Avocado vs coconut oil for skin. You’ve likely heard many good things about both of these oils. They have quite a few similarities, but they have their differences as well.

Which oil is best? Well, that depends on your skin type and what you’re trying to do. For some, avocado oil will be best. But, others might prefer coconut oil. You should know what you’re looking to do and pick the oil that works best for those issues.

In this guide, I’ve compared these two popular oils and discussed what makes them similar and different. I’ve also covered when it’s best to use one rather than the other. Ready to get into it? Let’s get started!

avocado oil vs coconut oil for skin

What Is Avocado Oil?

avocado oil

Avocado oil is a vegetable oil that comes from cold pressing the flesh of the avocado fruit. Avocado fruits grow on the avocado tree which is native to Mexico.

Most vegetable oils come from pressing the seed of the fruit. But, avocado oil comes from pressing the flesh of the fruit. Avocado flesh consists of about 65% fat making it the perfect material for making oil.

Avocado oil is one of the healthiest oils on the market, making it good for both consumption and use on your skin. In fact, you can help keep your skin healthy from the inside out if you make avocado oil a part of your daily diet.

Refined VS Unrefined

There are two different kinds of avocado oil: refined and unrefined.

Unrefined oil comes from cold-pressing the flesh of the avocado to remove the oils. Then, the pulp is spun to separate the oil and the water.

Sometimes, the oil is put through further processing to become refined oil. The unrefined oil is further filtered. This extracts small particles of leftover pulp and other impurities.

Although refined oil may seem like the healthier option, it’s not. The refining process removes most of the beneficial nutrients that your body needs. So, for the best results, you should buy unrefined avocado oil when you can.

Click here to buy avocado oil now.

Benefits Of Avocado Oil For Skin

Avocado oil has a host of benefits for your skin that we’ll cover more in-depth later. For now, here is a snapshot of the benefits it provides your skin:

  • Moisturizing
  • Protects against free radicals like UV sun exposure
  • Speeds up healing
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Treats skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
  • Anti-aging
  • May treat acne

What Is Coconut Oil?

organic coconut oil

Coconut oil is a saturated fat based oil that comes from the fruit of the coconut tree. The oil itself comes from fresh coconuts or dry coconut kernels.

Many people use coconut oil for their cooking as it was once believed to have many health benefits. Today, we know it’s not as healthy as we thought. About 90% of the oil consists of saturated fat making it bad for consumption.

But, coconut oil is good for use on your skin and hair. It’s rich in fatty acids with medium-chain fatty acids making up about 65% of its composition. Lauric acid makes up almost half of its fatty acid composition.

Coconut oil also contains smaller amounts of these fatty acids:

  • Myristic acid
  • Caprylic acid
  • Palmitic acid
  • Capric acid
  • Oleic acid
  • Linoleic acid
  • Stearic acid

When it’s kept at room temperature, coconut oil is solid. But, if you warm it up slightly, it becomes softer and begins to melt. It makes the perfect texture for a skin moisturizer.

Refined VS Unrefined

As with most of these oils, there are two different kinds of coconut oil: refined and unrefined.

Unrefined virgin coconut oil comes from fresh coconuts through cold-pressing.

Refined coconut oil comes from the dried flesh of coconut meat. Refined oils go through further processing to prepare them for consumption. It often goes through further pressing. Sometimes it is also exposed to harsh chemicals, deodorizing, and bleaching.

Click here to buy coconut oil now.

Benefits Of Coconut Oil For Skin

Coconut oil also has a lot of benefits, many of which are similar to avocado oil’s benefits. Here are the main benefits of coconut oil:

  • Moisturizing
  • Protects against free radicals like UV sun exposure
  • Speeds up healing
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal
  • Treats skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
  • Anti-aging
  • May treat acne

Avocado Oil Vs Coconut Oil For Skin

oil on skin

You might want to compare avocado oil and coconut oil to know which one is better for your skin. The truth is that they’re very similar.

What Are The Similarities Between Avocado And Coconut Oil For Skin?

Avocado oil and coconut oil are very similar in nature.

Both Oils Are Moisturizing

Both coconut oil and avocado oil lock moisture into the skin for proper hydration. They are both very gentle oils. They can help those with certain skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rashes.

Both Oils Are Protective

Plus, both oils can protect the skin from a variety of damaging free radicals. The biggest threat that it protects the skin from is overexposure to the sun’s UV rays.

Because avocado oil is so thick, it forms a type of barrier over the skin that protects the skin from the sun.

Likewise, coconut oil improves the skin’s natural barrier to protect it from the sun’s damaging rays.

Both Oils Can Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is a painful and often unsightly side effect of many skin conditions. It may also appear if you’ve had too much exposure to the sun. Both avocado and coconut oil are full of antioxidants that fight inflammation.

Both Oils Are Healing

The antioxidants and fatty acids in these oils boost the healing process of damaged skin. They speed up the healing of damaged skin cells as well as create new skin cells to replace the old, damaged ones.

Both Oils Are Anti-Aging

Both oils produce collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are the main proteins found in skin. They are responsible for the elasticity and health of the skin.

With plenty of collagen and elastin, your skin is stretchy and can adapt to more changes. When collagen and elastin break down, your skin begins to sag and you’ll develop wrinkles.

Avocado and coconut oil boost collagen and elastin production. This may prevent you from developing wrinkles in the first place. If you already have wrinkles, it can help diminish their appearance.

What Are The Differences Between Coconut And Avocado Oil For Skin?

Coconut And Avocado Oil For Skin

Although they’re more similar than not, the two oils still have their differences.

Coconut Oil Has Antibacterial, Antifungal, & Antiviral Properties

Avocado oil and coconut oil are both great for helping to heal the skin. But, coconut oil has antibacterial properties while avocado oil does not. Not only can coconut oil help to heal your skin, but it helps to prevent infection in the process.

This is because of coconut oil’s high content of Lauric acid. Lauric acid is excellent at fighting off harmful microorganisms such as bacteria. Researchers compared Lauric acid against 30 other kinds of fatty acids and 20 strains of bacteria. Of those 30 kinds of fatty acid, Lauric acid was the most effective at blocking the bacteria’s growth.

Coconut oil also contains lesser amounts of Capric acid. Capric acid is effective at fighting microorganisms and infection.

Those who use coconut oil on their skin regularly are less likely to develop trouble with their skin.

Coconut oil also has antifungal and antiviral properties to protect the skin.

Because the oil has antifungal properties, it’s good for use on the feet. People who are highly active often have trouble with fungus on their feet and other areas of the body. The fungus can make you feel gross, it can be irritating, and sometimes, it can even be painful.

But, coconut oil is a good oil to prevent and treat such infections. Just as Capric acid can fight off bacterial growth, it can prevent fungal growth as well.

Coconut Oil Vs Avocado Oil For Skin On The Face

Getting rid of acne doesn’t seem to be at the top of the list for those using avocado oil. Still, many people notice that they have less trouble with acne after using avocado oil. It is a cleansing oil with a low comedogenic rating of “2”. It doesn’t have antibacterial properties. But, it’s likely to keep your skin clean and healthy enough to ward off breakouts.

On the other hand, if you struggle with acne, it’s recommended to avoid coconut oil. Coconut oil has a high comedogenic rating of “4” which means it’s almost guaranteed to clog pores. It’s generally safe for those without acne-prone skin, though.

Still, certain studies show that coconut oil may be helpful for acne as well. This is because of the high Lauric acid content in coconut oil that fights infection. Lauric acid is good at killing the strain of bacteria that causes acne.

Overall, if you struggle with acne, it’s probably safer to stick to avocado oil. But, you can give coconut oil a try.

Is Avocado Oil Or Coconut Oil For Skin Best?

Avocado oil vs coconut oil for skin. Which is the winner?

That really depends on your own preferences and what you’d like to use the oil for. If you want something that’s better for oily and acne-prone skin, you should go with avocado oil. If you want something that is more healing, then you’ll want to go with coconut oil.

Can You Use Avocado Oil And Coconut Oil For Skin Together?

avocado oil and coconut oil for skin

Yes, there is no reason you can’t use both together. In fact, this way you’ll get the benefits of both avocado and coconut oil for skin.

Click here to buy avocado oil now or here for coconut oil.

Conclusion

So, the results are in. Avocado oil and coconut oil are both great products that are beneficial for the skin.

If you have oily, acne-prone skin, you’ll probably want to stick with avocado oil. It’s gentle and non-comedogenic, so you won’t have to worry about it clogging your skin.

But, if you prefer something that can kill bacteria and fungi, then you’ll want to go with coconut oil. Avocado oil works wonderfully for healing wounds and skin conditions, too. But, it doesn’t have antibacterial or antifungal properties.

When it comes down to it, the choice is yours. Assess your skin type and decide what you want from your skincare product. Then, make the choice between coconut and avocado oil.

Learn more about avocado oil shelf life here or exactly how to store it here. See how avocado oil compares to olive oil or canola oil, and compare coconut oil vs shea butter for skin here. For your DIY beauty recipes, find more guides to using avocados here or coconuts here.

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