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
You’re so welcome! Glad you liked it!
Hi Erin!
I’m a mutt too! Olive oil is good for you. I would probably rotate with a grapeseed, sweet almond (test for allergy though) or apricot oil. Jojoba may be good as well. Avocado would be good but not great (but that’s my experience). Also, I would research the GAPS diet and see if that could help restore your immune system. Also, my pore/mask recipe would be good to try as well. I had enlarged pores, and this has really helped them shrink.
Hope that helps! Good luck Erin!
Hi Chyola!
You’d do perfect with my Calendula Face Wash. You’d seem like a good candidate for that! I would definitely never use Canola oil. Experiment with Sunflower and/or Olive oil (which is also in my Caledula Face Wash). Make sure also not to eat as much refined sugar, as that gave me TONS of breakouts in my T-zone. And use LOTS of oil at night on your skin. Also, try not to pick in the T-zone as much too. I had the WORST acne in my T-zone for 14 years. That’s one area I definitely can help you with. Also, try my baking soda and clay mask also on this blog.
I really hope that helps! Let me know how things are going! It will get better! I promise!
Thank you very much for the fast reply and the advice!
I just have one follow-up question (I’m new to this), how much would “lots of oil” be? Do I put it all over my face or just on my forhead and around the mouth where I most get breakouts? I also forgot to write that my skin seems to be combination skin, since I’m also sensitive in some of the areas (redness and dryness).
Thank you in advance!
I don’t use it on my face, but I use it on my bum…my baby’s bum that is! ha ha ha. I use it on my baby’s bum when she gets a diaper rash and it goes away the next day. It’s amazing.
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