Coconut oil has been hailed as a multi-tasking skin care product over the past few years—from eye cream to body butter. But there are things it should not be used as because of its heavy moisturizing properties. Here are five:
#1 As a face moisturizer
Take note if you have acne-prone skin! Coconut oil clogs pores because it traps moisture underneath the skin. So unless your skin is extra dry and cracked, slathering on the stuff on your face isn’t the best idea.
#2 As an anti-dandruff treatment
If you’re suffering from serious dandruff, rubbing coconut oil on your scalp as a way of hydrating it will actually make it worse. If we think about how our skin sheds and how our scalp needs to shed, oil will lock in everything. But if you still want to try coconut oil on your hair, we recommend applying the tiniest bit on the middle and ends of your hair and rinsing it off after a few minutes.
#3 As teeth whitener
While many celebs are fans of oil pulling (where you swish oil in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes to remove toxins from your body), it’s not what it’s hyped up to be. According to The Daily Mail, there is actually no scientific evidence that doing so will give you whiter teeth or fresher breath.
#4 As a fat burner
Notice how so many health and wellness websites praise the weight loss capabilities of coconut oil? But in reality, it’s a myth. Coconut oil is high in calories and saturated fat—more than lard, FYI—with one tablespoon containing 13.6 grams of fat and 117 calories. Eating it in moderation is not bad for you, it just won’t help you shed off the pounds
#5 As sunscreen
Thanks to Pinterest, there are many recipes for DIY coconut oil sunscreen. But according to this study, coconut oil only has an SPF of 1. So not only will you be using an untested and unverified product, but you’ll also possibly clog your pores and pave the way for new pimples to pop out.
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