Buzz
While coconut oil is often praised for its hair benefits, many also use it as a skincare product. However, I’ve noticed that whenever someone raves about its moisturizing properties, they often follow up with concerns about persistent acne breakouts.
It’s important to note that coconut oil is comedogenic. This doesn’t mean everyone will experience blackheads or pimples—some individuals have resilient skin that tolerates it well. But if you’re dealing with sudden breakouts and regularly applying coconut oil to your face, it might be worth reconsidering its use.
The term “comedogenic” refers to a substance’s tendency to clog pores and cause blackheads or whiteheads in laboratory settings. These tests are typically conducted on rabbit ears or human volunteers’ backs, but the results should be interpreted cautiously. (Lab Muffin provides an excellent breakdown of these tests here.) Rabbit skin is highly reactive, often responding to substances that human skin doesn’t. Similarly, human tests under controlled conditions may not reflect how a product behaves on your own acne-prone skin.
Timing is another factor to consider: comedogenicity tests take a month on human skin or two weeks on rabbit skin. So, if you introduce coconut oil (or any new product) and initially see no issues, but notice blackheads or whiteheads a month later, the two events might actually be connected.
If you’re confident that coconut oil is benefiting your skin, there’s no need to stop using it. However, if you’re struggling to identify the source of unexplained acne, consider switching to oils with lower comedogenic ratings, such as argan or jojoba.
