So there are many reasons to love coconut oils’ benefits for both skin and hair, that’s for sure. But, like all good things, it’s not good across the board—or for everything. In the beauty space, we tend to think that if something works, it must do so universally and start handing out advice suggesting as such. But, as hair and skin are very complex and individual things, what works for you may not work for me. That’s OK! We spoke to a few experts and dove into the research to find out. On its own, lauric acid has been shown to help acne, as it’s anti-microbial and can tend to acne-causing bacteria1. But when it accumulates in the top layer of skin without penetrating—which is problematic for those with already oily or acne-prone skin. Once sitting atop the pore, bacteria, dirt, and dead skin cells can accumulate below festering until they trigger an inflammatory response. This is when you’ll see breakouts. See, according to skin care expert Sarah Villafranco, M.D., oils don’t actually hydrate the skin. “Anything that hydrates must have a water component—that’s the ‘hydr’ part—which means that lotions (70 percent water) hydrate the skin, but oils don’t,” she explained. So in order to properly gauge whether coconut oil is making you break out, you need to ensure you’re using it effectively. We recommend using it as an occlusive over damp skin, or even atop humectant serum or lotion (like a hyaluronic acid or glycerin based one). Here’s the layer: right after washing your face or right after a shower when your skin is still damp, apply your hydrating serum and pat this at top. If it fails, jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is generally considered to be one of the best oil options for those with acne or easily clogged pores. Experts think so as it is the oil that structurally most closely resembles sebum, the oily substance the sebaceous glands secrete as a natural way to keep the skin and hair moisturized. See, it can reduce skin oiliness by modulating your skin’s natural sebum production. Not to mention the oil is rich in beauty-boosting ingredients like vitamin E, vitamin B complex, copper, and zinc—and has been shown to have impressive anti-inflammatory effects. Other options include grapeseed oil and pumpkin seed oil, which are both very well tolerated onthe skin. Pumpkin seed oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids, has been shown to be useful in acne to reduce redness and inflammation5.
