high standards in choosing only the very best ingredients restricted the colors that met our strenuous requirements. In fact, all mica used in Neauties’ Shimmers Collection have tested as safe to be used on the lips and the eyes.

I hope this information helps you to sort through everything you read about the use of mica and health of your skin. For more information on mica, please click here to visit our All About Micas page.

Thank you for stopping by, and remember… Show your Neauties, your Natural Beauty!

3 Reasons Castor Oil is the Ideal Oil for Your Lips

You may wonder why castor oil is the oil of choice for our Neauties lip products.  It is not well-known as an oil for beauty routines, but it does, in fact, have many beauty uses. Most of us know it as a use for constipation which gives the oil a very negative connotation and dismisses  anything beautiful about it; however, in our quest to provide you the best products possible, castor oil serves as a superior choice.

First, where does castor oil come from? It is derived from the seed of the castor plant (ricinus communis). The plant is native to India and is also known as Palma Christi (Palm of Christ). Ancient history reveals the that the Egyptians, Africans, as well as the Indians of India used castor oil for its extraordinary healing properties.  Castor oil is antifungal and antibacterial containing omega 6 and omega 9 fatty acids. When purchasing castor oil, it is cautioned to buy only hexane-free oil. Hexane is a chemical solvent used to extract the oil from the seed and has been proven in scientific studies to cause cancer.

Staying Power

So why did we choose castor oil? After experimenting and using many different oils in our lip products, castor oil proved to have the most benefits. First, and most importantly, we felt that a lip product should be long-lasting.  Lip products often disappear shortly after application, but this was not so when castor oil was used as a base for our lip treatments.  In fact, castor oil provided astonishing staying power and the highest shine over all other oils!

Healing

The healing properties of our lip products is another high priority factor. Again castor oil won over all other oils. Castor oil applied to lips proved to heal cracks and prevent chapping.  The antibacterial and antifungal properties come into play here, as they actually repair your lips!

Excellent Protection

And since castor oil has a thick consistency it provides a protective, non-sticky barrier to wind, sun, or other elements that potentially harm our lips.  So whether the season is summer, winter, spring, or fall, Neauties lip glosses and balms are formulated for the longest wear and best protection possible.

What about the balms?

Since they are formulated for men, women, and children, could the high shine be a drawback for men and children? Men, women, and children can all benefit from the special castor oil base in the balms as well. We use a special base formulated specifically for the balms–all of the base ingredients work together to provide the same long lasting protection but without the shine.

Note About Castor Oil:  The benefits described here are for topically applied uses. For internal uses, always consult with a medical doctor before consuming, as there are other considerations for internal uses not discussed here.

Thank you for allowing me to spend some time with you, and I hope you have enjoyed your stay with us!