Virgin coconut oil, one of South East Asia’s long-held beauty secrets, has come of age. The oil, among the purest forms of coconut oil, is one of the earliest to be used for therapeutic purposes. It’s said that people in this region have lived off the health-giving properties of coconuts for centuries because the topical virtues of the oil are bountiful. Enriched with natural vitamin E and antioxidants, coconut-infused skin and hair are now celebrated in spas around the world, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Coconut has a long and exciting history. In India and Sri Lanka, the oil has long been used as a soothing hair and skincare ingredient. It’s said that people living in the coastal areas of Sri Lanka bathe in warm water after applying coconut oil all over their body and leave it in for an hour or so to soften their hair and skin.

In Ayurvedic medicine, too, coconut is revered for its cooling qualities that help pacify pitta (hot and fiery) body conditions, the milk often being used to help heal burns and scars. The Filipinos, who use coconut oil regularly in their diet, are known for their fabulous skin even though there’s sun all year round. For generations, they have been making virgin coconut oil by hand; in fact, coconut reportedly contributes 7 per cent of their total export income.

Could coconut oil be the world’s best-kept beauty secret? The texture of the oil is non-greasy, light and easily absorbed into the skin and the cooling qualities make it an effective anti-inflammatory oil. Rich in lauric acid, virgin coconut oil is a fabulous ingredient for soap, massage oils, scrubs and hair treatments.

In the Maldives, the native coconut, called kurumba, is plentiful and often the primary ingredient for scrubs, massages and oils. It’s said that coconut oil became a popular hair and skin luxuriant in this region during a time when no soap was available. Soon enough, islanders noticed that those working in the coconut oil business possessed healthy and shiny skin and thus a new beauty ingredient was born.