The Pros (and Cons) of Coconut Oil for Body Massage

There's lots of interest in coconut oil. Not because we sell it - we sell lots of other oils - but because when people have a body massage with it they come back and ask questions.

We've been making and selling cold-pressed coconut oil from Panipat for some time. We use it ourselves. Our employees suggest it to their parents. And some of the massage therapists we supply it to have been using it for years. So this isn't an afternoons research type of review. It's our real life experience.

Here's everything you need to know about using it for skin and muscles, plus what kind to use, how to use it and two coconut oil blends you may love.

What Is Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil comes from the flesh of coconuts. That's it. But there are lots of different ways to process it - and that will determine its texture, smell and uses.

In Ayurveda, coconut oil has been used for massage for a long time. Not just a special massage, but a daily massage. It's cool, so it can be used in the summer and it's moisturising. Ask any Kerala grandmother and you'll get a 40 year review.

There are three types mostly available in markets:

Virgin (Cold-Pressed) Coconut Oil

This is made from pressed fresh coconut meat. It's antioxidant-rich, creamy and it smells delicious. This is our favourite for massage - it's great for dry skin and as a moisturiser.

Refined Coconut Oil

Extracted from dried coconut and then processed to eliminate the smell and colour. less healthy than virgin, but works as massage oil. Ideal if you are sensitive to the coconut smell, or using a large amount of oil.

Fractionated Coconut Oil

This is coconut oil with the long-chain fats removed to make it liquid. It absorbs quickly, is non-greasy and won't stain. If you love coconut oil but don't like the greasy feel, this is the oil for you.

Here's Why Coconut Oil is Good for Your Skin and Muscles

We've tried many oils. Some are good at one thing. There are things coconut oil is good enough at that it's worth considering whatever the issue is.

1. Longer than a Shower

Lotions get on the surface and evaporate. Coconut oil penetrates the skin. You can feel it going on and many hours later your skin feels different - smoother, less wrinkled. And in a 2018 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, researchers found that coconut oil helps repair the skin barrier and stops water from evaporating. And it's what we've seen. After two weeks, you'll notice an improvement in dry skin.

2. Antimicrobial Properties

The oil has lauric acid, which turns into monolaurin. Monolaurin kills some bacteria and fungi. It's calming for people who suffer from seasonal skin conditions, such as summer rash, hives. This isn't folklore. The science is known.

3. Feel Better, In A Way

Warming the coconut oil for a little before you start massaging your muscles. Heating the muscles, the oil allowing your hands to slide and the massage. It's good for a runner, someone with tight shoulders from sitting at a desk and arthritis for an older person. Not a cure but it works after a day's work.

4. Antioxidant Support

Virgin coconut oil is a source of vitamin E and antioxidants. These minimize the impact of the damage that contributes to skin ageing. Rubbing it in isn't going to make that much difference but it will help keep skin looking smoother and less patchy with time (if you're doing it every day).

5. Elbows & Knees: 

Coconut oil is super-fast on the elbows and knees. A couple of minutes to massage these areas a couple of times a week and you'll see results in a few weeks. No need for an exfoliant.

6. Affecting the Nervous System

Virgin coconut oil is fragrant, and can make you feel good, but not so fragrant you can't bear it. It can even make you fall asleep, when you add massage. That's not incidental. There's evidence touch and smell affect stress hormones. Don't underestimate it.

7. Supporting Skin Recovery

Collagen will help your skin heal, and coconut oil will stimulate collagen production, helping it heal. It will reduce the appearance of stretch marks, blemish marks and scars. You won't see results over night, but after a couple of months the skin will have improved. This is not a cure and don't use if you have open wounds.

8. A Good Carrier Oil

Coconut oil is a healthy alternative to dilute and carry other essential oils such as lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus. It won't change the scent or properties of other oils. It's the easiest ingredient we know to use to make your own massage oils.

How to Massage with Coconut Oil

No special room or equipment needed. There are a few things you need to do:

•      Pick a warm room. Cold air cools muscles, they tighten and fight against you.

•      If your oil is solid, mix what you need and place in a bowl, surrounded by a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Don't do it in the microwave, it's not hot enough and you lose nutrients.

•      Test on inside of wrist. Warm is good. Hot is not.

•      Less is more. A teaspoon per body part will do - coconut oil is very rich.

•      Massage up the body. This will work with the blood's flow.

Leave for 20 minutes or more. Pat dry with a towel. You don't even have to shower.

What Oil Should I Use?

Virgin cold-pressed types for the full flavour, smell, nutrition and moisture. It's our favourite and our first choice.

Refined if you are sensitive - to the scent, to skin sensitivities, or if you are a therapist who needs a lot of oil but not a lot of money.

Fractionated if you can't bear the feeling of oil. It absorbs so quickly you don't feel like you're applying anything. Great for every day use or if you are at work and don't have time to wait.

Whatever you buy, check if they test and request a Certificate of Analysis. If they're testing they should have one. If they don't, they probably aren't testing.

Three Blends Worth Making

They take just a couple of minutes to concoct, and look more "professional".

Before Bed

2 tbsp coconut oil (warmed), 4 drops lavender oil, 2 drops chamomile oil. Massage into feet and neck. Calms the mind like nothing else.

For Tired Feet or a Tired Back

2 tablespoon fractionated coconut oil, 3 drops peppermint, 3 drops eucalyptus. The peppermint is quick to cool. Eucalyptus prolongs it. Great for legs, neck and shoulders.

When Your Skin Needs a Reset

2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, 3 drops frankincense, 2 drops sweet orange. Frankincense is good for repairing skin. Orange lifts the mood. Use this on a lacklustre skin or when you're not sleeping well.

What to Watch Out For

Most people can use coconut oil. A few exceptions:

•      Patch test for allergy - a small amount on inside wrist, 24 hours. If it itches and is red, don't use it.

•      No face, chest and upper back - acne spots. Coconut oil is comedogenic (blocking) Use jojoba or sweet almond oil on these.

•      Tree nut allergy - ask your doctor

•      Keep in jar in a cool dark place. Throw away if it becomes discolored and/or smells unpleasant.

Our Choice of Oils

A quick honest comparison:

Feature	Coconut Oil	Sweet Almond Oil	Jojoba Oil
Absorption	Slow (Virgin) / Fast (Fractionated)	Medium	Fast
Pore Risk	High (don't use on face)	Low	Low
Good for	Dry skin, muscle relief	Massage, sensitive skin	Face, acne prone
Smell	Coconut (Virgin) / None (Refined)	Slightly nutty	None

 

Buying It: What to Look For

Oil degrades. Time, light and heat. When you buy that cheap coconut oil that has been sitting in the sun for six months, you're paying for not much.

Look for "cold-pressed" and "virgin". And make sure the oil is batch-tested - you should be able to get a Certificate of Analysis. If they can't, that's an answer too.

We cold-press and bottle our oil in batches in Panipat, and test it. We're not writing this to sell, but because that's what you should demand.

The Bottom Line

Coconut oil isn't magic. It will not cure severe skin conditions or your bunion. What it does (moisturise, massage your muscles, relax your nervous system, last for years without separating and so on) it does well and quietly.

Once you have used it, you don't need to go anywhere else. Not because it doesn't exist, but because it's really good.

Here's a little sample of virgin cold-pressed oil. Give it two weeks. You'll know it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a coconut oil massage please?

Short answer: yes. But a better one is: it's one of those oils that they all talk about.

It's a moisturizer, not a surface moisturizer. It has lauric acid in it, which gets converted to monolaurin, monolaurin is a very strong anti-microbial. That's not marketing. There's good science on it.

If your muscles are stiff and achy use warm oil. You just need to warm it for a minute - warm oil will penetrate more, slippery oil will make your hands slippery, and stiff muscle will relax. If you use cold oil on your tight shoulder it's half as much.

With the first massage a lot of people feel their skin is softer. After two weeks it's a must. This study from International Journal of Molecular Sciences published in 2018 did show repair to the skin barrier and preventing water loss but you can feel it doing so as you read the abstract.

Does coconut oil turn your skin brown?

No. Full stop.

So what happens is, when your skin is dry and dull, it's blotchy. When it's wet it's plumper. That's what they think when they apply oil. No, it didn't, they just look plumper.

Well, the opposite. Spotty patches even out. Splotchy patches even out. The pink you get on your skin from massages is your skin colour.

Can I mix coconut oil with oils?

Yes - in fact here's why.

Coconut oil doesn't dominate other oils. It carries them, spreads them and doesn't mask their scent. So it's a good carrier. It's a good mix with essential oils like lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, frankincense and sweet orange.

You have to know how much you will dilute it. So 2-3% essential oil (3-4 drops of essential oil per tablespoon of coconut oil). This is particularly so for peppermint and eucalyptus. They're strong. It will be bitter if there's too much.

And it can be mixed with other carrier oils if you wish (grapeseed, almond, jojoba). Coconut oil can be slightly oily. I like to mix with jojoba (this will dilute it).

Can I use it if I'm pregnant?

Yes, as long as it's external - it's very clean. No chemicals, fragrances or other irritants.

It's often used on the hips/abdomen/legs on pregnancy to prevent stretch marks - which are dry. It's not greasy but it is moisturizing.

Two things to keep in mind. Firstly, use pure only - no extra essential oil blends until you know your doctor likes the oils you're mixing it with. Some are, some aren't - best to check. Secondly, if you are allergic to coconut oil, skincare/hair care, coconut food etc. please consult your doctor. The oil is gentle. But pregnancy can be unique.

How often should I use it?

As often as needed.

The norm is 1-2 times a week for a body massage. This will keep the skin soft and hydrated, and prevent the muscles stiffening. You can do it more often for dry patches (elbows, knees, heels) but it will be a shorter massage.

If you want to get better sleep, you can do some just before you go to bed on three days a week. You don't have to do a lot. You don't even have to do more than five minutes before you go to bed massaging the feet and the shoulders.

It's not rocket science. Apply if it's dry, itchy or needs a good rub down. Stop if you get pimples. Listen to your skin.

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