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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

Salis Skincare

Hi Radica-

You can try searching my blog for the Apple Cider Vinegar Toner Recipe. Some women have found that to be helpful!

Using Jojoba Oil as a Face Moisturizer

[…] wasn’t until I read this article from Salis Skincare about using jojoba oil as a facial moisturizer that things started to click for me. I’m of European descent. Perhaps coconut oil is not […]

Salis Skincare

Thank you Holly! You have a wonderful blog! Keep up the great work!

Allie

Thank you for posting this! I recently tried swapping to more natural skin care and thought I would give coconut oil a try. Sure enough, I put it on and immediately my skin began to react badly. Red, blotchy and itchy skin. It was horrible! Any suggestions of how to clear up the redness? I am a Caucasian.

Also, if my body reacts this way externally, curious if anyone knows the effect it might have internally for cooking? I do cook with coconut oil and have never had a problem.

Salis Skincare

Allie!

I’m glad you’ve transitioned over to natural skincare! Sorry it went so red! The Apple Cider Vinegar post on my blog will help with the redness. Also, the Calendula Salis Scrub will help reduce redness as well!

So after the blog post, I’ve been wondering the same thing! I seem to do better with it internally, but not a lot. Which has gone on to make me wonder about all foods from all over the world! I think if you’re NOT eating it a lot in excess, you should be ok. But find what works best for YOU. I heard this quote the other day at a class, and I really liked it. The presenter said, “You’re your own unique person, and so what make work for another person may not be the best for you. Journal your diet and see what you respond the best to. It’s like your own little blueprint for yourself.” So I’ve been trying to do that. I hope that helps!

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