Coconut oil is a holy grail product in many households — it’s one of those “cure-all” products like Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. A few years ago, I believed in all the hype too. I used it for cooking, as a body moisturizer, as a makeup remover, as a hair mask, though I never tried the oil pulling thing because it sounds gross. It was all the rage but people still have misconceptions about the “magical” properties of coconut oil (on the skin that is).
But first, let’s take a look at the three types of moisturizing agents: Humectants, Emollients, and Occlusives. Humectants attract moisture from the deepest layers of your skin and bring it up to the surface, hydrating the skin. Emollients fill the space between the skin cells to create a protective barrier and soften the skin. Occlusives sit on top of the skin to prevent it from losing any moisture. The perfect “moisturizer” that we think of would be both a humectant and an emollient. Then you could lock in the moisture with a good occlusive.
The Good
Coconut oil is a low molecular oil that has many benefits to the skin:
It’s a great occlusive, meaning it locks in moisture.
It’s an okay emollient (due to its high lauric acid content), meaning it soothes and softens skin.
It’s rich in fatty acids which helps repair the skin’s moisture barrier.
Coconut oil is great for putting on the body after a lotion to lock in the moisture. It’s also great for shaving your legs since it’s soothing and softening. It’s great to cook with too but that’s beside the point. On to the bad!
The Bad
All oils are occlusives meaning they are fantastic at sealing in the moisture. And even though it’s an occlusive and an emollient, it lacks moisture. The hard truth is that coconut oil doesn’t deliver a ton of moisture. Repeat: Facial oils do not hydrate your skin. (Mind-blowing right? Until last year, I thought oils were as hydrating as it gets).
This is because the coconut molecules are too large to absorb into the skin (hence why it sits on top). So if you need a lot of moisture, don’t reach for the jar of coconut oil. Instead, go for a moisturizer or lotion with humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.
The Ugly
Coconut oil is comedogenic which means it’s likely to clog pores and cause acne. It’s also rated as one of the most comedogenic oils out there. As stated above, coconut oil is an occlusive so its job is to sit on top of your skin and trap the moisture inside which can cause significant problems for acneic and sensitive skin types. If you have very dry skin, coconut oil may be a great occlusive for you to put on after a moisturizer. But even as a makeup remover, coconut oil may still be too heavy and cause breakouts in acne-prone skin if 100% of the residue isn’t washed away.
To Sum It Up
Coconut oil is a great product and has a variety of benefits to the skin — just not the face for certain skin types. Acneic and sensitive skin types, stay away from the jar of coconut oil.
What do you think about coconut oil for skin? Leave a comment down below.
Say what!! I had no idea about how bad coconut oil is for the face!! Thank you for the information!!