Virgin Coconut Oil

[gunner]

Wondering if anyone knows if Virgin coconut oil is pore-clogging? And what is done differently to the coconut oils to make the melt point different? Is virgin co considered the lower melt point co?
Asking cause I started using it on my face and I love it! But if it's going to make me break out maybe I won't love it so much?
Thanks!!

 

[Davika]

I use coconut oil all over my body (including my face) instead of body lotion and have never broken out from it. It's actually really good for your skin. I've heard people claim it actually cleared up their acne.

Here is some more info about coconut oil and some of the amazing things it can be used for: http://www.hybridrastamama.com/2012/01/ ... t-oil.html

 

[sudbubblez]

coconut oil is non comedogenic. "virgin" when referenced to oils, means the oil comes from the first press. IMO any virgin oil is too precious to go into soap, I'd rather use it for cooking. I use coconut oil to make homemade deodorant putty and to brush my teeth. It has some antimicribial properties.

The difference:
Fractionated- long chain triglycerides are removed leaving only the saturated fats. This makes it very stable and will last indefinitely. Only a "fraction" of the original. Fractionated coconut oil is made entirely of the saturated fats which are harder than unsaturated fats.

76*- becomes liquid at 76 degrees. If classified like this it is almost always RBD. Its not hydrogenized but has come into contact with chemicals to refine, bleach and deodorize it.

96*- melts at 96 degrees. This is partially hydrogenized which gives it a higher melt point. Preferred for lotions and some cosmetics by most soapers.

 

[Loolee]

sudbubblez, I thought I was the only one that brushed my teeth with it! I really love it for this use. I add a touch of baking soda to it for scrubby effect.

gunner, I use it on my face, too. I use it for a make-up remover around my eyes, then use it on the rest of my face. I "rinse" with warm water and just wipe it off the excess, then go to bed. My face feels lovely in the morning. That being said, I'm older and not really prone to acne. I don't think I would suggest this to my teenage daughter, though.

 

[Hazel]

I've heard conflicting reports about coconut oil. I've read it's comedogenic, I've read it's noncomedogenic. I've read CO is comedogenic but VCO is noncomedogenic. I don't know what to believe anymore. However, I did experience breakouts a couple of summers ago when I was using VCO/mango butter as a night cream. This was extremely unusual for me because I've never had a problem with acne since I've always had dry skin. Although, I mainly believe part of the problem was the sunscreen I was using every day. My skin cleared up once I switched to using a soap I made with babassu oil and a lightweight lotion I bought from Avon. (See...not all commercial products are bad :wink: ). I was still applying the sunscreen every day but I didn't have problems with breakouts after switching.

To be accurate, I did have a little mango butter blended in with the VCO but I don't believe VCO is the correct ingredient for everyone. Skin types vary and what works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else. Also, some people are allergic to coconut. You'll just have to experiment with it and decide for yourself. But please let us know how it works for you.

I did come across an interesting article written about using VCO for an oil cleansing method.

http://www.highonhealth.org/my-coconut- ... nightmare/

 

[brandnew]

Hazel, Do you think it's wise then not to overdo the ccn content in soap? I love the way it scents soap naturally. Surely the reaction is different after saponification as opposed to applying directly to your skin....she asks hopefully... :| I s'pose it's safer using buttermilk etc....

 

[Hazel]

Yes, CO changes during saponification and becomes more drying. I'm sorry I can't give answers for what percentage to use. Again, it comes down to experimenting to find what is best for your skin. I've found I can't tolerate higher than 25% in soap unless I add buttermilk or cream or up the superfat. I know other people use a higher percentage and it is fine for them. My nephew prefers soap which has about 35% in it. I found this out in the beginning before I realized how drying it would be in soap. He thought it was great but it made my skin extremely dry and irritated.

Davika said she uses VCO on her face and has never had a breakout. It's possible I could go back to using it and not have a problem since I don't use the heavy sunscreen anymore. But I can't say someone else can use it and will never have a problem. I'd recommend being cautious if someone is has acne problems and wants to try VCO. I'd suggest using it only on a small area of the face for about a week or so and see what happens.

BTW, I've never heard of using VCO to brush teeth. I'll have to try it if I get VCO again.

 

[Pepper]

Davika, thanks heaps for the link. I am a coconut oil devotee, but I didn't know there were so many uses for it! Very interesting reading. Thanks again.

 

[Loolee]

brandnew, Most people suggest to not use coconut oil in amounts greater than 30%. many do a combination of 10/10/10 coconut, babassu, and palm, or coconut, palm and lard, or they do 15/15 coconut/ palm

 

[Hazel]

brandnew, Most people suggest to not use coconut oil in amounts greater than 30%. many do a combination of 10/10/10 coconut, babassu, and palm, or coconut, palm and lard, or they do 15/15 coconut/ palm

You can use a higher percentage of CO if you use a higher SF.

Are you referring to palm oil or palm kernel oil when you mention the combinations of different oils? Because if you're referring to PKO, I can tell you from experience that babassu and PKO can be almost if not as drying as CO. If someone prefers 25% CO and uses 15% coconut/15% PKO, the soap is going to be very drying to the skin unless a higher SF is used.

 

[brandnew]

nice to know that Hazel!! I had the misconception that babassu was supposed to be more of a conditioning oil!! oops

 

[Hazel]

No misconception. You're right. It is an emollient and is conditioning for any skin type when used as a butter or in a lotion. Babassu's fatty acid profile is very similar to coconut so it has about the same benefits when used in a body product and soap. In soap, it reacts the same way to lye as coconut - cleansing, hardness, creates bubbly lather. It's a great substitute for CO in facial soaps, IMO. It's gently cleansing at 20%-25% and unclogs my pores. Unfortunately, it's a bit more expensive and may not have as long as a shelf life as CO. However, I think it's worth it since I don't use a large percentage in facial soaps.

eta: I'm using the last bar from a batch I made about 18 months ago. (I know it sounds odd but I don't go through facial soap like I do with bars for the shower.) Anyway, there isn't any DOS so you don't think you'd have to be concerned about rancidity once babassu is saponified.

I've tried it as a whipped butter but it stiffened up more than shea so it didn't maintain the whipped texture. I thought if I had added a liquid oil it probably would have stayed whipped. Later I found a recipe for Whipped Babassu on swiftcraftymonkey and she used a liquid oil so her's stayed whipped. However, it was still lovely on my skin - spread easily because it melted very quickly, didn't take long to absorb and didn't leave me feeling greasy.

@gunner

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

 

[Soapsugoii]

I also use EVO every day to clean my face. I rub it on then wipe it off with a paper towel and reapply a bit to moisturize. I love it. It's when I DONT use it that I break out I've also found that it is wonderful if you get any kind of yeast or candida infection. Using it to cook or taking it internally has nipped those problems in the bud for me. It's got a lot of anti fungal properties.

 

[Hazel]

I used to use VCO to spread on bread and do grilled sandwiches in a skillet. It worked great as an alternative for margarine.