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
I’m expecting a baby this month and I’m not sure what to apply on the baby. A lot of people have advised olive oil but I’m worried that it will darken the baby’s skin! My husband and I are originally from Bangladesh but were born and raised in the UK. Is there an oil that I can apply without tanning the baby?
Hey Ayesha-
I’ve never heard of Olive oil tanning a baby’s skin. The oil is a light yellow, and if you buy it organic, shouldn’t tan the skin. If you’re worried, you can also try Organic Sweet Almond or Jojoba Oil. Good luck with the delivery! Hope this helps!
i have uneven skin tone such as i have small white patches on my face not very noticeable but still wanted to know if you know of any remedies. would coconut oil help me? also my face is darker than the rest of my body, any thing i can use to help me?
Hi, I am Indian with medium brown skin leaving in the U.S (in North East). I am thinking of using coconut oil as make up remover. I am not sure if I should use the refined one or the virgin one. Any advice? Also, what else should I rotate with as even though being from India, coconut oil shouldn’t harm me but at the same I understand it is not native to the Northeast US area? Thanks for your advice.
Hey Sharon- I’ve actually never heard of someone’s facial skin being much darker than the rest of their body. I wonder if you should go to a doctor to make sure it’s not an immune disorder. Coconut oil might help the white patches too!
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