You’re told over and over again on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and other platforms that this miracle oil is a cure all. We cook with it, clean with it, moisturize with it, remove makeup with it, whiten teeth with it, all kinds of stuff that the internet says to do.

But what is coconut oil? Why is this oil being shoved down our throats? Is it really all that beneficial? What’s it really doing?

In recent years coconut oil has grown vastly in popularity. There’s been claims that it can do everything from clearing skin, supporting weight loss, and even slowing the progressions of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s beneficial to use as a hair treatment because the small molecules better penetrate your hair follicles. The antioxidant properties can be beneficial in a multitude of ways. It even reversed hepatosteatosis, a type of fatty liver disease in rodents.

Coconut oil can be great! But it can also be bad....

A survey published in July 2016 shows that 72% of people think coconut oil is healthy. Only 37% of nutritionist agree. Why is that? Because coconut oil has a saturated fat content of 90%. Saturated fats have been found to increase cardiovascular and other diseases.

But Mackenzie, what does this have to do with my skin?

Well! A coconut oil molecule is very small, this means that it easily passes through your skin’s pores. Coconut oil is extremely pore clogging, or comedogenic. So all these sources that say to use it as a moisturizer, makeup remover, cleanser, etc, are basically encouraging you to clog your pores!

But remember, only someone with the pre-existing hereditary condition of acne would be victim to coconut oil. So when you see somebody with perfect skin slathering it on, the acne has either not yet shown itself (since it takes 90 days to form and show), or they just don’t have the hereditary condition of acne.

***To clear your acne you need a healthy body, and a program of the right products used in the right way. Kempz programs are designed to fit exactly what your body and skin needs. The amount of education you receive through your clear skin journey will stay with you for life.***