Coconut oil is one of the oldest beauty hacks for youthful, smooth, and glowing skin. Hundreds of generations have used coconut oil not only for flawless skin but also for radiant hair and cooking. The delicious coconut scent also makes it popular for colognes.
Sadly, there’s so much confusion about which skin type is suitable for coconut oil or the best kind of coconut oil for your skin. But, in this article, we demystify the myths surrounding the use of coconut oil and help you identify the best one for your skin.
The 5 Best Coconut Oils for Your Skin:
1. Nutiva Organic Cold-Pressed Virgin Coconut Oil
Best organic coconut oil
This virgin coconut oil by Nutiva is top quality; you can actually use it for cooking.
The oil is cold-pressed to ensure it doesn’t lose any vitamins or nutrients. Plus, it’s certified by USDA as 100% organic coconut oil.
The manufacturers partner with organic farmers to ensure the coconut fruit is grown with no chemicals. It’s then extracted without any chemicals or heat, so the oil is straight from the farm to your skin.
This unrefined coconut oil has the scent of coconut, and it tastes like pure coconut. Consistent use of this coconut oil helps you restore damaged skin and moisturize your skin, making it smooth and supple.
2. Viva Naturals Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Best hydrating coconut oil
Viva Naturals Coconut Oil is organic and virgin. The oil is unrefined and is cold-pressed to ensure all the nutrients and goodness are intact.
If you’re hoping to treat dry skin patches, flakes on your scalp, and manage other skin conditions, this pure coconut oil is it. It will leave your skin silky smooth and healthy.
It’s solid at room temperature because it’s unrefined, but you can comfortably scoop it out of the jar because the jar has an open design.
To use it, rub a tiny amount of the solid coconut oil on your palms to warm it, and it will turn from a white solid into a clear thin oil which you can then apply to your skin.
The oil helps to moisturize dry lips and make your skin smooth. It’s USDA certified, gluten-free, and GMO-free.
3. COCO & CO. Organic Pure Extra Virgin
Best coconut oil for making your skin soft
If you’d like to moisturize your skin without chemicals, you can try this natural coconut oil. The oil is virgin; it’s unrefined, so it has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating properties.
It also has vitamin E, which moisturizes your skin and boosts natural repair. It helps heal some skin conditions leaving your skin healthy and silky smooth.
The oil is absorbed fast into the skin and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling. It’s lightweight and silky in texture, so you need a tiny amount at a time.
The oil is excellent for washing your face and for removing makeup. It has a mild fresh scent of coconut.
4. PURA D’OR Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil
Best fragrance-free coconut oil
If you like your coconut oil in liquid form, this fractionated coconut oil will not solidify. The thin liquid consistency made it easy to apply and absorb into the skin.
The oil is organic and is excellent for making your skin soft, especially in stubborn parts like elbows, and heels which get dry often. The moisturizing ability of this oil helps to reduce the appearance of flaky skin.
Since the oil is odorless and has a runny texture, you can dilute essential oils and improve their absorption. The oil also penetrates the scalp to treat scalp conditions like dandruff and dry scalp.
If you’re struggling with wrinkles and fine lines, you can use this oil overnight, and with time it will reduce the appearance of wrinkles. You can also use the oil to relax your tired muscles and scrub your feet.
5. Handcraft Blends Fractionated Coconut Oil 100% Pure
Best for oily, regular, and combination skin
Handcrafted Coconut oil is 100% pure and natural. This fractionated coconut is liquid all through; it doesn’t solidify at room temperature.
The oil is thin and quickly penetrates the skin making it an excellent carrier oil for aromatherapy and mixing with essential oils for skincare. It nourishes your skin and makes it look youthful by hydrating it.
The oil is hexane-free, preservative-free, and doesn’t contain any chemicals. If you hate coconut oil because of the strong coconut scent, this coconut oil is unscented.
It’s excellent for makeup removal and it doesn’t have the bad fats that can clog pores, cause breakouts or make your skin more oily.
How to Know the Best Coconut Oils for your Skin
Below are tips on what to consider when buying coconut oil.
Unrefined Vs. Refined Coconut Oils
The raw form of coconut oil is the purest. It is labeled as extra virgin, virgin, non-hydrogenated, simple, pure, or organic coconut oil.
It’s extracted from fresh coconut fruit and does not go through chemical processing. The oil is hence rich in nutrients and retains the nutrients for a long time.
It’s best for all kinds of skin and is safe for sensitive skin because it doesn’t contain any chemical additives that irritate your sensitive skin.
The organic coconut oil is made from coconut fruits that have been grown organically- without chemicals like pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
Refined coconut oil is chemically processed to extract the oil. It’s labeled as refined or RBD.
The coconut oil is bleached during the processing, then deodorized to give it a delicious cookies-like and coconut scent. The refined oil is liquid, light, and does not solidify at room temperature.
However, it loses some nutrients and antioxidants due to chemical processing. The light liquid consistency makes it an ideal carrier oil for diluting essential oils, and it’s excellent for massage.
It’s cheaper than extra virgin organic coconut oil. But, the more processed a coconut oil is, the less the vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients for nourishing your skin.
Cold Processed
If you’re after the nutritional benefits of coconut oil for your skin, then it’s best to choose cold-pressed or expeller-pressed coconut oil. Since they are not heat-treated to produce the oil, they are full of nutrients.
Make sure it’s free from harmful substances
Before buying coconut oil, it’s best to read the label. The best coconut oil is certified by an authoritative body and is free from parabens, artificial fragrances, bleach, and is non-GMO.
Fractionated Coconut Oils
Some coconut oils come in liquid form, while others solidify even at room temperature. Fractionated coconut oil is liquid because it goes through a process – fractionation.
The fractionation process involves heating coconut oil beyond its melting point to separate the lauric acid and long-chain fatty acids, which causes the oil to solidify.
Fractionated coconut oil doesn’t clog pores or make your face shine, but its nutrients are reduced because of the heat process and because most of those nutrients are in the lauric acid.
The advantage over the unrefined one is that it is not greasy. It’s also lightweight, making it easy to apply and comfortable for any skin type. You can mix it with other essential oils for your skincare or use it for massage.
Skin type
Coconut oil is suitable for all skin types. You only need to identify which kind of coconut oil goes well with your skin type.
Dry and sensitive skins work best with unrefined coconut oil because it has moisturizing and soothing compounds, while oily and combination skin needs fractionated coconut oil.
The fractionated coconut oil does not have the fats that can clog pores or make your face more oily. Oily skin tends to get acne which can worsen if you use unrefined coconut oil.
Color of coconut oil
Coconut oil is pure white when solid and clear when in liquid form. If you notice a yellowish or gray color, then the coconut oil might be contaminated.
Benefits of Coconut Oil
Cleansing your face
Coconut oil dissolves the oil and residues on your skin. It’s an excellent choice for removing makeup from your face daily.
Moisturizer
Coconut oil is excellent for moisturizing your skin. It helps balance the oil on your skin while keeping it moisturized.
The vitamin E and fatty acids found in the unrefined coconut oil help deeply moisturize your skin and eliminate dry patches and itchy skin. It leaves your skin smooth and glowing.
When your skin is hydrated, it becomes plump, elastic, smooth, and looks young. The appearance of wrinkles and fine lines caused by premature aging diminishes.
The oil is also a great alternative to shaving creams because it moisturizes and forms a protective layer on the skin.
Fighting Acne
Coconut oil helps to reduce acne by fighting the bacteria that cause acne. The oil has antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that help eliminate the swelling caused by acne. However, it might not work for every person.
Skin Conditions
Because of its moisturizing ability, collagen cross-linking, and healing properties, coconut oil helps to improve skin conditions like eczema, dry patches, irritated skin, skin flakes, and abrasions.
FAQs
What is the benefit of applying coconut oil to your face at night?
It fights premature aging by moisturizing the skin, restores dry and irritated skin, heals abrasions faster, and nourishes your skin. Besides, it has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial compounds that help fight acne leaving your skin soft, smooth, and glowing.
Which is the best type of coconut oil for your skin type?
The unrefined coconut oil is the best for dry skin, but it’s best to use fractionated coconut oil for oily skin and combination skin.
Raw coconut oil has fatty acids that might cause acne and clog pores for oily skin. However, it’s excellent for dry skin because of its high moisturizing property and vitamin E, which heals dry patches. Fractionated coconut oil is light and doesn’t contain fatty acids.
Does coconut oil brighten the skin?
Unrefined coconut oil makes your face brighter because it fights acne, scars, moisturizes, and promotes natural healing, revealing your naturally glowing skin tone.
Coconut oil has lauric acid, which helps brighten your skin. But it takes a long time. Mix it with another natural lightening agent like tomatoes, lemon, or baking soda for faster results.
Bottom Line
If you are undecided about which coconut oil to buy, you can now buy the best one following the tips you’ve learned or try one of the suggestions since they are the best coconut oils for your skin.
This article was last updated on February 4, 2022 .