How is coconut oil produced?

The coconut tree bears the botanical name of Cocos nucifera. It is a palm tree belonging to the Arecaceae family, the origin of which remains somewhat uncertain today, although it appears to be Malaysia. Nowadays, the coconut tree is one of the most cultivated plants in the subtropical and tropical regions of the world ; it thus grows in more than 90 countries including Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. The fruits of the coconut tree are oval and hard and can weigh up to 1.5 kg. The oil extracted from it is rich in saturated fatty acids, and contains predominantly lauric acid. Coconut oil, also nicknamed coconut butter, is renowned in both skincare and haircare as well as in cooking. It is a concrete oil at a temperature less than or equal to 20°C.

Coconuts contain an edible pulp from which vegetable oil is extracted by first cold pressing. This process is none other than the oldest method used to produce vegetable oils.

1. The first step involves the harvesting of the fruits. To obtain a good quality coconut oil, it is necessary to choose coconuts that come from organic farming and have reached maturity (young coconuts contain more coconut water and less flesh). For a coconut to reach this stage, it takes about a year.

2. Next comes theextraction of the pulp in question, which is then finely grated.

3. Without the use of chemical intervention or bleaching ingredients, the flesh of the coconut (the pulp) is soaked in pure water. It is only after this that it is pressed in a hydraulic press, until a milk is fully expelled. It is within this extracted coconut milk that coconut oil is found.This step is carried out at room temperature and does not involve any chemical reactions.

4. The collected milk is then left to decant, in order to separate the aqueous phase from the organic phase.

5. The recovered oil is finally filtered to remove all impurities and aggregates. The oil obtained by this method is considered as virgin coconut oil. It retains all its natural properties and is thus recommended in the design of various beauty treatments.

In this method, coconut oil is also extracted from the flesh of the fruit. The difference is that the coconut flesh is first dried, then smoked in an oven or under the sun. Only after this process is it hot-pressed. The resulting oil is of a brown colour.

This oil is ultimately bleached and deodorised before being marketed. In this process, the oil is typically filtered with white clay. This coconut oil is also referred to as copra oil. It is not recommended for use as a beauty treatment. The drying and heating of the coconut flesh result in a deterioration of the properties of the obtained coconut oil.

The coconut oil present in our products has been cold-pressed from the flesh of coconuts grown and harvested in the Philippines. The following formulas are enriched with coconut oil.

• Thehand balmwith 10 ingredients also contains hyaluronic acid to provide a hydration boost.

• The body moisturising cream with 10 ingredients and the face moisturising cream with 9 ingredients are designed to hydrate all skin types, even the most sensitive. These are minimalist formulas with a light, non-greasy texture, suitable for dry, normal and combination skin, even sensitive skin. Due to the presence of organic coconut oil, we do not recommend these creams for oily skin.

• Thehydrating cleansing milkcontaining 0.5% Hyaluronic Acid and Chamomile Extract removes impurities without drying out the skin. It emulsifies upon contact with water into a fine foam, simply massage it onto the face and then rinse.

• All our solid soaps for face and body contain coconut oil. Depending on the active ingredients present, they target various skin issues.

• Gopala Krishna Krishna A.G. & al., Coconut Oil: Chemistry, Production and Its Applications - A Review, Indian Coconut Journal, (2010).

• LIYANAGE R. & al. Chemical composition and health benefits of coconut oil: an overview. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (2021).