As is often the case, after our kitchens, coconut oil (INCI: Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil) has been spreading to our bathrooms. It is multi-purpose and owes its nourishing, repairing benefits to its richness in lauric acid, a rare, ‘medium-chain’ fatty acid with a strong affinity with the skin and hair, and which also offers interesting antimicrobial properties. Very easily absorbed by the skin, it creates a smooth effect on the epidermis and makes the hair shine. In addition, it contains antioxidant vitamins A and E. Also, vitamin A enhances cell renewal. Lastly, it limits the damages induced by UV rays. Its sensorial aspect is one of its main advantages. Its sweet, velvety, voluptuous perfume is an invitation to travel. One more thing: when it is natural, it is quite delicate and evokes freshly grated coconut, without being sickly. So, it is better to choose virgin coconut oil, which is obtained by cold-pressing and offers organic quality.

Exotic shower

With coconut-based shower gels and scrubs, you will be beyond your senses:
• Moisturizing Shower Cream with fair trade quality coconut butter, Ma pause Coco-ning, Les P’tits Bonheurs Collection by Le Petit Marseillais (250 ml, €2.39)
• Coconut Shower Cream by The Body Shop (250 ml, €7), enriched with cold-pressed virgin coconut oil from Samoa, Polynesia
• Coconut Exfoliating Gel by Emma Noël (200 ml, €8.96), a particularly comfortable organic-certified scrub based on virgin coconut oil
• Exfoliating Granité de Douche Polynésie (300 ml, €7.50), another scrub with coconut pulp and fine sand by Ushuaïa

The L’Oréal brand is also the only one to offer deodorants with a long-lasting perfume for shaven skins (Skincare Deodorant with ylang-ylang and coconut pulp, 200 ml spray, €3.90 or 50 ml roll-on, €3.85).
And it is only just starting… indeed, this summer, you can expect a real coconut shower in cosmetic hygiene products!

A delight for hair fibres

You will find coconut oil from the Samoa Islands in the whole, very ‘natural’ Aura Botanica line by Kérastase:
• Bain Micellaire 250 ml, €22.50; Soin Fondamental, 200 ml, €32.40
• Concentré Essentiel, 50 ml, €36
• Essence d’éclat, Huile en brume hydratante, 100 ml, €38.72

Lovea Nature products are more affordable: the brand offers a tropical cure to dry, damaged hair (Coco Paradise Shampoo, 0% sulphate and silicone, 250 ml, €4.99; Coco Paradise Conditioner & Mask, 250 ml, €4.92; 100% natural and protective organic-certified Coconut oil, 100 ml, €12.64).

Natessance® has not hesitated either to travel to the end of the world to provide the hair with shininess and radiance with three organic-certified treatments:
• Sulphate and silicone-free shampoo: Shampooing Extra-doux Brillance Coco (250 ml, €5.90)
• Conditioner: Après-shampooing Extra-doux Démêlant Brillance Coco (150 ml, €8.95)
• Pure, organic cold-pressed virgin oil (250 ml, €13.90 or 100 ml, €11.60)
In June, it will be L’Oréal Paris’s turn to release a whole coconut-based range: Huile Extraordinaire Coco.

Multi-purpose oils

Similarly to the Vita Coco coconut oil (you are right, that is the brand that made the world discover coconut water!), which has arrived in Sephora stores (250 ml, €15 or 50 ml, €5), these oils are real ‘Swiss army knives’ for the cosmetics industry: they can be used as cleansers, body care products, hair oils, soothing balms for the lips, massage oils, shaving creams, natural deodorants, or toothpaste! Phew, that is enough!
Just a short clarification… If the Vita Coco oil can be used with food, you may buy yours at your favourite organic store: it is available from the vegetable oil department, and it is much cheaper there (Bio-Planète virgin organic Coconut Oil, 200 ml, €4.99)!
We can also mention Hawaian brand Leahlani Skincare’s unrefined coconut oil (Coco Infusion Mahana Oil, 118 ml, €26).

Face or body care

Let’s finish with more ‘sophisticated’ face or body care products, like the Coconut Milky Mist by Too Cool for School (80 ml, €15.95, in Sephora stores), which contains 87% of coconut water for an ultra-hydrated skin.
There is also a moisturizing mask based on coconut water and ceramides by the same brand (Coconut Ceramide Mask, €4.95 for a single-dose mask).

In Monoprix stores, you will find the coconut water Face Mask by Oh K!, a Korean brand (€9.99 for a pack of three masks).
Leaders offer an original after-sun mask made of biocellulose derived from coconut. It contains 26 ml of serum (Leaders 7 Wonders Caribbean Coconut After-Sun Mask, €4.95 for a single-dose mask).

As for body care products, Planter’s has just launched a whole delightful range with extra-virgin, organic coconut oil from South-Eastern Asia, associated with monoï:
• Body Moisturizing Milk, 250 ml, €4.95
• Body Cream, 125 g, €6.9
• Body Beautifying Oil, 150 ml, €10.50
• Hand Cream, 60 g, €3.50

The same goes for The Body Shop:
• Coconut Nourishing Body Butter, 200 ml, €17
• Coconut Body Milk, 250 ml, €12
• Coconut Body Mist, 100 ml, €12
• Coconut Hand Cream, 75 ml, €6
• Coconut Body and Hair Beauty Oil, 100 ml, €13.50
• Coconut Body Scrub, 250 ml, €17). There is even an eau de toilette (Coconut, 30 ml, €13).

You got it, coconut will be a must have scent this summer!

Ariane Le Febvre