Going nuts over virgin coconut oil

Can a pot of this 'wonder' oil replace every beauty product you buy?

Barely a day goes by without a new claim for the miraculous beauty benefits of virgin coconut oil. 'Virgin' means it is made from the first pressing of fresh, raw coconut with no chemicals added. If you believe the hype, almost every product in your bathroom cabinet could be replaced with the stuff. Think of the savings!

Gwyneth Paltrow and Sadie Frost apparently wash out their mouths with it, and supermodel Gisele Bundchen says she uses it on her skin after being in the sun. Angelina Jolie is said to eat it for breakfast and fellow actress Blake Lively rubs it into the ends of her hair.

Solid and waxy-looking in the jar, it melts to an oil as soon as you handle it and is said to leave skin butter-soft.

There are countless websites devoted to the wonder oil, claiming it can successfully treat everything from stretch marks and cellulite to mosquito bites, sunburn and acne.

The lauric acid in it is credited with antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties, hence its popularity as an oral rinse.

Yet despite the surge in demand for coconut oil (sales up 442 per cent at Sainsbury's last year), there is little scientific data on its health benefits.

So are we right to be nuts about it?

I decided to put the beauty claims to the test. I would have my hair, mouth and skin analysed by experts, then replace my usual beauty products for a month with Groovy Food Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, £5.99 for 283ml jar at Waitrose. Here's what happened . . .

Make-up remover

Method: I put a pennysized blob on two cotton wool pads and use it to remove eye-make up at night. Celebrity make-up artist Oonagh Connor says: 'I'm already a fan of coconut oil. It's great for getting make-up off - particularly waterproof eye make-up.'

Results: Oonagh says the coconut oil is working well for me. ' It's thick and can clog pores, so the trick is to use as little as possible. A tiny spot of coconut oil will lift off quite a lot of eye make-up.'

Will I switch? Definitely. It lifts off make-up more easily than my usual oily make-up remover and leaves the area around my eyes feeling nicely moisturised, too.

Thick shiny hair

Method: I find most hair conditioners make my thin hair look greasy, so I stick to using it on the dry ends. I follow the same routine with the coconut oil.

Dr Elena Dimitrova, a clinical dermatologist and expert in hair loss at The Belgravia Centre in London, says: 'Coconut oil may well prove useful in smoothing the hair shaft and improving texture, but it can't create hair roots or halt hair loss caused by, say, hormones. So I'm sceptical that it will make your hair feel thicker.

'Your hair is in very good condition and your pull test [a light pull which, in healthy hair, should cause no more than five hairs to come out] is within normal range.'

Results: Dr Dimitrova says: 'You don't have addi- tional hair growth - I didn't think you would - but the existing hair has been maintained in excellent condition even though you haven't cut it.

'After a month I would typically expect to see more hair breakage than this, so coconut oil has definitely been a good conditioner for your hair.'

Will I switch? Not entirely. I'll be keeping my usual conditioner because I usually blow-dry my hair after washing and the oil doesn't work well with heat.

As I discover the hard way, heat breaks down the oil and creates an extremely unpleasant smell. But I'll keep using the oil as an occasional leave-in conditioner at night.

Healthy gums

Method: The technique is called 'oil pulling' and involves swishing a tablespoon of oil around the mouth for around 20 minutes each day before you spit it out. This is said to reduce plaque and bacteria, and so helps to fight gum disease.

Cosmetic dentist Dr Mervyn Druian, from The London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry, says: 'Like many people, you have mild gum disease which makes your gums red and swollen in places and will make them bleed more easily.

'Most tooth loss in adults is caused by gum disease, so it's important to get on top of it. If oil pulling helps, great.'

Results: 'In your case it hasn't made any difference, I'm afraid. I'm not against the oil pulling but would advise my patients to use it alongside three-monthly visits to the dental hygienist.'

Will I switch? No. It made no difference, oil pulling feels cloying and the taste of coconut is overpowering. I'll go to see my hygienist instead.

Youthful skin

Method: As the coconut oil gives quite a shiny finish, I used it at night with a tiny top-up in the morning, if needed.

Dr Sam Bunting, a Harley Street cosmetic dermatalogist, tells me my skin is prone to redness, flushing and the appearance of broken blood vessels. ' I'd be very wary of using something as heavy as coconut oil,' she tells me. 'It has a high comedogenic rating (tendency to block pores) and for someone with quite reactive skin, I predict it may well cause break-outs and irritation.'

Results: Since using the coconut oil I have been suffering from patches of irritated skin and pimples in the folds between my nose and the corners of my mouth. Dr Bunting says: 'This is almost certainly caused by the change in your beauty routine. Someone with your fair skin type also needs to use a high SPF every day, and a sunscreen won't sit well on top of coconut oil.'

Will I switch? No way. My skin looks red and splotchy. It's oily on my forehead, dry around my mouth. Where's my moisturiser?

White teeth

Method: Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with two tablespoons of coconut oil to make a smooth paste. Add a drop or two of peppermint oil to make it taste a bit more like toothpaste.

Dr Druian says: 'Home-made toothpaste doesn't contain fluoride, which helps to prevent cavities and strengthen your enamel. Bicarbonate of soda is abrasive and can damage enamel.' He is sceptical that it will have any whitening properties.

Results: I ditched this after five days. DIY toothpaste is horrible. Your mouth feels slimy and dirty, your breath doesn't smell fresh and bicarb of soda feels too abrasive. My teeth are no whiter. Will I switch? Never.

© Daily Mail, London