Which is healthier for skin: coconut oil or olive oil? Why?

Both coconut oil and olive oil are excellent choices for your skin, however depending on your skin care requirements, each oil has particular advantages and disadvantages. Here is a summary:

Coconut oil's benefits and drawbacks for skin

Let's begin with the advantages first. Coconut oil is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that support cellular regeneration, guard against early ageing, reduce the appearance of pores, and keep moisture away from the skin. About 6% of coconut oil is caprylic acid (a fatty acid). Strong antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory effects of caprylic acid have been demonstrated to effectively combat candida and other skin infections like acne. And to top it all off, people with dry skin might benefit greatly from using coconut oil as a moisturiser (like eczema and psoriasis).

Onto the drawbacks now. While organic coconut oil can be a great moisturiser for people with extremely dry skin, people with sensitive skin or oily skin should be cautious about using coconut oil as a regular moisturiser on their faces. With a comedogenic grade of 4, coconut oil is highly likely to clog pores and result in breakouts for the majority of skin types. Try using coconut oil sparingly as a night mask, homemade sugar scrub, or as an excellent makeup remover if you want to benefit from its potent hydration and antioxidant properties without running the risk of breaking out.

Olive oil's benefits and drawbacks for skin

Olive oil has several beneficial elements for the skin, which contributes to its benefits. First, squalene, a potent anti-aging substance present in olive oil (which is naturally found in our own skin cells). When your cells don't make enough squalene, premature ageing occurs. Lack of squalene can cause drooping skin and early onset wrinkles. Vitamin E and hydroxytyrosol, a rare antioxidant and antibacterial molecule that destroys acne-causing bacteria, are also found in olive oil.

the drawbacks now. Even though organic olive oil has a comedogenic rating of 2 (which means it may clog pores for some skin types), excessive olive oil consumption can cause breakouts in people with oily or acne-prone skin. With that said, using olive oil as a moisturiser or night treatment once in a while should be quite OK for skin types with oil production. Furthermore, it can be challenging to locate genuine, pure extra virgin olive oil (and you only want to put actual legit EVOO on your face). On your skin, I advise using only genuine, certified organic extra virgin olive oil, such as La Tourangelle 100% Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (the certification ensures that the oil is true).