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Why I don't ever use coconut oil on my face.


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

Yer Mam

Look up which oils cause Comedones! Many of the prized and touted oils are actually cause acne, and Coconut Oil is one of the main offenders despite your genetics.

I am not sure if this “If it grows in your heritage’s land it’s good for you” is true. I am fillipino and coconut oil still makes me break out. : )

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/topic/319593-the-bad-list-comedogenic-ingredients-and-products/ Check this list out, it’s something that helped me get clearer skin. Also see the good list!

Salis Skincare

Hi Yer Mam-

I’m not saying that this theory is true or not, but it’s just that, a theory. Interesting that you are Fillipino and coconut oil breaks you out as well. It’s definitely been enlightening to see how many people with darker skin also has issues. I’m just bringing up the point really that coconut oil isn’t the best for your face. And I agree with the article you attached as well. Coconut oil is touted as an amazing product for skin, but then as an esthetician- people keep coming to me, because their skin is randomly breaking out.

Anyhow, thanks for the comment!

Monique Cook

Great info! What an interesting idea that foods local to you work best for addressing skin/health problems. It should be intuitive, but alas! I had to hear it from an expert. Thank you.

Erin

Hi there! Thank you for this post – I was just looking up why my pores were enlarging. I’ve been using coconut oil on my face. I’ll stop, in fact I used olive oil today. But I had a quick question about oils you’d recommend for my heritage. Irish/German/French/Bohemian {total mutt}. I have an autoimmune disorder and follow a strict protocol for foods. I don’t consume nuts or seeds as they cause my autoimmune disease to flare up. Olives aren’t exactly Irish, but would that be the best oil to use on my face that isn’t nut or seed based? What about avocado oil?

Chyola

Hi,

Thank you for this article (and the warning, I just ran and washed away the coconut oil in my face!)!
Could you please recommend me some “cheap” facial treatment (e.g. oils and washes) for a skin with a slight olive tint (though more on the fair side), a skin with a North African and European background. That get breakouts in the T-zone. Is cheaper oils like Sunflower oil and Canola oil good for the skin?

Thank you kindly!

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