Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid
Coconut oil is often talked about as an oil that can be used for both cooking and beauty.
This may be due to the growing trend towards natural and organic products.
It is sometimes advertised as being so moisturizing that it can soothe cracked skin, but is this true? And if so, why?
In this article, we will focus on lauric acid, which is abundant in coconut oil, and explain why it is used as a cosmetic ingredient and its effects.
What is Lauric Acid?
A type of fatty acid found in plants and animals. Plant-based ones are often used in cosmetics.
Lauric acid accounts for about half of the fatty acids in coconut oil.
Lauric acid is extracted from the various fatty acids contained in coconuts and palm kernels and oils. It is processed and refined and used as a cosmetic ingredient. In other words, lauric acid does not exist in nature as a single substance.
The role of lauric acid
It is used in cosmetics for a variety of purposes, but it is mainly used as a cleaning agent, emulsifier, and texture improver.
High cleaning power
It is often found in soaps, body washes, and cleansing products.
The reason for this is its strong cleaning power and good foaming ability. It has been shown that when used in bar soaps in particular, it produces soap with superior cleaning power compared to other fatty acids such as myristic acid and palmitic acid.
However, because it has such a strong cleansing power, it may also be more likely to cause skin irritation.
Article about soap: Is it true that soap is gentle on the skin?
Effect on acne
It has antibacterial properties and is being studied as a possible effective ingredient foracne .
A 2009 study showed that lauric acid reduced inflammation and reduced bacterial count on the skin.
The topical ointments commonly prescribed by dermatologists for acne treatment contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide, but this study suggests that lauric acid may be more effective than benzoyl peroxide.
A 2016 study also showed its effectiveness against acne.
However, applying coconut oil to acne is a no-no because coconut oil contains many other fatty acids, so you won't get the same results as you would with lauric acid alone.
In fact, coconut oil may clog pores and make acne worse.
How to choose the right oil for those who are concerned about pores: A must-read for those who are concerned about pores! Recommended oils for each skin type
Is lauric acid safe?
The American EWG, which evaluates the safety of cosmetic ingredients, considers lauric acid to be highly safe . There is also a lot of information available about the ingredient, so it can generally be said to be a safe ingredient.
However, if used in high concentrations, people with sensitive skin may need to be cautious.
This is because in irritation tests on humans , when 50% lauric acid was applied and covered, skin irritation such as erythema was observed. However, even when the skin was left uncovered, even the 80% concentration only caused a mild reaction of slight erythema.
Lauric acid is rarely found in such high concentrations in cosmetics, so there is probably no need to worry too much.
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