Oils as Moisturizers Overview, please

[avendesora]

Can someone here recap the difference for me between:
*Coconut Oil
*Shea Butter
*Jojoba Oil

I'm sure that some skin types would prefer one type of oil over another.

What type of skin do you have and which do you prefer?

I have all three now (I've gotten a little excited about all this!), and my skin cycles between oily and dry depending on my hormones. It would help to know if I should use different oils different days. Or do they all have good properties and I should cycle through them anyway, just to take advantage of their varying benefits?

Thanks!
Aven

[Meiri]

I remember reading that of all the vegetable oils, coconut is the closest to our own and thus the most easily absorbed by our skin that others.

Shea can be an allergy issue for me. On that front though, if someone is prone to allergies, that's probably true of any oil.

Never tried either Shea or Jojoba, so cannot help you there, but I love my coconut oil and cocoa butter blend, smells wonderful, absorbs nicely.

[newcastlemama]

Coconut seems to be drying on my skin. I want to know this info too.

[velcromom]

Those are really three very different oils. Jojoba is actually a wax, it sinks in fast and for my dry skin, doesn't seem to have a lot of staying power. For me, it doesn't moisturize much. Coconut is a bit heavier, but I do know what the pp means by it seems drying. It feels good going on, and leaves a silky touch to the skin but for my driest areas, it isn't enough. Shea butter is my preferred remedy for dry areas. I use unrefined, and find that it has soothing qualities as well. I apply it straight most often, the best way to use it is right after a shower and before bed so it works all night.

For the face, I do use coconut once in a while but I find that the best thing for dry skin on my face is to use a lotion as a cleanser every day, no water washing and no soap. I allow the lotion to sit for a few minutes and then remove it with a dry cloth. When I do this faithfully, the dry and oily areas are in agreement, lol. No flakes but no greasy shine either.

[mgilleran@earth-co]

Here are my experiences with them. I have used all three in trying to find what works for me. I normally have oily skin. I wash with Grandpa's Witch Hazel soap and tone with witch hazel. I am prone to fine pimple breakouts & have parge pores.

Coconut Oil: Felt great, silky like previously mentioned, but my pimples seemed to get worse. I felt like it was cloggin my pores.

Shea Butter: Felt thick like cocoa butter, or more like a grease than a moisturizer. I felt like my skin couldn't breathe. I do sometimes use it around my eyes for extra moisture.

Jojoba Oil: This has been a God-send to me. I read that it is most like our skin's sebum, and can actually help dissolve sebum in the pores. It has made my skin so soft & smooth. My pores appear much smaller now too. I have converted a few family members too once they started asking what I was doing to give my skin a glow. It goes on oily, but soaks in very quickly to my skin. I am sure we are all different, but my mom & I love it. My husband noticed how soft my face was too. I used commercial moisturizers for years & I am so glad to have found something that works better & is good for me.

Good luck on your hunt for what works for you. It was the same way for me.