In my last post, I talked about how coconut oil massages alleviated my daughter’s eczema, inspiring the start of the Bubbsi brand.
Despite its many skin benefits, I found pure coconut oil to be an absolute mess to use on my children. It's melting point of 75F meant it could either be a chunky solid or liquid goop when opened, leading to more than a few unexpected spills. And it comes in a tub, so you have to unscrew, scoop, and slather it onto skin, all while holding your little one in place. Perfect for parents with three hands; but for me... not so much. Navigating it all made skincare with kids a total circus act. So I created Bubbsi to give parents the benefits of coconut oil without all that scoop & slather mess.
In this post, we'll talk more about why we’re so loyal to coconut oil in the first place and give you some tips to get the most out of our oil-rich ritual!
WHY ARE WE SO OBSESSED WITH COCONUT OIL?
Our skin needs oil - that's a fact! Our bodies produce our own natural oil (called sebum) to protect skin and maintain hydration and softness. But harsh soaps, chemical pollutants, and dry winter air can dehydrate skin by depleting the sebum. Coconut oil effectively locks in moisture while ALSO protecting against pathogens. In fact, did you know coconut oil actually has similarities to breast milk? Read on to see the top 3 reasons we love this superstar ingredient.
1) It’s a highly effective natural moisturizer
Coconut oil is composed primarily of medium chain fatty acids, which are “healthy fats” that repair the skin's barrier and keep it feeling soft and smooth. It's unique composition allows it to absorb into pores deeply and effortlessly to trap in moisture while still remaining lightweight on our skin.
2) It’s a great cleanser, too!
Did you know oils are actually very effective gentle cleansers? Based on the “like dissolves like” scientific principle, coconut oil in pores actually attracts oil-based impurities; it softens keratin caps and hardened sebum and brings up the grime up to the skin's surface so you can wash it away. Unlike harsh soaps, it maintains skin hydration while cleansing so it's a great way to get baby clean during those dry winter months in particular.
3) It protects and fortifies baby’s skin - much like breast milk!
Coconut oil is antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory, containing powerful agents to protect skin from potential pathogens. Because of this, coconut oil is frequently applied to the diaper area to prevent unwanted germs and itchy rashes. In fact, It has similar infection-fighting properties as breast milk. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid that gives breast milk its infection-fighting superpowers. Coconut oil is the only other natural source with such abundance of lauric acid - it makes up almost 50% of the pure oil!
WHAT TYPE OF COCONUT OIL DOES BUBBSI USE?
We're pretty picky about how we source our coconut oil to ensure that it retains the goodness that we talked about above. Let’s define a few terms you probably see a lot but don’t stop to think about:
Cold pressed: our coconut oil is pressed out of coconut insides without the addition of any heat, which means that it retains more antioxidants and nutrients than a heat refined version
COSMOS-certified organic: our coconut oil source is certified organic according to the high standards set by COSMOS, a non-profit international certification body for natural & organic ingredients and products.
HOW DO I GET THE MOST OUT OF COCONUT OIL WITH BUBBSI?
Bubbsi offers a coconut oil-rich ritual across both moisturizers and cleansers. A traditional skincare ritual that includes frequent soap baths can deplete baby's already delicate skin of its natural moisture and sebum. Instead, we at Bubbsi believe that the path to snuggly skin for your baby is through daily moisturizing massages and a few gentle, hydrating baths each week so that baby's developing skin can replenish its own oils naturally. Check out the details on our recommended ritual below:
1) Make daily moisture massages with our rich Whipped Coconut Oil Body Cream the centerpiece of your bub's skincare ritual. Coconut Oil and Shea Butter replenish skin's hydration, while massage promotes brain development, circulation and sleep in little ones.
2) Doctors recommend 1-3x baths a week for littlest bubs, with increasing frequency as they get older. Our ultra-gentle hydrating Creamy Coconut Oil Shampoo + Wash cleanses little piggies from head to toe, using Coconut Oil and Shea Butter to leave hair and skin soft and never stripped. For extra dry skin or in the winter, use our Coconut Oil Balm to cleanse face & body a few times a week. It acts as both a cleanser and a moisturizer!
3) Use our deep moisturizing Coconut Oil Balm as needed to protect & restore RUFF skin. This is a concentrated blend of Coconut & Sunflower oils, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties and high levels of antioxidants. Use it to restore dry patches and chapped skin, protect diaper area and soften cradle cap.
For the best value, order The Newborn Starter Set.
