Can Coconut Oil Clog Your Pores?

It’s unfair to deduce that coconut oil can clog pores just because someone got acne from using coconut oil on her skin.

I never got any breakout from applying coconut oil to my face, scalp and other parts of my body in my many years of using coconut oil, so can that convince you that coconut oil does not clog skin pores?

I think it all boils down to the type of coconut oil you use on your skin and how you use it. Let’s find out.

1. Coconut Oil that Clogs Pores

Some say refined coconut oil will clog your pores. Actually, not all refined coconut oils will.

Only those that are hydrogenated or not properly refined will most likely cause blockage to your skin pores on face, scalp and other parts of your body.

This is because hydrogenation can alter the originally pure characteristics of the oil and cause it to become more gluey and hence, comedogenic.

And the one that is not properly refined will have impurities in it that will of course clog up your pores and block the normal flow of sebum to your skin surface.

2. Coconut Oil that Does Not Clog Pores

Virgin coconut oil does not clog pores. How do you prove that?

Simple. Dab a little on the back of your hand and rub it gently. You’ll feel that it gets absorbed by your skin after a while.

Do the same on your face since the skin on our face is much thinner and it should absorb the oil slightly faster.

Besides virgin coconut oil, a type of refined coconut oil commonly known as RBD coconut oil can also penetrate your skin. But it enters your skin faster because it is relatively thinner.

So, these are basically the 2 types of pure coconut oil that are non-comedogenic and therefore, won’t clog your skin pores.

Oh, please buy organic coconut oil to ensure a better quality for use on your skin and body. If it’s inorganic, chemical impurities may increase the comedogenic level of the oil.

But as I said earlier, how you use it is just as important.

3. Proper Usage of Non-Comedogenic Coconut Oil

There’s a degree to how much our skin can absorb coconut oil at each time, even if it penetrates very well.

If you smear a whole lot on your skin, it’s going to make you look greasy and dirty when micro-particles in the air trap on your skin. This, well, could choke up your skin pores even if the oil is non-comedogenic. And the result could be an acne breakout.

That said, always apply just a thin layer of coconut oil to your skin and let your skin absorb the oil before you apply a second layer.

You can re-apply as often as you deem necessary but try to allow at least 30 minutes before putting another layer just to make sure the preceding application has been completely absorbed.

This way of application is particularly good for dry skin so that your skin can remain moisturized throughout the day.

Even on oily skin, it can help to calm the secretion of your sebum over time, making your skin less acne-prone as a result. That’s how some acne sufferers use coconut oil to treat their acne.