In the world of personal care and beauty, image is everything, and not just for the consumer. Brands of all sizes are switching on to the marketable benefits of including natural, authentic oils in personal care product formulations. One of the most versatile natural oils on the market, Coconut Oil, has long been a staple of both personal care formulations and food applications. However, it is also one of the oils currently enjoying a fresh surge in popularity.

Why is Coconut Oil so popular?

The answer could lie in the unique nutritional qualities found in Coconut Oil. Thought to have a number of inherent natural benefits, Coconut Oil
is extracted from the kernels, or meat, of the coconut palm, cocos nucifera. Once refined, the oil is an important source of fatty short chain acids that are commonly used in personal care products. Among similar natural vegetable oils, it boasts the highest concentration of saturated fatty acids at 93 percent, including lauric, myristic and palmitic.

The coconut itself is mainly found in tropical areas, particularly Africa and across South East Asia. The seed within the coconut consists of ‘milk’ and a solid fleshy meat called the copra, which contains around 65% lipids. Coconut oil is produced by cold-pressing the flesh found inside the shell of the coconut, however, other methods such as solvent extraction are also commonly used. The residue, known as coconut oil cake, is primarily used for livestock feed. This use of byproducts, where nothing goes to waste, is a great example of the core ethos that runs through the Kerfoot business.

Kerfoot believes in natural oils that deliver much more than just function. Oils and ingredients from Kerfoot are the perfect blend of authenticity and performance, matched with sustainable thinking and the logistics expertise to support businesses of any size, and Coconut Oil is just one example.

The oil itself has a distinctive, recognisable odour that has certainly contributed to its appeal. The oil is stable when exposed to air and has a low viscosity, solidifying at 0oC.

So, where are the best places for Coconut Oil to drive added customer-led value in personal care products?

Skin Care

With its sweet scent and abundance of fatty acids, Coconut Oil can form the base of a great skin moisturiser. The oil is quickly absorbed into the skin, making it feel softer to the touch without feeling greasy. The key to Coconut Oil’s success is not just its hydrating effect on dry, parched skin, but its combination of natural effects that makes skin truly glow. Coconut Oil is rich in vitamin E, which studies suggest can have a protective effect against the free radicals that can accelerate the signs of ageing.

Coconut Oil can be a fantastic addition to a wide range of skin-based products, as it helps in the relief of dry, rough and wrinkled skin, as well as for psoriasis & eczema suffers.  The fatty acids in coconut oil can have an antiseptic effect, which could help to prevent fungal and bacterial infections in the skin when consumed and to some extent, when it is applied directly to the skin. What’s more, the laurice acid in Coconut Oil can naturally fight the bacteria that causes acne.

Hair Care

With such a versatile ingredient, Coconut Oil isn’t just nourishing on skin, it’s also popular in hair care too! The nutrients in the oil can restore the protein loss from damage, as well as encouraging thick, voluminous growth of hair. The oil’s distinctive smell and high stability make it an outstanding addition to shampoos, conditioners and treatment creams.

Sun Care

Coconut Oil has a small SPF factor of around 8, allowing it to contribute to the effectiveness of sun care products in combination with other ingredients. It is also popular in natural tanning formulations. Unlike many of its synthetic alternatives in sun care products, natural Coconut Oil does not block the intake of Vitamin D delivered through sunlight and can trigger the production of melanin; the natural compound in the skin that darkens it for that sun-kissed glow.

Kerfoot Coconut Oil

Of significant commercial interest to brands, consumers love the wide range of benefits that Kerfoot Coconut Oil brings. Along with its distinctive aroma, the oil is organic, absorbs very easily into the skin and is extremely versatile. Coconut Oil is a fantastic example of just what makes Kerfoot such a significant force in the natural oils sector.

The business focusses on honest, authentic oils that add real value to formulations and products from the initial design stage. Kerfoot combines expertise in natural oils and innovative oil blends to give its customers a real commercial edge, and the marketability to keep pace with today’s competitive personal care environment. In combination with the logistical expertise that has become the hallmark of Kerfoot group, it’s easy to see why the business has continued its impressive upward trajectory and momentum.