Why Listen To Me?
Since I am an esthetician I talk to women all the time about their skin. I hear many complaints about what is wrong with their skin and what they want to do to make it look better. I have lots of women tell me that they use coconut oil on their face and they've been using it for years.
So while I do recommend using oil on the face, I definitely do NOT recommend using coconut oil on the face anymore.
What Changed?
Yes, I used to recommend it all the time! I thought it was the greatest thing ever, it has natural sunscreen and it has so many benefits! However, I noticed that in many of my skincare classes, women of European descent (their ancestors came from Europe) would have bad reactions (rashes to redness) from using coconut oil.
I Decided to Research It
I did lots of research after that. I read in a few books that recommend never using coconut oil on the face. In fact, David Wolfe author of "Eating for Beauty" said to not put it on the nose or the forehead because it can clog pores! And if there was one thing I didn't want, it was clogged pores.
So one day I was actually reading "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" by Weston A. Price, I had my epiphany about coconut oil. Weston Price was a Canadian dentist who researched the diets of indigenous people all over the world. He found that the people who only ate food native to their region with and didn't eat refined sugars didn't experience any tooth decay.
I applied this theory to skincare products. Coconuts didn't grow native to where my ancestors lived, or to where I lived now. So maybe coconut oil wasn't the best option for me? It seemed to do really well for people whose ancestry was from around the equator, but just not for anyone that had European ancestry.
I did more research and found that coconut oil has a larger molecular structure, and people that live around the equator tend to have darker, thicker skin, and that can more easily handle and absorb coconut oil. That's why my skin couldn't handle it!
What Oils Are Better?
I also looked at what oils grow naturally in European areas, and I've found that many people of European descent do really well with sweet almond, olive, and apricot.
My skin does really well with Jojoba oil that grows in the U.S. which is where I live. That's why we use it in all of our serum products!
But I Still Use Coconut Oil... Sometimes
It's not that coconut oil is bad, I will sometimes use it as a sunscreen on my arms & legs in the summer. Or I'll sometimes use products that have coconut oil and my skin does well. But as an "everyday" face oil, I've found that Jojoba works wonders! And I don't have to set it on a window sill to warm it up if it gets cold.
What's even worse is fractionated coconut oil (which makes it stay as a liquid) which is refined oil, should never be used on the skin.
I get a lot of surprised looks when I tell light-skinned women to not use coconut oil on their face! In fact, many argue with me. But try it for yourself! See if another oil works better on your skin.
Also, experiment with oils to see which one your skin does best with!
Also, try our Salis Salt Scrub Face wash! It's in the Shop section. The scrub has Jojoba in it, which again, seems to be very beneficial to my skin - amazed at the vast difference from using coconut and other oils. Check it out!
Have a question? Ask below!
189 comments
Hi Namrata-
Since you have Indian Background, I wouldn’t be super worried about it affecting you as much as someone with European background. However, living in Canada has a different climate, and I would try and rotate and use other oils if you can. I would highly suggest the Calendula- since it is grown near to Canada. That is on my products page. Keep using oils though, that will help with the fine lines (it’s helped with mine a lot!) and the breakouts. Also, try out my clay & baking soda mask also on this blog- if you do get breakouts. Hope that helps!
Love- Laura
Hi Elizabeth!
Sorry you’re having breakouts, that’s always the worst. First off, I used to have HORRIBLE acne, and oil does NOT breakout your skin. However, some people do breakout with oils, because it is pushing all of the sebum out of the skin. It should be minimal and last a week or two. Not years. I have tried african black soap- and it leaves that “squeaky” clean feeling- which is basically wax on your skin, smothering your pores. I would try the Lavender/Jasmine face wash that is on the products page. Try rotating it with the coconut oil to see how you do. Also, try the clay and baking soda mask on your forehead, that will help to calm things down as well.
Good luck!
Indeed :-) I know. I went off topic lol but that reply was for Melanie in hopes that one of those remedies could help her.
Hey,
I have had issues with breakouts for the past 10 years, it has really affected my confidence and i am absolutely over it. I have recently started to get into organic and natural products but they have not really helped. Im tempted to try coconut oil but am a bit scared because of reviews i have reed. What would you recommend for me? My ancestors are German on one parents side and English, Irish and Scottish on the other and i am currently living in New Zealand.
Really looking forward to your reply =)
Kind Regards
Siobhan
Hi Siobhan-
Sorry about your breakouts. That’s not fun at all. I probably wouldn’t recommend coconut oil for your face. Sounds like you have a lot of European ancestry. So I would try a different type of oil. You can probably still use coconut oil on your skin while you’re in New Zealand, but I wouldn’t use it on your face.
Hope that helps!
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