J'craque pour toi mon huile de coco - Les Mauvaises Herbes

Posted by Les Mauvaises Herbes

I've got a crush on you, my coconut oil.

Coconut oil is definitely a must-have for making homemade cosmetics. It’s one of those super ingredients you can use (almost) anywhere. In addition to having multiple culinary uses, it can be used as a makeup remover, in hair masks, and in our recipes for deodorants, body butters, face butters, exfoliants, etc.

It’s also one of the first ingredients we add to our arsenal when getting started in the world of homemade cosmetics.

As you may have noticed, we offer two versions of coconut oil in our recipes and our shop:

It can be difficult to navigate, because on the market, coconut oil comes in several products/variants: solid, liquid, virgin, extra virgin, deodorized, fractionated, caprylic, butter… Phew.

We’re going to try to untangle it all!

Photo: Jacinthe Morin

Coconut butter or oil?

Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh and/or milk of the coconut. Since it contains a lot of saturated fats (about 90%, including 50% lauric acid), it becomes solid below 25 ºC, which gives it the appearance of a plant butter, like shea butter. Even in its solid state, all you have to do is apply it to your skin to see it quickly liquefy.

The important thing to remember: it really is an oil, not a butter. It’s easy to make a mistake and call it “butter.” Coconut butter does exist, but it’s completely different: it’s a solid paste made from the whole coconut flesh. You can even make it yourself by putting pieces of coconut in a food processor.

Coconut butter is used in cooking, but not in cosmetics. A bit like peanut butter. You can easily imagine using peanut oil in a cosmetic treatment, but peanut butter, not so much!

The multiple uses of coconut oil

There are several reasons why coconut oil is a must-have in homemade cosmetics. First, it contains lauric acid, a good antibacterial, making it an ideal ingredient in deodorants and toothpastes. Be careful, however: since it melts at more than 25 ºC, we sometimes have to leave certain cosmetics in the fridge in summer.

Next, it is highly appreciated for nourishing the skin and soothing skin irritations. We also love it for protecting, nourishing, and adding shine to hair, especially curly or coily hair.

Coconut oil can also serve as an intimate lubricant! It’s one of the key ingredients in our DIY lubricant recipe, although you can perfectly well use it for this purpose in its pure state (no time to mess around)! Coconut oil also has antifungal properties: it could therefore help prevent vaginal yeast infections.

Another popular use: artisan soap making. Coconut oil produces a beautiful rich lather in soaps made by cold saponification. It also contributes to the firmness of the bars, which is why it is present in almost all cold-saponified soap recipes.

Moderation tastes much better

Before you slather it on your body as if there were no tomorrow, you need to know that coconut oil can dry out the skin (and mucous membranes). We therefore avoid using it in large quantities over the long term. It is often recommended not to use more than 20% in cosmetics recipes used daily.

Also avoid spreading it on your face like butter on a toast: its comedogenic rating is 4 on a scale of 5, meaning it has a strong tendency to clog pores! You can use it as an eye makeup remover, but otherwise, we prefer to add just a small amount to a face butter, or reserve it for body care. Of course, these are general tips. Everyone is unique and all skin types react differently. If coconut oil masks do your little face a lot of good, keep going!

Recette · Beginner

Homemade deodorant (super simple recipe)

For years, I searched for the perfect (commercial) deodorant, without success. After a while, my body would get used to the product and it would stop working. So I had to change deodorants every 2 weeks and alternate. Ridiculous! This homemade deodorant has completely changed my life! Two weeks in Mexico without having to reapply during the day? It's a miracle. - Mariane

Préparation10 min

Conservation12 months +

Rendement120 ml

Voir la recette : Homemade deodorant (super simple recipe)

Virgin ascendant… coconut?

What is a virgin oil? No, it’s not an oil made between August 23 and September 22! When an oil is described as “virgin” or “extra virgin,” it means it was mechanically extracted by cold pressing, without solvent or heat, and that it has not undergone any processing or refining. Virgin and extra virgin coconut oils also retain the smell and flavor of the coconut! Yum! Know that our Les Mauvaises Herbes coconut oil is extra virgin. It’s perfect for coconut fans!

Cold extraction is the best extraction method to preserve the properties of coconut oil. On the conventional market, some extraction techniques are not very pretty. Hexane is often used as a solvent, a petroleum derivative known for leaving toxic residues in its wake. To remove the solvent, the oil must then be heated to very high temperatures, which in turn destroys several of its therapeutic components. Solvent extraction is less expensive and more productive than pressure extraction, which explains the lower price of conventional oils.

The moral of the story?

Always opt for virgin or extra virgin coconut oil! Is there a difference between the two? In the case of coconut oil, it’s the same thing, unlike olive oil, for which there are regulations that differentiate the two varieties.

And deodorized coconut oil?

To get rid of the smell and beige color of coconut oil, some producers subject it to several treatments, including steam treatment and clay filtration – you’d think you were reading a spa treatment menu! These are methods we can call “natural” because they do not involve “chemical” solvents, but since it is a form of refining, the oil loses its “virgin/extra virgin” title.

Fractionated coconut oil

Fractionated coconut oil, also called caprylic, is a coconut oil that remains liquid and translucent at any temperature. How is that possible? Its lauric acid (the solid saturated fatty acid) was removed by hydrolysis to keep only a fraction of the oil, hence its name.

Unlike unfractionated coconut oil, caprylic is low comedogenic; it can therefore be used on the face without problems by most people. It is a so-called dry oil, meaning it penetrates the skin very easily without leaving a greasy finish. It is highly appreciated in the making of face serums and as a carrier to facilitate the penetration of essential oils.

Fractionated coconut oil, like soybean oil, traps the volatile molecules of essential oils and preserves their olfactory effectiveness longer. A particularly welcome property in the making of mosquito repellent oil, perfumes and aromatherapy roll-ons!

Since it is very light and less “greasy,” it is perfect for light cream and face serum recipes, as well as all the products we use especially in summer! It holds up well in emulsions, offers good resistance to oxidation, and is also an excellent solvent, making it ideal for oil macerations and as a carrier for essential oils.

In summary

Coconut oil

solid below 25 °C and liquid above 25 °C
comedogenic rating: 4
contains about 50% lauric acid
antibacterial and antifungal properties
recipes: deodorants, toothpastes, winter face butters, body butters
extra virgin oil smells like coconut
very rich and oily

Fractionated coconut oil (caprylic)

always liquid, even in the fridge
comedogenic rating: 1
contains myristic acid, palmitic acid, caprylic acid, and caproic acid (no lauric acid)
emollient
recipes: serums, light creams, essential oil roll-ons , mosquito repellents
odorless
fluid and silky texture, penetrates the skin quickly

There you go! From now on, coconut oil has no more secrets for you! You can now know which variety to use in your homemade recipes without breaking too many COCONUTS (hehehe).