Last Updated on October 21, 2024 by Kapuluan
Ultimately, everything you put in and on your skin affects your overall health.
Since there are so many great benefits to using coconut oil beauty products, and the demand for anything coconut has skyrocketed over the past five years, many brands like to tout themselves as using coconut oil in their products, but it’s essential to be aware of what type of coconut oil is in your beauty products.
If you want to purchase coconut oil beauty products, make sure what you buy says 100% virgin raw coconut oil on the label. The products listing only coconut oil or cocos nucifera on the label almost always use an inferior quality oil called Copra. A coconut byproduct, Copra is made from often rotten and moldy coconuts which dry in the sun on the side of the road.
The dried coconuts are refined with chemicals, bleached, deodorized, and processed to kill bacteria and create market-ready coconut oil. As a result, copra is yellow, smells awful, and is impure, with little nutritious or beneficial component left. The reason why copra coconut oil is so widely used is that it is very cheap, and it lathers exceptionally well. Why else? Because most people love coconut!
However, the low cost of copra coconut oil starts with coconut farmers. Despite coconut being the Philippines’ most abundant and valuable resource, over 60% of coconut farmers live in extreme poverty. To learn more about the devastating effects of Copra on coconut farming communities, take some time to watch our award-winning documentary Kinabuhi, which was featured by the United Nations last year.
Health Benefits of Coconut Oil Beauty Products
Coconut oil has excellent health and personal care benefits, but only if you get the right coconut oil or beauty products.
Pacific Islanders have used coconut oil for thousands of years, and it is so versatile that it can be used on the skin, hair, lips, teeth, and in many different ways.
If you already use or are looking to start using coconut oil beauty products, but are unsure if the product you are using is legit, do a little research.
What should you learn about the coconut oil beauty products you use? Here are three things to check on:
1. Check to see if the ingredients say 100% virgin coconut oil or raw coconut oil. You probably use a Copra product if it says coconut oil or cocos nucifera.
2. If unsure, ask the company what coconut oil they use in their products and where it comes from. You can also ask what production method they use for coconut oil and if heat is used to extract it. *Most brands use a co-packer to source ingredients and create their products, so they may not even know.
3. Purchase your coconut oil and beauty products from a company you trust. All Kapuluan Coconut oil is raw, cold-pressed organic, 100% virgin coconut oil. Knowing the company you are purchasing from makes you more likely to know precisely what you are getting.
