Botanical Body Care

Coconut oil has powerful anti-bacterial and antifungal properties, which means it may help fight bad breath and gingivitis. One study showed that swishing with coconut oil (aka oil pulling) for 10 minutes reduced bacteria in the mouth as well as antiseptic mouthwash; another found that daily coconut gargling can reduce inflammation and plaque in participants with gingivitis. Moisturizing skin Thanks to its fatty acids, coconut oil is very moisturizing, and it’s safe to use on your body and face for all skin types. It absorbs quickly and gives off a more glowy, dewy effect compared to traditional lotion. The pleasant tropical scent doesn’t hurt, either—you’ll be using it as lip balm before you know it! Keep in mind, coconut oil is comedogenic, so it's not recommended for acne-prone skin.

There’s something about hitting the beach with a fresh pedicure that feels quintessentially summertime. The wabi sabi nail look with a backdrop of sand and sea screams fun IRL and on Instagram. But if your nail care motto from June to August is paint, enjoy, remove, repeat, podiatrists say you might want to hit pause on the cycle to let your feet breathe. If you don’t (I’m so, so sorry to break this to you), you may just find toe nail fungus lurking beneath your Bimini Blue polish. “Nail polish is a leading cause of toenail fungus ,” says Doug Tumen, DPM, FACFAS , a board-certified podiatrist based in New York’s Hudson Valley. The toxins and preservatives lurking in most commercial polish encourage the growth of fungus, according to the expert. Same, same with artificial nails . “If upon removing nail polish you see white spots, yellow discoloration, or thickening of the nail, you may have a fungus forming,” explains Dr. Trumen. So if you’re gearing up to swap hues and spot any of t