Coconut Oil: King of All Oils

Thousands of Years, Dozens of Cultures

Believe it or not, the history of coconut oil dates back nearly 4000 years. Historical documents show positive results in both cooking and healing applications. Not long after, we see coconut oil as a staple ingredient for cosmetic use all around the world.

The early uses of coconut oil were prevalent in South America, Central America, India, Mele, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Indian Ayurvedic medicine, one of the oldest medicine systems in the world, shows that starting in at least 1500 BC coconut oil was used in nearly every application regarding the body.

In the centuries after, coconuts and coconut oil gained traction and popularity in many different ways. Fast forward to today, and coconut oil is a staple ingredient for countless skincare and makeup products.

How It’s Made

Making coconut oil is probably a lot more complex than you think. Coconuts are collected, and those used for getting the “meat” of the coconut are split open. The meat is then scooped out and dried out. The drying process can take up to four days and can be done using solar drying, a rack over a fire, or even a kiln.

The dried coconut “meat”, or copra, is bagged and taken to an oil-seed mill where the extraction process officially begins. Some of the ways coconut oil can be extracted are:

• The Dry Process

• The Wet Process

• Solvent Extract

The dry process begins by taking the coconut meat and drying it to create copra. The drying process takes about 2.5 hours at a controlled temperature. The copra is then either cold-pressed, expeller-pressed, or dissolved using solvents. The result is coconut oil and a soft, spongy by-product known as “copra meal.” This by-product is very high in protein, but can’t be consumed by humans due to its low quality. Because of this, it’s often fed to animals.

The wet process actually uses raw coconut instead of dry copra. The coconut’s proteins create an oil and water emulsion, which then leads to a process where the emulsion separates and only the oil is collected. The wet process uses techniques like centrifuges or pre-treatments, or even both, to accomplish this.

The third method is solvent extraction. This method extracts up to 10% more oil than methods that use rotary mills and expellers. It’s able to do this because of the use of solvents like Hexane. The resulting oil goes through a refinement process that removes certain free fatty acids. This decreases the oil’s likelihood of going bad and increases its shelf life.

Uses and Benefits Galore

The various uses of coconut oil seem virtually never-ending. Its wide array of uses also come in a wide array of forms like oil, gels, lotions, and soaps just to name a few.

When used as a topical treatment, coconut oil cleanses and nourishes the skin leaving it soft and smooth. It also quickly and deeply hydrates the skin and locks in moisture. A great way to cleanse the skin, and even reduce the appearance of aging, is by rubbing a small amount of coconut oil onto the face.

Another great use of coconut oil is as a makeup cleanser. Not only does it break down makeup easily and clean the skin at the same time, but those amazing moisturizing properties also leave your skin fresh and soft.

If your skin needs a little TLC and you’re a fan of aromatherapy, coconut oil can be mixed with essential oils and used for massages. It’s said that this use can even help reduce the appearance of cellulite. This homemade massage oil can also help repair damaged heels if used on the feet.

For those of us with chapped lips who aren’t getting the results we want from chapstick, coconut oil can be used as a nourishing lip balm.  Got a little BO that you can’t seem to fix? The disinfectant properties of coconut oil can help. It makes a deodorant if combined with anti-bacterial essential oils.

Coconut oil isn’t just for your body. When used on your hair, it can protect the scalp against dryness and dandruff. If you want to get rid of hair, it can be used as a shaving cream or even an aftershave. If you’re prone to ingrown hairs when shaving, a body scrub with coconut oil can help.

So how can coconut oil do all this? It’s all because of six main chemical constituents: Lauric Acid, Capric Acid,  Caprylic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, and Medium-Chain Triglycerides.

Lauric Acid is believed to have soothing properties and textures when used in body butter and soaps. Capric Acid and Capric Acid have antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, stimulate hair follicles, repair and strengthen damaged hair, and prevent the spread of bacteria. 

Linoleic Acid can moisturize hair and promote growth, act as an effective emulsifier, soothe acne, and promote moisture retention in hair and skin. Oleic acids can maintain the softness and radiance of hair and skin, stimulate hair growth, reduce the appearance of aging, and eliminate dandruff.

Medium-Chain Triglycerides are known for eliminating harmful bacteria, offering intense moisture, conditioning the hair, and promoting hair growth.

What It Can Do to the Skin

Besides all the benefits we listed above, coconut oil easily penetrates into the skin due to the small size of its molecules. Without clogging pores, coconut oil can help dry, itchy skin and hair. It’s also suitable for sensitive, inflamed, irritated skin.

While it moisturizes, it also creates a protective barrier on the skin’s surface. When used as a topical cream, coconut oil soothes and cools skin affected by conditions like Athlete’s Foot, Psoriasis, and even warts. It also helps with sunburns and blisters.

People with excessively oily skin should be warned, your skin may look aggravated when you first start using coconut oil for your acne. This is because of the detoxifying properties coconut oil has. It purges layers of toxins beneath the surface of the skin, which can make it look like your skin has gotten worse. The inflammation and irritation are temporary though and will decline in a few weeks. It all depends on how many toxins have built up. 

For those with a known coconut allergy, coconut oil can potentially cause an allergic reaction. For those with peanut or tree allergies, you are less likely to experience an allergic reaction. While both are unlikely, it’s always important to consult your doctor before using coconut oil. 

The Results are In…

In a report from the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, they stated that coconut oil is safe to use in cosmetics. More specifically, it’s safe in a “wide variety of cosmetic products for their skin conditioning, occlusive, emollient, and moisturizing properties.” 

There are two important things to note. Firstly, the risks reported by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel are for those with a known allergy, those with sensitive skin, and the possibility of eye irritation. 

Secondly, according to an article from The Derm Review, the benefits of coconut oil are not well researched. So despite its rich history, data from modern science is limited.

Overall, we love coconut oil. What research and testimonials we do have, suggest all the amazing benefits, uses, and potential it has.