Coconut oil is famous for its many benefits, especially for the skin. New tattoos do not need irritants, and need soothing ingredients like coconut, but when used the right way.
Coconut is the latest trend found almost everywhere and used for almost everything, even for tattoos! Since this gorgeous-scented item is so promoted in skincare, it of course has found its use for tattoos as well.
However, there is more to it than just a pleasant summer scent, and when it comes to tattoos, we should explore every ingredient, its benefits, or downsides if any, in the context of healing a recently tattooed skin.
Today we will talk about coconut oil as tattoo skincare and decide whether it is a favorable routine to adopt for your fresh ink, or whether you need to take certain precautions and choose another aftercare product.
Using Coconut Oil On Tattoos
Before you start using the coconut as tattoo aftercare, you should view the pros and cons.
Pros of using coconut as tattoo aftercare:
- Good moisturizing
- Antiseptic properties
- Vitamins (K and E)
- Almost no chance of adverse effects
- Reducing inflammations
- Easily accessible
The cons of using coconut as tattoo aftercare:
- Dryness or low-moisture level (due to non-organic coconut products)
- Clogging of pores (due to improper amount applied)
- Possible risk of breakouts (if non-organic, or in case of extremely rarely sensitive skin)
How to ensure the perfect level of moisture with coconut oil
The first thing to remember, if you opt for organic coconut oil there will be fewer negative effects as with non-organic coconut oil. And yes, the prices will be quite different, which is one indicator of a good quality coconut oil.
With a good choice of this, your skin will heal much better after the tattooing. Moisturizing goes a long way, and it is very important to know that coconut will promote incredible softness, and even promote collagen production in the skin. Collagen is usually found in all meats and similar protein foods, but when you apply it on a new tattoo, logically, it will make the skin soft, healthy-looking, and more elastic which is crucial after tattooing.
With coconut oil, the moisture will prevent any unpleasant or even painful cracks or bad peeling. Tattoos have to peel during the healing period, but if the skin is dry, these peelings will hurt or even bleed and get infected! The natural ingredients in coconut are beneficial for the skin that needs instant soothing like in this case.
An antiseptic effect from coconut oil
Another amazing benefit is the health factor ensured with coconut. When you get a tattoo, the skin is traumatized and exposed to contaminants, germs, and bacteria too. Of course, this means you must keep it not just moisturized, but clean at all times, to avoid infections or inflammations.
How does coconut factor in here? Simple. This tropical wonder has quite a few nutrients that act just like antiseptics, such as lauric, caprylic, and capric acids. These over your gentle tattooed skin, and you are wearing a natural shield against microbes threatening your ‘wounded’ skin.
Vitamin dose for the skin
Coconut oil is like a smoothie for your skin, in the form of sweet-smelling oil! More importantly, the nutrients in this oil are not just overall amazing for the general health of organs, but with the vitamins E and K, the skin restores much better, faster, retains elasticity, and locks in moisture. This is vital, because if moisture is easily washed off, what is the point?
Vitamin K is known for its ability to speed up blood clotting when our skin is open or we suffer some wounds. Fast blood clotting means not losing blood or lymph fluids, and a shorter time for the skin to form a scab that will peel sooner than normal as well.
Vitamin E (in abundance in coconut) is among the most common ingredients used in skin care products because it keeps the skin cells healthy, acts as a much-needed antioxidant, and hinders the effects of UV damage to the skin.
Is coconut oil risky compared to other skin or aftercare products?
By now it is obvious that coconut oil is not ‘risky’ for the tattooed skin and even has many natural benefits as well. If we compare the coconut to other aftercare products, it would probably win because it is organic, pure, and not adulterated with chemical ingredients or artificial things for making the formulas.
With other products, you never know if you might be allergic to something, or if those are too harsh for your skin. But, with coconut, that doubt is lessened because you know you use something nature gives us, and it is pure.
However, if you use non-organic coconut, you will get the scent, but not the moisture you need. In fact, on the contrary – the skin will feel dryer, and much faster.
How to ensure it will not cause a skin reaction?
For this, all you can do for starters is to invest in good and organic coconut oil. Do not get fooled by the low prices of large packages, or low prices only to begin with. Yes, being frugal and saving money is important, but not at all costs when it comes to skincare for such sensitive issues – tattooed skin needs a boost of extra care from the regular skincare routine!
So, purchase good organic coconut oil, and first to be safe do a skin patch test. A dab of the oil on your palm, and even on the inner side of the forearm near the elbow crease. On these two spots, you should easily notice how fast the softness manifests, and notice possible reactions, especially in the elbow inner crease because here the skin is hairless, gentle, and sensitive (but safe for conducting skin product tests).
How often do you apply coconut oil?
It is the best and safe option to do the aftercare that the artist recommended, in terms of the frequency of applying the products. So if it’s best to apply a healing product 2-3 times per day, use the same rule for coconut oil, and then some!
Since we talk about an organic natural ingredient, if you want you could use it more than 2-3 times per day, but only if you use it sparingly. Nothing in excess is good, even the good things. Even with the best of the best, if you apply too much of any product on the skin, it will only leave a greasy residue, and probably clog the pores (especially if you have sensitive skin)!
Stick to the 2-3 times per day – coconut moisturizes well enough to last in-between applications.
What amount would work best?
Less is better, and this rule applies especially well when it comes to products that are highly concentrated in good ingredients. The better the quality, the less need for quantity – a good and easy rule of thumb to remember.
A droplet of coconut when melted covers a pretty much large skin area, and because it is so hydrating and easy to spread, this is another bonus. Pea-sized ‘drop’ will be good enough for almost the whole forearm area for example.
Avoid applying too much, because excess skin products clog pores more frequently. And grease up the clothes!
What if my skin doesn’t react well to coconut?
Usually, this doesn’t happen that often, and if it does, it is very rare. Coconut is known to be soothing for the skin, with the least possible skin adverse reactions. However, if some minor redness or similar reaction happens, stop using it for a day or two.
At that moment, just wash it off, and use the ointment the artist initially recommended (probably antibiotic one).
How to avoid the clogging of pores from coconut?
This is not hard to do, all you have to keep in mind is a pea-size drop of coconut to cover a relatively large area. Massage it gently into the skin, and wat a few hours before the next application, or around 3 times applications per day. If you have very dry skin, or the tattoo cracks a bit and the skin starts to feel too dry or tight, then you could apply again in this case, but a small amount!
The clogging happens from a large amount of product, applied over not so clean skin area, and applied way too often.
Cleanse the tattoo before every single application – use the cleanser product recommended by the artist (usually this is an antibacterial soap). Pat dry, and apply the coconut oil, gently, but thoroughly enough to absorb (it absorbs very fast). And that is all until the next application.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude about the famous coconut oil as tattoo aftercare! Now you certainly have the impression that coconut is amazing and beneficial, and those few adverse effects it has are not even directly from the coconut, but the improper brand or usage.
To avoid allergies or skin reactions, choose organic coconut oil.
To avoid bumps and clogged pores, apply a small amount, not too often, 2-3 times per day, or for very dry skin, again as needed.
Treat your new tattoos with care, and ‘feed’ them with coconut nutrients, vitamins, and lush moisture of heavenly scent – but don’t overdo it.
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