Coconut oil was (and possibly still is) super trendy as a beauty must-have! As a young teen eager to try out the latest raved about item, I was quite weary of trying this particular trend as I have always been told that oils were a no-go for oily, acne-prone skin. However, curiosity got the best of me and I jumped straight into the popular oil cleansing method using coconut oil upon reading some positive testimonies from those with my skin type. As a result...I present to you my story of using coconut oil on my face around a year ago when I was 17! Spoiler alert: it was awful and to this day, I am scarred from using skincare products that even mention the word 'coconut'.
The Oil Cleansing Method (OCM): Using an oil or a blend of oils to cleanse your face. The oil is massaged onto the skin for a few minutes, rinsed and the excess is wiped away with a warm face cloth.
The Story
The brand of coconut oil I chose was the Macro Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, purchased from my local Woolworths. It effectively melted away all traces of makeup and helped to moisturise my skin. For the first couple of days, I was absolutely thrilled by the results- my skin was cleansed, hydrated and glowy! I thought to myself "Wow, this is fantastic! My skin feels and looks great!" I probably spoke a tad bit too soon because nearing the end of the week, I felt my skin getting bumpy and saw an alarming increase in whiteheads in areas that I usually break out in. I looked it up and many claimed it was just a 'purge'. However, after giving it a little more time, I concluded that this was not a purge and I was in fact just clogging my pores with oil and breaking myself out. I stopped immediately and thought my skin would clear up soon however for the following months, my skin only worsened and I had many deep cystic pimples concentrated around my cheeks and chin. I consider this period as the worst break out of my life. It was so disheartening and eventually, the only thing that I could do was go on antibiotics (as recommended by my doctor) to get my skin under control.
Things To Consider
- Do your research thoroughly- I clearly did not and if I had, I would not even have this experience to share.
- Coconut oil is comedogenic.
- Coconut oil does not emulsify. Read: It will not rinse off your face cleanly. Wiping with a face cloth does not remove all the oily residue.
- Go with your gut feeling. Stop immediately if you feel it isn't working out.
Overall, I just encourage everyone to be careful about what you choose to put onto your face. Everyone experiences things differently and just because something works for many, doesn't mean you'll see the same results. We only have one face so let's take care of it as best as we can! Thank you for making it this far & stay tuned for more beauty related thoughts! xo
