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Beyond Coconut: 7 Other Natural Oils for Smooth and Radiant Skin
Natural oils, such as coconut oil, shea butter oil, and olive oil, have been used for skin care and hair care for centuries. Generation after generation have touted them for various moisturizing, protective, and antibacterial qualities. With the growth of the modern cosmetic and wellness industries, these deceptively simple substances have often been overlooked, but they’ve had a bit of a resurgence in the public eye over the last decade, as people strive to find additive-free, affordable, and effective products.
But which oils should you use, and how? What’s the difference between them?
Read on for more information about how natural oils can help give you radiant, healthy skin.
Is It Safe to Use Coconut Oil and Other Oils on Your Skin and Hair?
Rajani Katta, MD, a clinical assistant professor of medicine and board-certified dermatologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Bellaire, Texas, says that we have “centuries of experience†to show that it is uncommon for natural oils — including coconut oil, olive oil, and sunflower seed oil — to cause allergic reactions. “I think one of the reasons that natural oils have really come back into prominence is because there has been a search for moisturizers that A) don't cause allergic reactions, B) don't have as many of the chemicals that trigger allergic reactions, and C) are cost effective,†she says.
How to Apply Natural Oils to Your Face and Body
“When you're applying natural oils, you really have to make a distinction between the face and the body,†Katta says. “I don't tend to recommend these types of oils for acne, just because oils could clog your pores and make acne worse. But for that same woman who has acne on her face, coconut oil would be a great moisturizer for her body.â€
Finding out how much oil suits your needs may require a little trial and error. While there is no research regarding the amount of oil that should be used as a moisturizer, your skin will tell you when enough is enough. If it feels too greasy, that means it hasn’t all been absorbed.
Organic Oils vs. Essential Oils: Is There a Difference?
She warns that in some cases, the effects of tea tree oil on skin could be dangerous. “I would never use it on open skin, because I have seen people develop allergic reactions when they were using it on cracks in the skin from eczema, for example.â€
While she would not recommend that people with very sensitive skin ever use essential oils on their skin, she says that for most people, they should be safe to use — as long as they are used properly. “You have to diffuse them quite a bit,†she says. “You might use a couple of drops in a carrier, like coconut oil, and for most people, that would probably be fine,†she says. A carrier oil acts as a neutral base for an essential oil to dilute them before application or cooking.
Katta cautions that some oils may be more likely to cause negative side effects than others. “If you have sensitive skin or eczema, I've seen a lot of reactions to things such as oil of cloves, oil of cinnamon, lavender oil, lemon oil. Those are some of my top concerns in terms of essential oils that can trigger allergic reactions.â€
Where to Start With Natural Oils for Skin Care
Before applying any oils to the skin, it is important to receive a recommendation from your doctor. But to get you started, here are some of the most popular varieties of natural oils:
4. Shea Butter
Derived from the nuts of the African shea tree, shea butter is a tallow- like substance that is commonly found in a solid form, but it melts at body temperature, and is sometimes used as a moisturizer and hair product, says Katta, adding she hasn’t seen her patients have allergic reactions to it. Unrefined, organic shea butter can also be combined with olive oil or coconut oil to create a smoother texture for application.
6. Almond Oil
Made from pressed raw almonds, almond oil is full of health benefits, such as vitamin E, zinc, proteins, and potassium. It has a lighter texture than olive oil and shea butter, which many find appealing to use on the face. But Katta says that sweet almond oil can result in allergic responses, so she recommends avoiding it if you have sensitive skin.
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