Coconut & Argan Oil - The GentleManual

Aging is a natural and unavoidable fact of life. Wrinkles emerge, white hairs gain the field, and one’s youthful luster dulls. Senescence always wins. (If you want to feel better about this fact, read The Silent Transformations by Francois Jullien.) Thanks to CNN host Don Lemon for reminding us of two oils that can help a man look better, groom better, and feel better. If they are not already, these two powerhouse oils should be staples of your daily life. Use often, and liberally.

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Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has a wide variety of uses, and these offer a myriad of health benefits. It can be used to moisturize and nourish your skin and hair, and can be part of an effective, sustainable solution to both chronic and acute skin disorders — from burns, to eczema, to dandruff. Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, and smells great. Slather your piggies in this — it is both antibacterial and antiviral. It is our favorite way to treat our feet in the summer, as we flip-flop from tongs, to topsiders, to no-show socks. Use product in your hair? Sideline the Murray’s for a week and try a teaspoon of coconut oil.

Pure coconut oil is, of course, edible, and it can improve digestion and support healthy immunological function. The nutritional value of coconut oil apart, your wok is unlikely to get to the temperatures at which the oil denatures and breaks down. There is some evidence to suggest that it can help prevent heart, kidney, and liver disease.

Argan Oil

The natives of the Argan Forest in Morocco knew something that we didn’t. Inside the argan fruit is an oil that can be used as a dietary supplement with all natural healing properties. The oil is packed with antioxidants, Vitamin A and E, and Omega-6 fatty acids.

Argan oil is also an all-in-one moisturizer, skin toner, and exfoliant. Try it on dry patches of skin, and run it through your hair as a conditioner — it increases body, shine, and growth. It is claimed to reduce wrinkle visibility by restoring elasticity, and one member of our team uses it religiously from sole to crown. Consider keeping one bottle in your shave-kit, and one in your first aid kit: for garden-variety, non-life-threatening skin irritations and burns, argan oil is just the tonic.