Coconut oil
The magnificent coconut palms thrive particularly well in the tropical regions of South East Asia, but also in South America and Africa. They are cultivated in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand, among other places, and produce the well-known coconuts. The dried flesh (copra) of these coconuts is used to produce coconut oil, which is becoming increasingly popular due to its many positive properties. At a temperature of less than 25 degrees Celsius, however, coconut oil is still solid and is called coconut fat. It only becomes liquid when exposed to warm water or body temperature.
Coconut oil: ingredients and benefits
Coconut oil is rich in valuable ingredients, which is mainly thanks to the sea. The palm trees, which usually grow close to the shore, absorb the salt water through their roots and thus supply themselves with important minerals such as zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium. Coconut oil also contains vitamins B, C and E, essential fatty acids (coconut oil has a forty per cent lauric acid content!) as well as amino acids and trace elements. All these substances contribute to the intensively moisturising and nourishing effect of coconut oil. And that’s not all. Coconut oil is also considered to be antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious, it is an ideal antioxidant (i.e. protects against premature ageing) and is even described by experts as anti-cancer, as it can prevent the spread of cancer cells and strengthens the immune system.
Coconut in cosmetics
Coconut oil can be used in many different ways in cosmetics. It is just as effective as a make-up remover as it is as a mask for damaged hair and is also used as a gentle and fragrant lip balm. It has therefore been an important topic in high-quality cosmetic products for some time. From luxurious hand creams to wonderfully scented bath additives and care shampoos to flattering body butters, it pampers the skin, hair, lips and the entire body. The same applies to all these cosmetic products: The higher the proportion of pure coconut oil, the more suitable the product is for dry skin. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, coconut oil can even soothe mild sunburn and is also beneficial for stressed feet. It is also ideal for mature skin. When added to creams, it quickly rebalances dry and dehydrated skin.
There are no known side effects or disadvantages. Coconut oil is very well tolerated and allergic reactions have only been observed very rarely. Although it is generally suitable for all skin types, those who suffer from oily skin should use coconut oil sparingly so that it does not clog the pores.
It is important that the coconut oil is labelled as virgin, i.e. unprocessed. Industrially processed coconut oil is usually refined, bleached and sometimes even deodorised after pressing. This can not only cause irritation on the skin, but also leads to a loss of nutrients such as vitamin E.
Coconut oil profile:
INCI name: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
Cultivation areas: Tropics, South East Asia
Extraction: Cold pressing from the nuts
Colour: white to slightly yellowish
Flavour: slightly coconut-like
Shelf life: refrigerated, unopened approx. 24 months
Ingredients: up to 45% lauric acid
up to 30% myristic acid
2-11% oleic acid
We like to work with these raw materials containing coconut:
| Tradename | INCI | Supplier | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMTicide Coconut | Lactobacillus (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract | Active Micro Technologies LLC | |
| Seatons Coconut Oil | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Croda | |
| RESASSOL PG6 COCONUT | Coconut Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters | Res Pharma | |
| Organic Virgin Coconut Oil - BCE1506 | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Biocosmethic | |
| POLYGREEN COCONUT OIL | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Aqia | |
| Herbasome Coconut Water | Glycerin (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Juice (and) Lecithin (and) Tocopherol | Lipoid Kosmetik AG | |
| VISCOPLAST GREEN 350 HVL | Coconut Alkanes (and) Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer (and) Coco-Caprylate/Caprate | Biosynthis | |
| SABOWAX HCO | Hydrogenated Coconut Oil | SABO S.p.A | |
| Granresin PMSQ-VL | Polymethylsilsesquioxane (and) Coconut Alkanes | Grant Industries | |
| Fruitliquid Coco | Propylene Glycol (and) Aqua (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract | Crodarom | |
| Gransil GVL-HV | Coconut Alkanes (and) Polysilicone-11 | Grant Industries | |
| UV CUT ZNO-72-VL | Zinc Oxide (and) Coconut Alkanes (and) Polyhydroxystearic Acid (and) Coco-Caprylate/Caprate (and) Dimethicone | Grant Industries | |
| Equiveda | Butylene Glycol (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water (and) Withania Somnifera Root Extract | Gattefossé | |
| EMCON COCO | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Elementis Specialties | |
| BIOEXTRACT COCO HG | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract | Aqia | |
| Vegelight 1214LC | Coconut Alkanes (and) Coco-Caprylate/Caprate | Grant Industries | |
| Monoï de Tahiti Oil A.O. | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (and) Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract (and) Tocopherol (and) Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil | Biocosmethic | |
| Herbasome Pear Water | Glycerin (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Juice (and) Lecithin (and) Tocopherol | Lipoid Kosmetik AG | |
| Sensoveil SIL | Orbignya Speciosa Kernel Oil (and) Hydrogenated Soybean Oil (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (and) Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil | Chemyunion | |
| RootBioTec HO | Ocimum Basilicum Hairy Root Culture Extract (and) Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil (and) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Mibelle AG Biochemistry |
Coconut oil: much more than just a trend
Coconut oil is often referred to as the new beauty miracle, but it is actually a real all-rounder for skin and hair. It is extremely versatile, rich in valuable ingredients and, provided it has not been industrially processed, very well tolerated. High-quality cosmetics with pure coconut oil make an important contribution to our beauty care and contribute to our well-being. Please ask us if we can develop a product with bio-based coconut oil for your product line.
Literature:
- Krist, S.,Buchbauer, G.,Klausberger, C.: Lexikon der pflanzlichen Fette und Öle. Springer-Verlag, 2008
- Approaches to Skin and Hair Moisturizing – Yesterday and Today; Priscilla Taylor; www.ulprospector.com
- In vitro anti-inflammatory and skin protective properties of Virgin coconut oil. Varma SR, Sivaprakasam TO, Arumugam I, Dilip N, Raghuraman M, Pavan KB, Rafiq M, Paramesh R.J Tradit Complement Med. 2018 Jan 17;9(1):5-14
- Skin-Microbiome Assembly in Preterm Infants during the First Three Weeks of Life and Impact of Topical Coconut Oil Application. Ghori NU, Mullally CA, Nicol MP, Currie A, Hibbert J, Payne MS, Patole S, Strunk T.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 22;24(23):16626