Coconut Oil


Posted on November 20th, by Helen in Expert Tips, Hair & Style, Skincare. 13 comments

Coconut Oil

Reader Jillian asks, “Is coconut oil good for the skin?”

Beauty chemist, Louise Hidinger, answers.

Coconut oil is good for moisturizing, softening and conditioning body skin and hair, but it may be a bit too heavy to be used directly on most facial skin types. Compared to other vegetable oils, coconut oil contains a very high concentration of saturated fatty acids – about 90% by weight, approximately half of which is lauric acid. As a result, coconut oil is a semisolid at room temperature, while other vegetable oils like olive oil or argan oil are liquid at room temperature. Although coconut oil contains lauric acid, which is antimicrobial, the overall composition of coconut oil may make it comedogenic to some people, especially those who are prone to acne.

Coconut oil is good as an ingredient in deep conditioning treatments for hair, balm sticks and body creams. If you are planning to use coconut oil as a hair treatment, care should be taken not to let treated hair come in contact with the skin of the neck and back and the hair should be thoroughly washed after the treatment.

Check out Louise’s comparison of straight coconut oil and Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Hair Treatment Plus on her blog.





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