Have you ever noticed that your skin is looking a little crepey? You’re not alone! Many people are dealing with the effects of aging skin, and it can be difficult to find an effective solution.
You may have heard about the many benefits of coconut oil for the skin, as it is packed with antioxidants and vitamins that are great for not only your skin but also your hair. But is coconut oil good for crepey skin and wrinkles?
This post contains affiliate links, and any purchases made through these links will result in a commission for me at no extra cost to you. Please read my Disclosure for additional information.
Jump Ahead To:
Coconut Oil: Composition and Skin Benefits
Coconut oil is a plant oil that comes from coconuts that grow on the coconut palm tree.
It is solid at room temperature, although it will melt and liquefy when it comes in contact with your skin, as its melting point is about 78° F.
Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains mostly saturated fatty acids. The fatty acids in coconut oil include lauric acid, capric acid, caprylic acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and linoleic acid.
These acids help moisturize and plump your skin.
Lauric acid is the most abundant saturated fatty acid in coconut oil at a nearly 50% concentration. Lauric acid has antimicrobial benefits and is effective against P. acnes, a bacteria that causes inflammatory acne.
Unfortunately, lauric acid is comedogenic, which means it clogs pores.
So while it has shown promise as an antibacterial, coconut oil could potentially cause acne, especially in those who have oily or acne-prone skin.
Stearic acid and palmitic acids have emollient properties which help your skin feel soft and smooth.
Oleic acid replenishes and moisturizes the skin but is another fatty acid that is comedogenic and may clog pores.
So based on its fatty acid profile, coconut oil is best suited for those with normal or dry skin.
Soothing Inflammation and Hydration
Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory benefits that soothe the skin and help restore a healthy skin barrier.
This study demonstrated that virgin coconut oil is more effective than mineral oil at improving symptoms of atopic dermatitis, like transepidermal water loss and hydration, in pediatric participants.
Coconut Oil for the Face
If you want to use coconut oil on your face, why not choose a product that is formulated specifically for the skin on your face and your skin type?
Many facial skincare products are formulated with coconut oil and other types of oils and ingredients that may be more appropriate for the skin on your face.
Using pure coconut oil as a moisturizer for the face may feel good, but just like olive oil, it is comedogenic and can cause breakouts.
If you have oily skin, you will probably want to choose a lightweight moisturizer that won’t clog pores instead of 100% coconut oil.
If you are still interested in using coconut oil on your face, one product you might consider could be a coconut oil cleansing balm, like Palmer’s Coconut Monoi Cleansing Balm shown above, which does a great job of removing makeup.
Or, try a coconut oil-based lip balm for chapped lips that need some extra TLC.
Coconut Oil for the Body
If your skin is dry and crepey, coconut oil is an effective moisturizer and can help to increase hydration and replenish your skin’s lipid barrier (the outermost layer of the epidermis).
It can also help to temporarily relieve symptoms of dry skin like itching and tightness, as it hydrates and forms a protective barrier on the skin.
Now Coconut Oil is the perfect moisturizer for the skin on your body as well as your hair.
What is Crepey Skin?
Healthy and youthful-looking skin is smooth, firm, and elastic. Over time, however, the skin-firming proteins collagen and elastin found in the dermis (the middle layer of skin) break down.
As a result, you see unevenness in the skin’s surface, which often leads to wrinkles and crepey skin.
You may notice that your skin behaves like crepe paper: it has stretch but not much snapback or elasticity.
The effect makes the face, hands, arms, legs, and other parts of your body look rippled or crumpled, hence the term “crepey.”
How Do You Get Crepey Skin?
Over time your skin’s collagen begins to break down, due to the natural aging process, sun damage, and environmental factors.
In addition, smoking has been shown to speed up the breakdown of collagen in your skin. You can also get crepey skin from losing significant amounts of weight.
Genetics may also play a role in the development of crepey skin.
Is Coconut Oil Good for Crepey Skin?
There are many creams on the market that claim to reduce the look of crepey skin. You’ll find everything from drugstore products to luxury body creams.
Is coconut oil an inexpensive alternative to these products marketed as treatments for crepey skin and wrinkles?
Coconut oil is an emollient and moisturizer that will hydrate your skin and prevent water loss. However, coconut oil is not the best option for crepey skin.
Instead, look for products that are formulated specifically to help with crepey skin. Many creams on the market for both face and body contain ingredients like retinol and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs).
These ingredients promote cell turnover, exfoliate your skin, and boost collagen production.
The Best Ingredients for Crepey Skin
Retinol (Retinoids)
Retinol is an active derived from vitamin A that acts as a powerful antioxidant.
It can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, fade age spots, and smooth aging skin by stimulating cell turnover, so new cells are produced more quickly. This can help to smooth the look of crepey skin.
Olay Retinol 24 products (for the face) contain Olay’s Retinoid Complex, which contains two retinoids: retinol and retinyl propionate to reduce the look of wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots.
The products are also enriched with niacinamide (vitamin B-3) to brighten, smooth, and balance oil production while strengthening your skin barrier.
The Retinol 24 MAX collection includes a retinol night moisturizer (shown above), retinol night serum, and retinol night eye cream.
These products are best used in the evening as retinol can make your skin sensitive to the sun (don’t forget sunscreen during the day).
Exfoliating Acids: Alpha Hydroxy Acids and Beta Hydroxy Acids
Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are another option to treat crepey skin.
AHAs (like glycolic acid or lactic acid) exfoliate your skin by removing the top layer of dead cells on the surface to reveal younger, smoother-looking skin underneath.
AHAs can help unclog pores and fade hyperpigmentation too.
For the face, Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment is a best-selling lactic acid serum that targets dull, dead skin cells for improved clarity, smoothness, and skin texture.
It also targets clogged pores, dark spots, and discoloration with purified grade lactic acid. The serum has been proven to plump skin in as little as 3 minutes.
Whenever I use this serum, I can see improvement in skin clarity, brightness, and texture overnight.
Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid also have an exfoliating effect.
Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, allowing it to penetrate the pores and remove excess sebum (oil), making it ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.
Be sure to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher while using exfoliating acids like AHAs and BHAs and for a week after.
Products for Crepey Skin and Wrinkles on Your Arms and Legs
While there are body skincare products formulated with actives like retinol and AHAs, you can also target wrinkles and crepey skin on the body with less irritating products.
Crepe Erase
Best-selling Crepe Erase Advanced Body Repair Treatment is formulated specifically for dry, crepey skin.
It contains Crepe Erase’s TruFirm complex and nine hydrators, including olive oil, grapeseed oil, cocoa butter, vitamin E, squalane, and none other than coconut oil.
TruFirm Complex contains a proprietary combination of ingredients, including moisturizers and amino acids that work together to smooth the look of crepey skin.
I reviewed this crepey skin treatment in this post. I really like it, and even though it is expensive, it works for me. The skin tightening formula really targets sagging skin.
The original scent is a light citrus fragrance, and it also comes in a fragrance-free option.
InvisiCrepe Body Balm
Another option that addresses crepey skin on your body is cream almost feels like a whipped body lotion. It’s great for your neck, hands, upper arms, knees, and décolletage.
Check out my complete InvisiCrepe review here.
If you are looking for a complete list of the best products for crepey skin on your body, including some affordable drugstore options, be sure to read my post on the best lotions for crepey skin on your arms and legs.
How to Prevent Crepey Skin?
You can help prevent crepey skin if you use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and wear sun-protective gear like hats and sunglasses to protect your skin from the sun.
You can also design a skincare routine using products targeted at wrinkle prevention and repair.
For your face, consider adding a vitamin C serum to your daily regimen for extra protection against free radicals that age the skin and can cause crepey skin and wrinkles.
Using a retinoid in the evening can also help to restore collagen production in skin cells.
Be sure to keep your skin hydrated and use a moisturizer every day to support a healthy skin barrier.
Is Coconut Oil Good for Wrinkles on Your Face?
Coconut oil is not the best choice for wrinkles on your face.
Instead, look for products that contain proven skincare actives like retinol, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), or peptides that work to firm the skin, improve collagen production, increase cell turnover, and repair damaged skin.
Related Post: Drmtlgy Needle-Less Serum Review
What Facial Oil is Best for Wrinkles?
While coconut oil isn’t the best oil for wrinkles on your face, other facial oils can help with wrinkles.
When looking for a face oil, be sure to consider your skin type, as some oils are too heavy for acne-prone or oily skin.
Oils like marula, rosehip, and camellia seed contain antioxidants that nourish the skin and protect against environmental damage, which causes wrinkles and crepey skin.
Mario Badescu Rose Hips Nourishing Oil is a lightweight oil containing rose hips extract and rosehip oil, rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidant vitamin C to protect and repair the skin.
It soothes dehydrated skin with its moisturizing formula.
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil is a best-seller because it contains antioxidants like vitamin E, tocotrienols, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and omegas 6 and 9 fatty acids to protect the skin from oxidative stress, which can cause wrinkles and crepey skin.
It also helps to improve skin elasticity.
You can also look for oils enriched with actives like retinoids to target crepey skin and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone.
Naturium Retinoid Face Oil contains an all-trans retinoid ester, hydroxypinacolone retinoate, that provides the benefits of retinol with less of the typical irritation that comes along with it.
This retinol oil also contains vegan squalane, meadowfoam seed oil, and sunflower seed oil. It’s a lightweight, non-greasy oil ideal for aging or combination skin.
Related Post: Gold Bond for Crepey Skin: A Review
Final Thoughts on Coconut Oil for Crepey Skin and Wrinkles
Whether you are looking to treat crepey skin and wrinkles on your face and/or body, coconut oil will only moisturize your skin without providing the benefits of ingredients formulated specifically to treat these skin issues.
Many facial skincare products target crepey skin, wrinkles, and loss of skin elasticity.
For best results, look for products that contain retinoids, AHAs/glycolic acid, peptides, and vitamin C to address crepey skin and wrinkles.
If over-the-counter options aren’t enough, you can also visit a dermatologist who can offer treatments like fillers and lasers to address crepey skin.
Thanks for reading, and until next time…here’s to your good skin health!