Coconut oil for skin is an all natural, chemical free way to soften and moisturise your skin. Coconut oil benefits skin in many ways from its antibacterial and antifungal qualities to its ability to moisturise and soften very dry skin.

Coconut oil is good for skin in a number of ways and you can use coconut oil in a heap of different ways on the skin, from a face cleanser to a face mask, skin massage oil and more.

Using coconut oil in DIY body butters and lip balms, for example, is a great way to use coconut oil and to get additional benefits from other ingredients.

If you’ve been searching for a cheap, versatile, all natural product that is easy to buy, easy to use and super nourishing for your skin, coconut oil is a great option.

Coconut oil is super versatile, being a great option for cooking with. It can be used in cooking and baking and reaps many internal health benefits as well as when topically applied. It is a particularly popular ingredient in ketogenic and paleo diets.

Coconut oil, however. can be considered comedogenic (which means it can cause blackheads by blocking pores) and therefore is not recommended for people who are prone to oily skin as it may worsen the condition. I will go into more depth on this topic later in the article.

Coconut oil skin benefits are aplenty and in this article I am going to walk you through the reasons you should consider using coconut oil on your skin. I answer questions like is coconut oil good for your skin and describe the coconut oil for skin side effects, the uses of coconut oil on skin, exactly how to use coconut oil on your skin and more.

Table of Contents

What Is Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil has been used for centuries around the world from protecting the skin from bacteria and fungus to nourishing and softening the skin. It is an ingredient frequently found in skin treatments and skin creams. Coconut oil for dry skin is often very effective at moisturising, softening, soothing and protecting the skin.

Coconut oil is a solid fat that is white in colour and has a melting point of around 25 degrees celcius. If you live in a warm climate it will be a thin and clear liquid oil. You can also purchase unrefined coconut oil that is liquid, it is just slightly more expensive.

Coconut oil comes from the white fleshy coconut meat that is found inside of the coconut and is made by pressing the coconut meat fresh or dried.

Coconut oil can be found in refined and unrefined varieties and virgin and extra virgin varieties. The difference in varieties is the way the coconut oil has been processed.

Unrefined coconut oil, virgin coconut oil and extra virgin coconut oil are all varying methods of simply cold pressing the coconut meat for the coconut oil.

Refined coconut oil, however, has been treated with heat or chemicals to make it better for use in cooking, for example. This process removes many of the nutrients though, so it’s not recommended to use this type of coconut oil on your skin as it won’t be as beneficial.

The best coconut oil for skin is unrefined or organic unrefined coconut oil for skin and I recommend only using this type on your skin.

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Is Coconut Oil Good For Skin?

Yes, coconut oil can be great for your skin.

Coconut oil contains some vitamin E but other than that is near completely fat and is super nourishing for your skin. You can use coconut oil in a recipes like body butters (find our recipe here) to get even more benefits.

Which coconut oil is best for skin? Unrefined/virgin coconut oil.

I list the top reasons why using coconut oil on skin is a great idea. If you are interested in learning all the coconut oil benefits for skin keep reading below.

Top Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Skin

Super Moisturising

Studies of coconut oil have shown it to be an effective and intensive moisturiser that can soothe and soften dry skin. It is non greasy and lightly coats the skin in a layer of protective hydration.

If you experience dry skin, coconut oil has a great reputation at helping those with dry skin conditions.

Can Reduce Skin Inflammation

Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties. Many skin conditions have skin inflammation, including dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. Coconut oil can be effective at treating these inflammatory conditions for some people.

Antifungal, Antibacterial and Antiviral Properties

The high amounts of monoglycerides and fatty acids in coconut oil have properties that are antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral. When applied to the skin it can help prevent against staph infections, for example.

Makeup Remover

Coconut oil on your skin can be used to remove makeup and it works great at removing stubborn makeup.

Simply apply coconut oil all over your face and then wipe off with a damp cloth. It’s much better for your skin than using harsh chemicals.

Super Versatile

Coconut oil can be used for a number of different purposes. It is great when used in cooking, it can be applied to the skin in a variety of ways and used in the hair in a number of ways.

Can Be Used For Massage

Coconut oil for skin care is an oil that is all natural and chemical free. It’s a great choice of oil when giving/receiving a massage and provides a lovely coconut scent.

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Is Coconut Oil Bad For Skin? Drawbacks Of Using Coconut Oil On Skin

Is coconut oil bad for skin? No, there actually isn’t too many bad coconut oil side effects on skin known. If you are allergic to coconuts, you should not use coconut oil.

If you do not like the scent of coconuts, you may not find coconut oil a very pleasant choice of skin oil either.

If you experience sensitive skin, coconut oil may actually be a good choice for you as it is considered safe for the use of on sensitive skin as it has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.

It is always a good idea to test a patch of skin with the coconut oil and check for any bad reactions to it. If you experience particularly sensitive skin and you want to be extra careful, you can perform the patch test on the same area of skin a number of times, over several days to ensure your body has time to give off any response.

Does coconut oil dry out skin? This is a common question and the answer is generally no, coconut oil will not dry out your skin. However, some people have reported that coconut oil has left their skin feeling dry after use but there is no evidence of this being the case.

Coconut oil is pretty easy to apply to the skin. However, it can sometimes be tricky to scoop the amount you need out of the jar of solidified oils. This is particularly true if you live in a cold climate. However once you have a chunk, it quickly warms between the fingers.

If you live in a warm climate or you have purchased virgin coconut oil that is liquid, you won’t have this problem.

Is coconut oil good for oily skin? Coconut oil on oily skin is also not a great idea, it can be comedogenic and increase the oiliness of your skin.

Can You Use Coconut Oil For Skin Acne?

Should you use coconut oil for skin blemishes? Is using coconut oil for acne prone skin a good idea? Well, the effects of coconut oil on skin acne is not completely clear.

Many people would like to say coconut oil is going to benefit skin acne because of its anti inflammatory and anti bacterial qualities. However, this is not always the case.

Coconut oil can be comedogenic and people who are prone to acne or oily skin are at risk of further clogging their pores with coconut oil.

If you have acne prone or oily skin, I do not recommend using coconut oil on your skin. However if you are interested in testing coconut oil for skin acne, you can always perform a patch test and see the results for yourself.

Can You Use Coconut Oil For Skin Whitening?

Using coconut oil skin care for skin whitening is not going to provide you with much of an effect

It is often said on the internet that you can use coconut oil for skin whitening but this hasn’t been studied and so the information is not complete.

So, if you had been wanting to use organic coconut oil for skin whitening, do not waste the time.

How To Use Coconut Oil On Skin

The uses of coconut oil for skin are aplenty. There are a heap of ways you can use coconut oil on your skin.

I will go through a few ways you can use coconut oil below. You can even use coconut oil in your own DIY skin care products such as body butters and lip balms, you can find a link to my lip balm recipe here.

Apply Coconut Oil For Skin Cleanser

To use coconut oil as a skin cleanser simply take a small amount of coconut oil and let it melt between your fingers.

Once melted, apply it all over the skin and let it sit for a couple of seconds then remove it with a warm damp cloth.

Use Coconut Oil As A Moisturiser

To use coconut oil as a skin moisturiser simply take the amount you require, rub it between your fingers until melted and apply wherever you need the moisture.

Is coconut oil good for dry skin? Coconut oil dry skin is a match made in heaven for many with skin conditions and using it as a moisturiser can provide good relief from many dry skin related conditions.

Use Coconut Oil As A Massage Oil

Coconut oil is good for skin massage. It glides on smoothly, smells great and has a lot of benefits for the skin, providing a soothing and softening feeling.

Using Coconut Oil In A Face Mask

You can make a coconut oil face mask in no time and it provides additional benefits thanks to the additional ingredients which all have their own benefits for your skin. It’s super nourishing for the skin. This is a hydrating and anti aging avocado coconut mask.

Ingredients

Half of an avocado
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
Pinch of nutmeg

Method

Mash the avocado and melt your coconut oil.
Combine all of your ingredients.
Apply directly to the face.
Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Rinse off.

Conclusion

I hope this guide has been helpful for you in learning more about coconut oil for your skin. Is coconut oil good for skin? Yes, it can be super nourishing, soothing, moisturising and protective for your skin.

Maybe you have been using coconut oil for years or are just starting out, or simply wanting to learn more. Either way, I hope you have found this article enjoyable and useful.

Coconut oil is a great way to nourish, protect, moisturise and soothe your skin, it is cheap and easy to buy, relatively easy to use and provides a lovely coconut scent to the skin. If you have dry skin or suffer from conditions relating to dry skin, coconut oil may be a good choice for you.

But remember, the best type of coconut oil to use on your skin is unrefined. Enjoy.

Click here to learn about using almond oil on your skin, here for using coconut oil on sunburn or here to read about using coconut oil on baby skin. You can also learn more about coconut butter on skin here. Find all our guides to natural living here.