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
Thanks so much, I’ll definitely look into what you suggested! I’m just feeling so stuck because I’ve heard that forehead acne is a sign of digestive issues… but the past 2 years I’ve practically dedicated myself to eating super healthy, basically no processed foods/additives, plenty of fresh fruits and veggies (whole & juiced), whole grains, legumes, loads of healthy fats, and I don’t eat meat, dairy, vegetable oils, trans fats, or wheat… I also take probiotics every second day along with b12 supplements every day. I’m really happy with the way I eat right now but I don’t think there’s anything else I can do to improve my diet without becoming too restrictive. But I’ll definitely look into your Caledula scrub, thanks so much for your advice. :)
hi there! great article! i stumbled across this article when somebody gave me this link in yahoo ask after i asked a question there. here, i wanna ask, i’m an asian from somewhere in east asia. basically, i have a tanned skin which is my natural skin. i want to go natural from now on. i have normal skin with few mild acne. i was thinking of using coconut oil but afraid if it will cause breakout. how about olive as my face wash? if i use olive oil as a face wash, do i have to moisturize again with it? i reallllyyy wanna use only natural product. what is your recommemdation? thank u!!
Hmmm… Look into the GAPS diet… That might be helpful. But it sounds like you’re headed on the right path! Sometimes grains can irritate some and not others, depends on the health of your digestive tract. Good Luck!
Hi Cheryl-
It is kind of weird to wash your face with oil and then moisturize with it! So I wash my hands first before I wash my face – See this article <a href=“http://www.salisskincare.com/2013/09/11/wash-your-hands-before-you-wash-your-face/” title=“Wash your hands before you wash your face!” on my blog.
I would use olive oil and then tissue makeup off and then wash with water again. Then if you do need more moisture, then I would put a few drops on your face again. I do have to say, that using my Salt Scrub face wash is a lot like washing your face with oil, but it’s not as greasy, and the salt kills the bacteria. But if that’s too far to ship, then I would use the Olive oil.
Let me know how it goes!
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who has been doing a little research on this.
And he in fact bought me lunch simply because I discovered it for him…
lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah,
thanx for spending the time to talk about this issue here
on your web page.
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