Coconut Oil, Comedogenic Rating

We all love coconut oil, but this seemingly cure-all substance is highly comedogenic. What does the term comedogenic (pron: kämədōˈjenik) mean?  A comedogenic ingredient is a substance that has a high likelihood of clogging the pores, subsequently leading to blemishes and blackheads. Coconut oil is highly moisturizing and may be beneficial against acne, but it is not recommended if you have oily skin.

All carrier oils have a comedogenic rating of 0 to 5 (0 = does not clog pores, 2 = moderately low/fine for most, 5 = not recommended). Surprisingly, coconut oil has a rating of 4, while shea butter and sunflower oil have a rating of 0.

At Accent Apothecary, we use a variety of high-quality, organic,  cold-pressed oils to formulate our products.  We only use coconut oil for our cleansing and exfoliating products:  Noix De Coco soap, Citron Thym bath bombs (shown here) and epsom salt scrubs; while opting for lower-rated comedogenic oils (ex: hemp seed, safflower, sunflower and jojoba) for our skin care products meant for all-day coverage.