CosmeticBet
Softeners and thickeners

Coconut oil

INCI: COCOS NUCIFERA OIL · also Coconut oil

An oil that lab tests found inside hair.

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C39H74O6639.00 g/mol
Trilaurin, a fat made of three lauric acid chains: coconut oil is a mix of many such fats
oxygencarbon
2D drawing from PubChem 10851 (hydrogens hidden)

How common

All products4.8%
In conditioners15%
In lip products8.1%
In body lotions5.4%

713 of 14,784 products with a full ingredient list in Open Beauty Facts; No. 59 of all the names found on their labels.

What it is

  • Oil from the dried coconut: 90% saturated fats (triglycerides), mostly built on lauric acid.

    2 sourcesHide
    Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, oil from the dried coconut fruit, is composed of 90% saturated triglycerides.[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2011 · open source
    Coconut oil, being a triglyceride of lauric acid (principal fatty acid)[2] Study · 2003 · open source

Why it is in products

  • To soften skin, condition hair, or add scent. Plant oils are used to condition and moisturise skin and to slow water loss from it.

    2 sourcesHide
    It may function as a fragrance ingredient, hair conditioning agent, or skin-conditioning agent[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2011 · open source
    Oils are used in a wide variety of cosmetic products for their skin conditioning, occlusive, emollient, and moisturizing properties.[3] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2017 · open source

What it does

  • Unlike mineral oil, it gets inside the hair shaft.

    Some evidencehair2 sourcesHide
    The results show that coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft while mineral oil does not.[4] Study · 2001 · open source
    it was hypothesized that the reduction in capillary adhesion resulted from the penetration of oil into the fiber[5] Study · 2005 · open source

  • Used before or after washing, it reduced protein loss from both undamaged and damaged hair; sunflower and mineral oils did not.

    Some evidencehair2 sourcesHide
    Among three oils, coconut oil was the only oil found to reduce the protein loss remarkably for both undamaged and damaged hair when used as a pre-wash and post-wash grooming product.[2] Study · 2003 · open source
    Both sunflower and mineral oils do not help at all in reducing the protein loss from hair.[2] Study · 2003 · open source

  • As a moisturiser for dry legs it worked as well as mineral oil, in a two-week trial of 34 people.

    Good evidenceskin3 sourcesHide
    Coconut oil and mineral oil have comparable effects.[6] Study · 2004 · open source
    A randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial was conducted on mild to moderate xerosis in 34 patients[6] Study · 2004 · open source
    apply either coconut oil or mineral oil on the legs twice a day for 2 weeks[6] Study · 2004 · open source

Downsides and safety

  • The US expert panel concluded it is safe as used in cosmetics.

    Well establishedSourceHide
    Coconut oil and related ingredients are safe as cosmetic ingredients in the practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment.[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2011 · open source

Where it works

Surface (cuticle)Inside (cortex)Core (medulla)

Inside the hair shaft: lab imaging found it there, while mineral oil stayed outside.

Some evidenceSourceHide
The results show that coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft while mineral oil does not.[4] Study · 2001 · open source

Rules

European Union

  • No EU limit: it is not on the regulation’s lists of banned or restricted substances, preservatives or UV filters.

    How we checkedHide
    We searched Annexes II to VI of the EU regulation (consolidated text of 18 May 2026): no entry.open the list

United States

  • Not on the FDA’s list of prohibited or restricted cosmetic ingredients. In the US, cosmetics and their ingredients (other than colour additives) don’t need FDA approval before sale.

    SourceHide
    Under U.S. law, cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, do not need FDA approval before they go on the market[7] US Food and Drug Administration · open source
    We searched the FDA’s list of prohibited and restricted cosmetic ingredients: no entry.open the list

How much is used

  • From 0.0001% to 70%, in 626 products in the US panel’s survey.

    SourceHide
    is reported in 626 cosmetics at concentrations from 0.0001% to 70%[1] US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel · 2011 · open source
About these studies

All three hair studies share an author (A. S. Rele) from Marico Industries, a company in Mumbai; two were done at the TRI Princeton laboratory. We found no independent repeat of them.

6 sourcesHide
Marico Industries Ltd., Mumbai, India.[2] Study · 2003 · open source
Rele AS; Mohile RB[2] Study · 2003 · open source
Ruetsch SB; Kamath YK; Rele AS; Mohile RB[4] Study · 2001 · open source
TRI/Princeton[4] Study · 2001 · open source
Keis K; Persaud D; Kamath YK; Rele AS[5] Study · 2005 · open source
TRI Princeton[5] Study · 2005 · open source

Sources

  1. Final report on the safety assessment of Cocos nucifera (coconut) oil and related ingredients International journal of toxicology, 2011US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel
  2. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage Rele AS et al., Journal of cosmetic science, 2003StudyAuthors include staff of Marico Industries
  3. Safety Assessment of Plant-Derived Fatty Acid Oils International journal of toxicology, 2017US Cosmetic Ingredient Review expert panel
  4. Secondary ion mass spectrometric investigation of penetration of coconut and mineral oils into human hair fibers: relevance to hair damage Ruetsch SB et al., Journal of cosmetic science, 2001StudyAuthors include staff of Marico Industries (co-author)
  5. Investigation of penetration abilities of various oils into human hair fibers Keis K et al., Journal of cosmetic science, 2005StudyAuthors include staff of Marico Industries (co-author)
  6. A randomized double-blind controlled trial comparing extra virgin coconut oil with mineral oil as a moisturizer for mild to moderate xerosis Agero AL et al., Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 2004Study
  7. Prohibited & Restricted Ingredients in Cosmetics | FDA US Food and Drug Administration

Checked against these sources on 4 November 2026. Spot a mistake? Tell us.