Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skin care routine.
Take The Skin Quiz
What is coconut oil?
The coconut tree is glorious – all its parts can be used to make things, and the meat and milk are used to create coconut oil, which can be used in cooking, cosmetics, and to treat a variety of issues. The oil is created by sun-drying the flesh of the fruit and then pressing it. Coconut oil has a distinct coconut aroma, but is relatively colorless and highly viscous.
What is it best for?
Coconut oil can be used as a great base for many skincare products, but it has beneficial properties on its own. Coconut oil is an excellent hydrating ingredient when used topically, and it has been shown to reduce inflammation and redness. This makes coconut oil beneficial for those suffering from acne or eczema. It is readily absorbed by the skin, making it one of few oils that don’t feel, well...oily.
Coconut oil is also a great ingredient to protect your skin and hair from environmental elements, as it is an excellent source of antioxidants that protect the skin from damage from free radicals.
Coconut oil is also touted to smooth uneven skin and to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by improving the elasticity of skin, making it great for anti-aging skincare products.
What is the drawback?
Coconut oil is highly comedogenic, which means it can clog pores and lead to acne in people with oily skin. It can also cause blackheads, pimples, and whiteheads if left on the skin for too long.
If you’re not sure whether coconut oil is the right ingredient for your particular skin type and concerns, take our Skin Quiz!
People may refer to their skin tone as uneven if they have patches or blotches of hyperpigmentation (darker or lighter patches) or redness across their face. This might include red streaks across the forehead, the tip of the nose and cheeks. It could also refer to age spots or sunspots, acne scars, or patches of dull and lifeless looking skin from aging or UV damage. Overly dry skin can cause damage to the follicles and production of collagen and sebum, which can cause the skin to appear duller or ashy.
To brighten the skin and provide a more even skin tone, it’s best to moisturize daily and wear sunscreen. Additionally, antioxidants protect the skin from free radicals that damage cells and speed up aging, which can cause dark spots and make acne scarring worse. Ingredients and nutrients like vitamin C, rumex, arbutin, rosehip oil, jojoba oil, retinol/vitamin A, coenzyme Q10, alpha-hydroxy acid and salicylic acid are all beneficial for evening out the complexion.
Since sun damage is the leading cause for uneven skin tone, it is important to wear sunscreen daily in combination with brightening ingredients.
Coconut oil may be effective for uneven skin tone, but there are many other factors that may affect whether this ingredient would work on your skin or if there are better ingredients that may work for you. Take this skin quiz to find the best ingredients for your skin and build your skincare routine.
Next: Does glycolic acid work on acne scars ?