From hair care to skin care, coconut oil has been used for thousands of years to provide myriad benefits, such as cleansing and acting as a moisturizing sealant.

You may have even heard whispers that it is used as an anti-aging agent to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. But just how quickly does it take for coconut oil to deliver the smooth, supple results you seek — if it can at all?

Let’s take a closer look at just what coconut oil can and cannot do when it comes to capturing a younger-looking complexion.

Just as a grape shrivels into a raisin when it loses water content, dry, dehydrated skin can appear rather wrinkled.

When your skin lacks hydration, it loses plumpness and elasticity, which can make fine lines and wrinkles look much more noticeable. This means that keeping your skin adequately moisturized is a key step in maintaining a smoother, more youthful complexion and might help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, although it won’t actually get rid of them.

How does coconut oil help with this?

Well, coconut oil is what’s known in dermatology as an occlusive skincare ingredient. Essentially, occlusives work by forming a barrier over your skin to help prevent water loss, effectively locking in skin’s hydration. However, it’s important to note occlusive ingredients do not typically add extra moisture to the skin on their own. So, coconut oil works best when applied over top of, or with other moisture-adding ingredients such as diluted glycerin or aloe vera.

In addition to its occlusive effects, coconut oil exhibits emollient properties. This simply means that it works to “fill in the gaps” of dry skin, using its fatty acids to support a smoother, more youthful-looking complexion.

As an emollient, coconut oil may help smooth out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (especially if your skin is starting out on the dry side) but, again, it’s not going to eliminate them on its own.

Finally, in terms of anti-aging skincare, coconut oil isn’t as rich in antioxidants as some other natural ingredients like astaxanthin or green tea extract, for example, but it does contain polyphenols, which are a fairly powerful group of antioxidants. These antioxidants may help combat free radicals, which can accelerate skin aging and contribute to numerous signs of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles.

As you may have realized already, coconut oil isn’t going to fade all of your wrinkles away— or at least, it hasn’t been proven to do so in studies yet. This is mainly because it doesn’t tackle the “root causes” of wrinkles, like reduced collagen and elastin production, or damage from UV rays.

BUT there is some good news.

Coconut oil is a great nourisher and hydrator (as we’ve just gone over) that can help skin look more plump and smooth. In fact, one study found that applying coconut oil for just two weeks significantly improved skin hydration.

Plus, coconut oil is a great complement to other skincare ingredients— like vitamin C and other potent antioxidants— that do have the ability to help boost collagen and fade the appearance of wrinkles.

There are varying opinions about how quickly using coconut oil produces results. One study discovered that merely two weeks of regular coconut oil use resulted in notable improvements in skin hydration. However, everyone’s skin, needs, and goals are different. There is no one-size-fits-all timeline.

One thing is certain across skin types, though.

Consistency is key.

For maximum moisturizing and smoothing power, regular and continued use of coconut oil yields better skincare results than infrequent use. However, for the most potent results, consider combining coconut oil with other 100% natural botanicals rich in antioxidant, moisture-enhancing, and collagen-boosting properties.

Coconut Oil + Other Botanicals for True Anti-Aging

Embracing coconut oil may prove to be a game-changer for dry and sensitive skin types alike.

But if you really want to see results for younger-looking skin, try using coconut oil alongside other, more powerful ingredients like in the Age-Defying Dream Cream from Purity Woods.

Packed with 25 nourishing botanicals, this best-selling cream contains coconut oil as well as numerous antioxidant ingredients, including astaxanthin and several extracts rich in vitamin C. It deeply nourishes your skin while also quickly going to work against signs of aging.

Better yet, the entire formula is USDA Certified Organic (very rare in a skincare product), so you don’t have to worry about ANY toxins, GMOs, or synthetic ingredients.

Find out more about the Age-Defying Dream Cream here and discover how these powerful ingredients can turn the clock back on aging.