Absolutely nothing!
When choosing coconut oil, you have probably noticed that some are labelled ‘virgin’ and some ‘extra virgin’.
You may think that by choosing ‘extra virgin’ you are choosing a ‘better’, ‘healthier’ or ‘lighter’ product, when in fact, there is no difference between the two.
Companies can use ‘extra virgin’ on their labels, because there is no legal definition for the term. So, if you see two coconut oils on the shelf, do not pay more for the ‘extra virgin’ label.
What is Unrefined Coconut Oil?
Unrefined coconut oil is the same as virgin coconut oil. Depending on which company you use will depend on the terminology. I personally use the term unrefined.
Unrefined coconut oil is coconut oil, that has been pressed from coconut meat, and had no other processing.
What is Refined Coconut Oil?
Refined coconut oil has gone through a lot of processing, which can include:
Bleaching – This is where the oil is filtered through an activated clay, it does not actually involve bleach
Neutralizing – This is where Sodium Hydroxide (Lye) is added to form a soap, the oil is then washed with water and the soap is removed
Deodorizing – The oil goes through a heated process to remove any coconut scent or taste
I always buy Unrefined Coconut Oil for skincare and for cooking, as I prefer to keep things as natural as possible
is Coconut Oil good for your skin?
Coconut Oil has fantastic antimicrobial properties that effectively kill bacteria and fungi. Nearly 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid, which can fight harmful microorganisms.
Some studies show that Coconut Oil can help reduce acne. However there is also a con around this, as Coconut Oil has a high comedogenic rating of 4. This means that it can clog your pores easily.
I would personally only recommend using Coconut Oil on your face if you are using it mixed with other natural oils and butters.
Coconut oil has cleansing properties, so you can use it on its own as a cleanser, just make sure you remove it all because of the comedogenic rating
Overall, I love using Coconut Oil in my skincare as an addition, however I only use a small percentage, and I would personally not use coconut Oil as a one ingredient product if you have any skin problems.
Is Coconut Oil good for Eczema?
Coconut oil has some amazing benefits for your skin, some of which I have mentioned above. Many people use it in their skincare, which is fantastic as it is 100% natural (if you buy unrefined).
However, if you are looking for a one ingredient product to put on your eczema, I personally do not recommend Coconut Oil as there are many better alternatives.
If you want to buy a one ingredient product for eczema, I will always recommend Unrefined Shea Butter. Shea Butter, it has a comedogenic rating of 0 and it is a natural anti-inflammatory. I will write a separate blog on Shea Butter soon (go to the bottom of my blogs page to subscribe if you want to be notified when new blogs are available)
I make a Calendual Balm which many customers use for eczema, I also offer a money back guarantee so if it doesn’t work for you, you get your money back. You can find this here
This blog is around Coconut Oil only. I would like to add, this is not the same for Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Virgin Olive Oil does have a difference. I can write a new blog around this as well if you like?
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Thank you, Samantha x