[Research] Basic Coconut Oil Guide (Benefits, Uses, Science, etc.) (self.SkincareAddiction)
submitted 4 months ago by bogdans_eyebrow
An edible cooking staple far before it burst onto the cosmetics scene, Coconut Oil is now widely used to maintain skin and hair-care. I've collected some info on Coconut oil here, hope you find it useful!
Coconut Oil – TL

R
Digestible oil extracted from the Cocos Nucifera palm tree
Dry process produces refined coconut oil & wet process produces unrefined coconut oil
High amounts of Lauric Acid which may have antibacterial properties
Strong humectant and emollient properties make it an excellent full body & face moisturizer
Deep penetration into hair follicles means protection from protein loss and hygral fatigue
Use it for your skin, hair, or as a makeup remover
Look for coconut oil that is unrefined, cold-pressed, and virgin or higher
What it is
Coconut Oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernels (the “meat”) of coconuts from the coconut palm tree (Cocos Nucifera). Over 90% of the world’s coconut oil is produced in Southeast Asia, Oceania, and the Indian Subcontinent[i].
Coconut Oil is produced through one of two main processes – dry and wet
The dry process extracts coconut oil by dissolving the dried copra[ii] of the coconut with solvents and heat, which produces the oil and a mish-mash of protein and fiber. Coconut oil extracted through the dry process is typically refined afterwards, as the copra is usually dried in unsanitary conditions. This is known as RBD Coconut Oil – RBD stands for Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized.
The wet process uses raw, straight-off-the-tree coconut to extract the oil. As it is a wet process, the oil comes out emulsified (mixed) in water. Heat, acids, enzymes, or electrolysis then separates the oil from the water. Coconut oil extracted through the wet process is typically unrefined. This means the oils retains the original properties of the source coconut, including taste, color, and smell.
Fractionation and Hydrogenation are further refining and altering processes, however they relate to Coconut Oil used for cooking purposes so we won’t dive into that here.
Coconut Oil is roughly 90%[iii] saturated fats by composition. The oil has negligible amounts of oleic and linoleic acid[iv], but over 50% of the fatty acid profile alone is Lauric Acid[v]. Lauric acid has been shown to have potential for antibacterial and antifungal properties (see below).
Notably, because of the high amounts of saturated fats, Coconut Oil is slow to oxidize and can maintain a shelf-life of at-least 12 months[vi], probably longer.
Anecdotally speaking, Coconut Oil has been reported to be highly comedogenic, meaning the facial application of the oil could cause clogged pores, or possibly even breakouts as well. Patch testing is highly recommended!
Benefits
Below are some of the most important benefits of Coconut Oil:
Humectant:
Coconut Oil has been shown in studies to be superior over mineral oil in preventing water-loss and treating dermatitis[vii]. It’s also as safe and effective as mineral oil as a moisturizer in general, and for treating xerosis[viii]
Antibacterial:
Lauric acid is converted by the body into monolaurin, which has some bacteria-fighting abilities. Virgin Coconut Oil was successfully used to control Staphylococcus Aureus levels and fight atopic dermatitis in-vitro[ix]. Lauric acid could even be used as a natural antibiotic against p.acnes[x], the bacteria associated with promoting acne vulgaris.
Hair-Care:
Coconut Oil can protect your hair against protein loss[xi], thanks again to the high levels of lauric acid which appears to have an affinity to hair proteins and enables the oil to deeply penetrate the hair shaft. Coconut oil is superior to mineral oil again here, as the former can deeply penetrate into hair while the latter cannot[xii]. The deeper penetration of coconut oil could protect your hair from hygral fatigue (over-moisturization of the hair leading to excessive and repetitive swelling/de-swelling).
Wound Healing:
Coconut oil could provide temporary relief from burn wounds and even help speed up healing.[xiii]
What to use it for
Coconut Oil is a very flexible cosmetic oil – aside from the usual skin and hair applications, you can use it on your lips, nails, hands, feet, and generally as a full body moisturizer.
Below are some of the most common uses for cosmetic Coconut Oil:
Skin Moisturizer:
The science shows that Coconut oil is at least as good as, if not better than mineral oil for skin moisturizing purposes. Use it as a daytime or nighttime moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated. Coconut Oil also has some emollient properties, meaning it can help your skin feel overall smoother and softer.
For your Hair:
Use coconut oil on your hair, either pre-wash or post-wash, and whether damaged or undamaged to provide deep-penetration moisture, and to prevent protein loss in the hair follicles. You can use pure coconut oil on your hair, or use shampoos and conditioners which contain some coconut oil.
Makeup Removal:
You can use coconut oil on its own to remove makeup from your face, with the oil acting as a sort of cleanser – the principle behind the ‘oil cleansing method’ of makeup removal. Mixing the coconut oil with another oil, such as Jojoba or Castor is another option. Again, patch test before trying something like this!
What to look for
Unrefined:
Refined Coconut Oil comes from the dry process and is chemically bleached to remove its coloring, and is de-odorized through an extremely high-heat process. Solvents and chemicals are often added to act as preservatives. Unrefined Coconut Oil comes from the fresher, raw wet process and retains the original properties of the oil. Stick to unrefined if possible.
Cold-Pressed:
This means the oil was extracted from the plant mechanically, and that no extra heat was added to the process to induce extraction. The temperature doesn’t rise higher than 50 degrees, and so more of the oils natural and original properties are retained. Cold-pressed is one of two ways of expeller (mechanically) pressing the oil from the kernels, the other being heat-press. As both are mechanical methods of extracting the oil, you should be ok with either cold or expeller pressed. Ultimately, if you can, go with cold pressed.
Virgin or higher:
Look for an oil that is at-least virgin quality. These oils are from the very early pressings of the plant used to extract the oil, tend to be the least acidic, and have the strongest organoleptic properties (taste, smell, appearance, etc.). Coconut oil isn’t too pricey so if you can swing extra-virgin, go for it!
Note: I would avoid oils that do not state these key characteristics (what kind of pressing, whether refined or not, and quality). At the very least, make sure your oil names the plant it came from!
Some Final Tips
Coconut oil has a reputation, whether deserved or undeserved, for being comedogenic. Patch test!
Store your oil in a dry, dark place at room temperature
[i]
http://www.apccsec.org
[ii] This is what copra is -
http://www.usesofcoconut.com/wp-cont.../12/copra5.jpg
[iii]
http://www.uccs.edu/Documents/danderso/fats_oils.pdf
[iv] ~6% oleic acid & ~2% linoleic (see tables) -
http://www.banglajol.info/index.php/...e/view/669/685
[v] http://www.banglajol.info/index.php/...e/view/669/685
[vi] Study testing the oxidative stability of coconut oil –
http://journal-of-agroalimentary.ro/...12_272-276.pdf
[vii] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24320105
[viii] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15724344
[ix] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19134433
[x] The study has in-vitro AND in-vivo results! –
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2772209/
[xi] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12715094
[xii] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11413497
[xiii] Here’s a study on coconut oil reducing burn wounds on rats –
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20040946/
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