We all have that one friend with gorgeous skin and hair who, when asked what her beauty routine entails, responds with an easy flip of her glossy hair by saying “Oh, I just use coconut oil!” So you buy a jumbo sized jar of coconut oil at the grocery store, and three weeks later you have acne, greasy hair, and dry, flaky skin. What is going ON? Why isn’t your coconut oil moisturizer the magical elixir you thought it was?? If you’re the friend who’s using the coconut oil with glowing results, keep doing what you’re doing! That means coconut oil agrees with your skin, and it’s a very inexpensive, readily available product—you are winning the skincare game, girl! But, if like many people, you have trouble figuring out how to use coconut oil successfully, this article is for you. Below, I’ll tell you all about the different kinds of coconut oil, how to use it and how not to use it, and what the alternatives are if coconut oil doesn’t work well for your skin type. What’s Inside Coconut Oil? Picture Tom Hanks in Castaway, frantically trying to crack open the coconuts he finds on the desert island where he’s stranded. Finally, he pries one open and liquid comes out! Coconut oil? Nope, that’s coconut water, and it’s a fantastic source of electrolytes, especially if you’re dehydrated after a shipwreck. To make virgin (meaning not refined/bleached/deodorized) coconut oil, the white pulp inside the coconut gets removed from the hairy brown shell, which gets discarded. Then, the pulp is either pressed raw or dried and then pressed, using a large, screw-type machine called an expeller to squeeze the oil from the coconut pulp. Whether the final product is labelled “expeller-pressed” or “cold-pressed” has to do with the maximum temperature reached during the process. In general, cold-pressed oils, which don’t get heated above 120 degrees, retain more nutrients, but both expeller-pressed and cold-pressed coconut oils are considered unrefined, and neither process uses chemicals to extract the oil. Because of the heat involved, expeller-pressed coconut oil may have a slightly nuttier, toastier flavor than cold-pressed, but both have a noticeably “coconutty” aroma. Virgin coconut oil has a high proportion (40-52%) of a saturated fatty acid called lauric acid, which has a 12-carbon chain, technically a medium chain fatty acid, but it’s the longest of the medium chain fatty acids. Because there are more atoms in lauric acid than some of the shorter fatty acids, it takes more heat to melt it, which is why virgin coconut oil solid at room temperature. There is another type of coconut oil commonly used in skincare called fractionated coconut oil, which has had the lauric acid removed, leaving behind only the medium-chain fatty acids caprylic acid (8 carbons) and capric acid (10 carbons). The process can be done with steam distillation (this is the type we use at Osmia) or with chemical solvents. In the realm of wellness and nutrition, this version of coconut oil is often referred to as MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil. Because the fatty acids have shorter (though still considered medium in length) carbon chains, fractionated coconut oil is a clear liquid at room temperature. It also has an extremely long shelf life, meaning it is less prone to rancidity than virgin coconut oil. We use a lovely, organic, fractionated coconut oil as part of our body oil formula, and find that most folks absolutely love using our body oils on wet skin! One last note: don’t buy refined coconut oil. It’s been processed with high heat, had most of the good stuff removed, and isn’t worth the very cheap price tag. Or maybe it’s exactly worth that price tag. You get the point. Why Coconut Oil Might or Might Not Work for Your Skin While there are many benefits of coconut oil for skin, and virgin coconut oil works beautifully for some lucky people, it doesn’t work for everyone. Lauric acid, which is the main fatty acid in virgin coconut oil, has significant anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial activity against the main species of bacteria that causes and exacerbates acne, Propionibacterium acnes. The trouble is that virgin coconut oil is also highly comedogenic (pore-clogging), with a score of 4 out of 5 on the comedogenicity scale. So, while the oil may help decrease the acne-causing bacteria on your skin, it can simultaneously clog pores and cause more breakouts. Virgin coconut oil is not very easily absorbed into the skin, so it can leave you feeling both greasy and dry. Fractionated coconut oil is likely to agree with more skin types. It absorbs into your skin more readily, and leaves more of a velvety texture than an oily one. Without the lauric acid, it’s less active against acne-causing bacteria, but it is rated 2 or 3 on the comedogenicity scale, so it’s also less likely to cause breakouts. If you’re using coconut oil for dry skin, fractionated coconut oil is the way to go, because it penetrates your skin more effectively, leaving less of a greasy feel on your skin. And, if you apply it to wet or damp skin, it’s likely to leave your skin feeling velvety soft. In addition to causing breakouts and possibly not providing enough nourishment for some people, coconut oil, like most natural ingredients, can cause allergic reactions if you have an allergy to one of the compounds it contains. True coconut allergy is rare (about one in 260 people), may or may not result in symptoms when using the oil externally, and is not considered the same as a tree nut allergy. Misconceptions About Coconut Oil for Skin “Coconut oil is hydrating.” All around the internet, you’ll find information about how hydrating coconut oil is, but that is actually inaccurate. “Hydr” means water, and there is no water in coconut oil. So, if you’re using coconut oil, virgin or fractionated, to “hydrate” your skin, you will only be successful if you apply the oil to sopping wet skin. This is true of any oil, including our beautifully-balanced body oils, and we explain this process and the benefits of natural body oils here. “Coconut oil heals eczema.” Lots of people try coconut oil in their search for eczema skincare or perioral dermatitis skincare and find out the hard way that it often makes both of those conditions worse. Both eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) and perioral dermatitis crave hydration, which means they need the perfect blend of water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients, and usually don’t respond well to oil alone. “You can use coconut oil for everything.” Well, some people can, but some people definitely can’t. And just because it works for one job does not mean it will work for all jobs. It might work well for your hair, but not your skin. Or it might take off eye makeup like a boss, but cause you to break out if you use coconut oil for your face. It’s an individual, trial-and-error situation, and you’re allowed to pick and choose what works for your skin! Better Alternatives to Coconut Oil for Skincare If you find that your skin either breaks out or does not feel moisturized when you use virgin coconut oil, try using it on sopping wet skin. If that doesn’t help, you can try using fractionated coconut oil on wet skin instead. And if that doesn’t work, it’s time to switch to a different oil. Here are a few of my favorite natural oils for skincare, all of which have a comedogenicity rating of two or below: Argan Oil This light, mildly nutty smelling oil penetrates skin quickly and completely, leaving almost no greasy residue. We use it in our Nectar Nourishing Drops, a booster for all skin types. Jojoba Oil Technically a liquid wax, jojoba oil has a structure very similar to your skin’s own sebum, and is excellent at helping repair a damaged skin barrier. Jojoba oil benefits extend beyond skincare—it even played a role in saving sperm whales from extinction, in case that sparks your curiosity… Kukui Oil There is a small dose of Hawaiian magic in this oil, also known as candlenut oil. We use it in our body oils, and a tiny (but still magical) dose in our beloved Purely Simple Face Cream. Sunflower Oil One of the main ingredients in our Craft Series Body Oils, sunflower oil has the most velvety texture of almost any oil I work with, and leaves skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth (when used on wet skin, as described above). Pumpkin Seed Oil This beautiful, dark green oil, also in our Nectar Nourishing Drops, is loaded with zinc and Vitamin C, and helps even out skin tone while softening skin texture. Prickly Pear Seed Oil The benefits of prickly pear seed oil include its light, velvety texture and its high levels of Vitamin E, omega-6 fatty acids, Vitamin K, and Zinc, making it excellent for repairing damaged or hyperpigmented skin. It’s also in our Nectar Nourishing Drops. How to Tell If Coconut Oil is Hurting Your Skin If you’ve been slathering on the coconut oil and you’re still dry or flaky, you either need to apply it to wet skin, or switch to a different oil. If you’re breaking out from using coconut oil (beyond the normal, mild breakouts that can happen in the first few weeks of switching to a new skincare product), then coconut oil may be too comedogenic for your skin. And if you’re experiencing redness, itching, or irritation when using coconut oil, don’t overthink it—just switch to something else! Should You Stop Using Coconut Oil on Your Skin? As mentioned at the beginning of this article, if you’re already using coconut oil for skincare and you’re happy with the results, you should do a happy dance and keep doing exactly what you’re doing! There are plenty of reasons to try coconut oil for skin health, and if it works well for your skin and/or hair, you should celebrate and thank your skin for being uncomplicated! But if you’ve tried it, and you have either found that it does nothing for your skin or it seems to make your skin upset, it’s not all in your head. Coconut oil is a beautiful, natural ingredient that works well for some and not for others. Try it and find out what works best for your skin! Resources: Nakatsuji T, Kao MC, Fang JY, Zouboulis CC, Zhang L, Gallo RL, Huang CM. Antimicrobial property of lauric acid against Propionibacterium acnes: its therapeutic potential for inflammatory acne vulgaris. J Invest Dermatol. 2009 Oct;129(10):2480-8. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.93. Epub 2009 Apr 23. PMID: 19387482; PMCID: PMC2772209. Abdalla S, Aroua MK, Gew LT. A Comprehensive Review of Plant-Based Cosmetic Oils (Virgin Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Argan Oil, and Jojoba Oil): Chemical and Biological Properties and Their Cosmeceutical Applications. ACS Omega. 2024 Oct 25;9(44):44019-44032. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c04277. PMID: 39524627; PMCID: PMC11541506. Varma SR, Sivaprakasam TO, Arumugam I, Dilip N, Raghuraman M, Pavan KB, Rafiq M, Paramesh R. In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. J Tradit Complement Med. 2018 Jan 17;9(1):5-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.06.012. PMID: 30671361; PMCID: PMC6335493. Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 27;19(1):70. doi: 10.3390/ijms19010070. PMID: 29280987; PMCID: PMC5796020. Danby SG, AlEnezi T, Sultan A, Lavender T, Chittock J, Brown K, Cork MJ. Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatr Dermatol. 2013 Jan-Feb;30(1):42-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2012.01865.x. Epub 2012 Sep 20. PMID: 22995032.
We all have that one friend with gorgeous skin and hair who, when asked what her beauty routine entails, responds with an easy flip of her glossy hair by saying “Oh, I just use coconut oil!” So you buy a jumbo sized jar of coconut oil at the grocery store, and three weeks later you have acne, greasy hair, and dry, flaky skin. What is going ON? Why isn’t your coconut oil moisturizer the magical elixir you thought it was??
If you’re the friend who’s using the coconut oil with glowing results, keep doing what you’re doing! That means coconut oil agrees with your skin, and it’s a very inexpensive, readily available product—you are winning the skincare game, girl! But, if like many people, you have trouble figuring out how to use coconut oil successfully, this article is for you. Below, I’ll tell you all about the different kinds of coconut oil, how to use it and how not to use it, and what the alternatives are if coconut oil doesn’t work well for your skin type.
What’s Inside Coconut Oil?
Picture Tom Hanks in Castaway, frantically trying to crack open the coconuts he finds on the desert island where he’s stranded. Finally, he pries one open and liquid comes out! Coconut oil? Nope, that’s coconut water, and it’s a fantastic source of electrolytes, especially if you’re dehydrated after a shipwreck.
To make virgin (meaning not refined/bleached/deodorized) coconut oil, the white pulp inside the coconut gets removed from the hairy brown shell, which gets discarded. Then, the pulp is either pressed raw or dried and then pressed, using a large, screw-type machine called an expeller to squeeze the oil from the coconut pulp. Whether the final product is labelled “expeller-pressed” or “cold-pressed” has to do with the maximum temperature reached during the process. In general, cold-pressed oils, which don’t get heated above 120 degrees, retain more nutrients, but both expeller-pressed and cold-pressed coconut oils are considered unrefined, and neither process uses chemicals to extract the oil. Because of the heat involved, expeller-pressed coconut oil may have a slightly nuttier, toastier flavor than cold-pressed, but both have a noticeably “coconutty” aroma.
Virgin coconut oil has a high proportion (40-52%) of a saturated fatty acid called lauric acid, which has a 12-carbon chain, technically a medium chain fatty acid, but it’s the longest of the medium chain fatty acids. Because there are more atoms in lauric acid than some of the shorter fatty acids, it takes more heat to melt it, which is why virgin coconut oil solid at room temperature.
There is another type of coconut oil commonly used in skincare called fractionated coconut oil, which has had the lauric acid removed, leaving behind only the medium-chain fatty acids caprylic acid (8 carbons) and capric acid (10 carbons). The process can be done with steam distillation (this is the type we use at Osmia) or with chemical solvents. In the realm of wellness and nutrition, this version of coconut oil is often referred to as MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil. Because the fatty acids have shorter (though still considered medium in length) carbon chains, fractionated coconut oil is a clear liquid at room temperature. It also has an extremely long shelf life, meaning it is less prone to rancidity than virgin coconut oil. We use a lovely, organic, fractionated coconut oil as part of our body oil formula, and find that most folks absolutely love using our body oils on wet skin!
One last note: don’t buy refined coconut oil. It’s been processed with high heat, had most of the good stuff removed, and isn’t worth the very cheap price tag. Or maybe it’s exactly worth that price tag. You get the point.
Why Coconut Oil Might or Might Not Work for Your Skin
While there are many benefits of coconut oil for skin, and virgin coconut oil works beautifully for some lucky people, it doesn’t work for everyone. Lauric acid, which is the main fatty acid in virgin coconut oil, has significant anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antibacterial activity against the main species of bacteria that causes and exacerbates acne, Propionibacterium acnes. The trouble is that virgin coconut oil is also highly comedogenic (pore-clogging), with a score of 4 out of 5 on the comedogenicity scale. So, while the oil may help decrease the acne-causing bacteria on your skin, it can simultaneously clog pores and cause more breakouts. Virgin coconut oil is not very easily absorbed into the skin, so it can leave you feeling both greasy and dry.
Fractionated coconut oil is likely to agree with more skin types. It absorbs into your skin more readily, and leaves more of a velvety texture than an oily one. Without the lauric acid, it’s less active against acne-causing bacteria, but it is rated 2 or 3 on the comedogenicity scale, so it’s also less likely to cause breakouts. If you’re using coconut oil for dry skin, fractionated coconut oil is the way to go, because it penetrates your skin more effectively, leaving less of a greasy feel on your skin. And, if you apply it to wet or damp skin, it’s likely to leave your skin feeling velvety soft.
In addition to causing breakouts and possibly not providing enough nourishment for some people, coconut oil, like most natural ingredients, can cause allergic reactions if you have an allergy to one of the compounds it contains. True coconut allergy is rare (about one in 260 people), may or may not result in symptoms when using the oil externally, and is not considered the same as a tree nut allergy.
Misconceptions About Coconut Oil for Skin
“Coconut oil is hydrating.”
All around the internet, you’ll find information about how hydrating coconut oil is, but that is actually inaccurate. “Hydr” means water, and there is no water in coconut oil. So, if you’re using coconut oil, virgin or fractionated, to “hydrate” your skin, you will only be successful if you apply the oil to sopping wet skin. This is true of any oil, including our beautifully-balanced body oils, and we explain this process and the benefits of natural body oils here.
“Coconut oil heals eczema.”
Lots of people try coconut oil in their search for eczema skincare or perioral dermatitis skincare and find out the hard way that it often makes both of those conditions worse. Both eczema (also called atopic dermatitis) and perioral dermatitis crave hydration, which means they need the perfect blend of water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients, and usually don’t respond well to oil alone.
“You can use coconut oil for everything.”
Well, some people can, but some people definitely can’t. And just because it works for one job does not mean it will work for all jobs. It might work well for your hair, but not your skin. Or it might take off eye makeup like a boss, but cause you to break out if you use coconut oil for your face. It’s an individual, trial-and-error situation, and you’re allowed to pick and choose what works for your skin!
Better Alternatives to Coconut Oil for Skincare
If you find that your skin either breaks out or does not feel moisturized when you use virgin coconut oil, try using it on sopping wet skin. If that doesn’t help, you can try using fractionated coconut oil on wet skin instead. And if that doesn’t work, it’s time to switch to a different oil. Here are a few of my favorite natural oils for skincare, all of which have a comedogenicity rating of two or below:
Argan Oil
This light, mildly nutty smelling oil penetrates skin quickly and completely, leaving almost no greasy residue. We use it in our Nectar Nourishing Drops, a booster for all skin types.
Jojoba Oil
Technically a liquid wax, jojoba oil has a structure very similar to your skin’s own sebum, and is excellent at helping repair a damaged skin barrier. Jojoba oil benefits extend beyond skincare—it even played a role in saving sperm whales from extinction, in case that sparks your curiosity…
Kukui Oil
There is a small dose of Hawaiian magic in this oil, also known as candlenut oil. We use it in our body oils, and a tiny (but still magical) dose in our beloved Purely Simple Face Cream.
Sunflower Oil
One of the main ingredients in our Craft Series Body Oils, sunflower oil has the most velvety texture of almost any oil I work with, and leaves skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth (when used on wet skin, as described above).
Pumpkin Seed Oil
This beautiful, dark green oil, also in our Nectar Nourishing Drops, is loaded with zinc and Vitamin C, and helps even out skin tone while softening skin texture.
Prickly Pear Seed Oil
The benefits of prickly pear seed oil include its light, velvety texture and its high levels of Vitamin E, omega-6 fatty acids, Vitamin K, and Zinc, making it excellent for repairing damaged or hyperpigmented skin. It’s also in our Nectar Nourishing Drops.
How to Tell If Coconut Oil is Hurting Your Skin
If you’ve been slathering on the coconut oil and you’re still dry or flaky, you either need to apply it to wet skin, or switch to a different oil. If you’re breaking out from using coconut oil (beyond the normal, mild breakouts that can happen in the first few weeks of switching to a new skincare product), then coconut oil may be too comedogenic for your skin. And if you’re experiencing redness, itching, or irritation when using coconut oil, don’t overthink it—just switch to something else!
Should You Stop Using Coconut Oil on Your Skin?
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, if you’re already using coconut oil for skincare and you’re happy with the results, you should do a happy dance and keep doing exactly what you’re doing! There are plenty of reasons to try coconut oil for skin health, and if it works well for your skin and/or hair, you should celebrate and thank your skin for being uncomplicated! But if you’ve tried it, and you have either found that it does nothing for your skin or it seems to make your skin upset, it’s not all in your head. Coconut oil is a beautiful, natural ingredient that works well for some and not for others. Try it and find out what works best for your skin!
Resources:
Nakatsuji T, Kao MC, Fang JY, Zouboulis CC, Zhang L, Gallo RL, Huang CM. Antimicrobial property of lauric acid against Propionibacterium acnes: its therapeutic potential for inflammatory acne vulgaris. J Invest Dermatol. 2009 Oct;129(10):2480-8. doi: 10.1038/jid.2009.93. Epub 2009 Apr 23. PMID: 19387482; PMCID: PMC2772209.
Abdalla S, Aroua MK, Gew LT. A Comprehensive Review of Plant-Based Cosmetic Oils (Virgin Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Argan Oil, and Jojoba Oil): Chemical and Biological Properties and Their Cosmeceutical Applications. ACS Omega. 2024 Oct 25;9(44):44019-44032. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c04277. PMID: 39524627; PMCID: PMC11541506.
Varma SR, Sivaprakasam TO, Arumugam I, Dilip N, Raghuraman M, Pavan KB, Rafiq M, Paramesh R. In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. J Tradit Complement Med. 2018 Jan 17;9(1):5-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2017.06.012. PMID: 30671361; PMCID: PMC6335493.
Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 27;19(1):70. doi: 10.3390/ijms19010070. PMID: 29280987; PMCID: PMC5796020.
Danby SG, AlEnezi T, Sultan A, Lavender T, Chittock J, Brown K, Cork MJ. Effect of olive and sunflower seed oil on the adult skin barrier: implications for neonatal skin care. Pediatr Dermatol. 2013 Jan-Feb;30(1):42-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1470.2012.01865.x. Epub 2012 Sep 20. PMID: 22995032.
