Can You Use Coconut Oil As A Facial Moisturizer?

“Can you use coconut oil as a moisturizer?”

I’ve been asked that question a few times.

From high end beauty products to simple, natural beauty, coconut oil is sought after for skin or hair care. With good reason, it’s one of the most moisturizing oils you can have in your skin and hair products.

But wait.

Doesn’t coconut oil cause breakouts? Can you use coconut oil as a face moisturizer? What about using coconut oil in my hair? Coconut oil is not a miracle ingredient, but there’s a lot to be said for using it in your skincare routine.

I’m going to reveal all of the secrets of coconut oil, from the beauty benefits to how you can incorporate it into your life right away. The best bit? You won’t even need to spend a lot of money, coconut oil can be found anywhere and is super affordable in its pure and natural form.

Here’s a tip- if you’re looking to incorporate coconut oil in your skin and hair routine, go for a jar of coconut oil that is pure and organic. Make sure it says cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil so you don’t miss out on any of the nourishing properties!

Let’s get straight to the good stuff!

Benefits of Coconut oil

Here are a couple of reasons to incorporate coconut oil into your life right away:

Seals in moisture

Coconut oil works by sealing in water on your skin, preventing it from evaporating. This means your skin is more hydrated and the moisture barrier restored. When you take into account everything your skin goes through, such as a harsh cleanser and srub, exposed to the sun and elements, and products with irritating ingredients, coconut oil can help replenish moisture back into dry skin.

Full of fatty acids

Fatty acids are crucial to the health of your skin. They help to nourish the skin and provide it with the essential nutrients it needs. The good news is coconut oil is full of them, so your skin can benefit from less moisture loss, and repair the skin barrier.

Anti-fungal

Coconut oil has anti-fungal and antiviral properties which means it helps to keep away viruses and fungus that may live on your skin. It has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties too so it works against bacteria to keep your skin clean and clear, which can be key to preventing breakouts.

Anti-inflammatory

If you suffer from skin conditions or have sensitive skin, then you’ll love coconut oil. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe irritated skin and reduce inflammation. In its natural form, it won’t be irritating to problem skin such as acne-prone skin and can help to heal the skin too.

Now that you’re sufficiently convinced about why you need coconut oil in your life, here’s how you can use coconut oil as a moisturizer.

How to use coconut oil as a moisturizer

We’ve already seen how moisturizing coconut oil can be, so here are a few ways you can use it to moisturize.

Coconut oil as a body moisturizer

As a body moisturizer, many skincare products have coconut oil in them. To use coconut oil in its raw, natural form, you can use it straight from the tub. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, making it ideal to scoop some out and as your rub it into your skin it becomes like oil. Bear in mind it can be a bit greasy so a little goes a long way, but you’ll see how super nourishing it is for your skin.

Coconut oil as a facial moisturizer

Can you use coconut oil as a facial moisturizer? There isn’t a straight answer to this question. if you ask a dermatologist they might say that coconut oil is comedogenic, meaning it clogs pores. Using it on your face could cause breakouts, but this is not true for everyone. If you have very dry skin, using coconut oil can be a great help. Don’t substitute it for your regular moisturizer, instead of on damp skin after applying your moisturizer, you can put a dab of coconut oil and this will help to seal in all the moisture. I would not recommend it for oily or acne prone skin however as coconut oil may clog your pores.

Aside from using coconut oil as a moisturizer, there are tonnes of other ways you can benefit from using this plant based oil!

Other uses for coconut oil

The beauty of coconut oil is that it has a multitude of uses for it, I guarantee you have never thought about some of these before:

To clean makeup brushes

When cleaning your makeup brushes, go for a double cleanse using oil and soap. As the first step, you can take some coconut oil and apply it on the brush to remove dirt and makeup. This is also going to condition your brush. You can then wash off the oil using soap detergent and water to remove the rest of the dirt. Not only is its technique effective, but it’s super easy to do.

As a makeup remover

Ever used makeup remover and had your eyes stinging and red after? Coconut oil doesn’t do that. This is one of my favorite ways to incorporate coconut oil into your skin care routine. All you need to do is take a bit, warm it in your hands and apply it all over your face in circular motions. Trust, the makeup will just melt off, including waterproof makeup. Ensure you follow up with a towel and wash your face with a cleanser to remove the excess oil so you don’t get clogged pores.

As a lip balm

As coconut oil is a thicker oil that stays solid at room temperature, you can make the most of its replenishing properties by using it on your lips too. I like to combine it with beeswax and mint to provide a natural lip balm you can use any time. It also helps to protect your lips by forming a barrier.

Hair protectant

Coconut oil is great for your hair, and one of the ways I love to use it is as a hair protectant. You only need to apply it all over your hair before going to the pool or beach, and it forms it protective barrier from the chemicals and sunshine. Not only that, but it serves as a moisturizing hair mask so you’re hair is getting a conditioning treatment at the same time! Just remember to wash it off when you step into the shower.

Cuticle oil

you can use coconut oil to moisturize dry, cracked cuticles. When doing your manicure, you can help to repair your brittle nails and dry cuticles by applying a small amount to your hands. It will help your nails to grow longer and moisturize them so they don’t break.

Body scrub

Although coconut oil on your face is not as good, it makes a great body scrub. The solid nature of coconut oil makes it easy to scoop out, all you need to do is combine it with sugar to get an easy diy scrub. You be able to use it for dry skin, and it’s not as irritating as other exfoliating products on the market. You’ll be exfoliating and nourishing your skin at the same time.

Deep condition

Another hair favorite. I love to use coconut oil as a deep conditioning treatment for my hair, especially when it is feeling dry. When you have brittle hair, it’s easy to get split ends and breakage. You can either do a pre shampoo treatment so your hair absorbs the coconut oil then wash it off, or even as a conditioner or leave-in conditioner if your hair is curly or can handle it.

The bad stuff about coconut oil

There are a few things you should be aware of when using coconut oil.

Comedogenic- coconut oil may clog pores if you use it on your face, so be careful to wash it off to prevent breakouts. If you have oily skin then don’t use oil on your face at all or in your skin care, as this skin type already has a lot of oil.

Greasy- As this is a heavier oil, using coconut oil in your hair will leave it greasy. That’s why I prefer to use it as a pre-shampoo treatment so I can wash it off.

Disrupt ph- if you over use coconut oil on your face, it can disrupt the skin’s ph as it is more alkaline than your skin.

Not good for sensitive skin- The saturated fat in coconut oil means some sensitive skin may not be able to handle coconut oil and it can cause rashes. It depends on your skin type.

Having said that, don’t be afraid to use it and see what happens. You can find many other benefits for coconut oil as a moisturizer so it’s a good idea to have a jar in your home.

How to shop for coconut oil

So many products out there claim to have coconut oil in them, but can actually be more harmful to your skin. When it comes to using a product that has coconut oil in it, how do you know if you are really getting the full benefit of this wonderful oil?

As coconut oil is such a heavy oil naturally, using it in a product can make applying it much more smooth and spread easily. When buying a product, it’s important you check the ingredient label. The ingredients are listed in terms of size, with the larger amounts being first. So check if coconut oil is near the beginning of the list to see how much you’re getting.

Coconut oil is sometimes written as “coconut alcohol” and “hydrogenated coconut acid”. If you have oily skin, a good way of reaping the benefits of coconut oil without causing your skin to become more oily is to choose products that have an extract of coconut oil, rather than just the oil. It will not cause breakouts but you’ll still get the benefits of it.

To ensure you’re getting the most out of the coconut oil, go for organic, natural and non-hydrogenated coconut oil. Cold-pressed coconut oil will retain most of its properties. The goal is to have minimal additives if you want to use coconut oil on your skin.

 

Final thoughts

I love using natural products, especially since it means they are free from irritating ingredients, but sometimes it can be hard to incorporate it in our skincare routine. When it comes to coconut oil, I love that is super moisturizing and has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that could improve your skin’s health.

Using oils can be difficult especially on your face. Coconut oil is known to be comedogenic so coconut oil as a facial moisturizer is not a good idea, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for anything else! Some of my favorite ways of using coconut oil are as a scrub, deep conditioning for my hair, and as a makeup remover.

Using oils in your beauty regime is a great way to look after and replenish your skin and hair. Coconut oil is no exception, as it contains fatty acids including lactic acid, it can help skin conditions like eczema get the moisture they need. It helps to form a layer of protection and keeps cracked, dry skin at bay.

If you weren’t sure about using coconut oil., this is your sign to give it a go!

How do you like to use coconut oil?