Coconut oil is perceived as exceptionally nourishing food oil of medical action. It can be found as often in food products as in cosmetics. Despite being one of the easiest-to-buy vegetable oil, many women tend to look for a kind of its analogue. For that reason, they reach for Babassu oil. But is it a good replacement of coconut oil?
PRICE/AVAILABILITY
The greatest advantage of Babassu oil is its competitive price that can be even a few times lower than coconut oil’s.
Certainly, it all depends on the place we decide to buy the product. However, in most cases online shops are the places offering the lowest prices of the oil. Contrary to what one might expect, Babassu oil is not difficult to access. Both oils are categorized as exotic, therefore, at this point, both natural cosmetics are alike.
CONSISTENCY
Babassu oil has almost identical consistency as coconut oil’s. Both products resemble creamy butter, and their formula becomes more runny when warmed up. It is worth pointing out, that coconut oil gets yellowish whereas Babassu oil’s consistency is transparent once turning into liquid. What is more, both oils melt when exposed to temperature reaching 30 degrees Centigrade. In other words, they become oily it contact with skin. This feature of Babassu makes it easy to apply and fast to absorb. What is more, it does not leave any sticky coat on skin. And this is another characteristic similar for coconut oil and Babassu oil.
FRAGRANCE
Indeed, it is hard to state clearly which oil smells better since everybody’s feelings about that issue differ. It is simply a matter of taste. Obviously, some might find scent of coconut oil as pleasant, neutral or irritating. There are two options for those, who cannot stand smell of coconut. Firstly, the person can try to find refined coconut oil, which unfortunately is deprived of not only typical fragrance but also some of the nourishing substances. Secondly, the person can reach for nearly fragrance-free Babassu oil (considered as almost neutral).
COMPOSITION
Coconut oil and Babassu oil contain set of saturated fatty acids, including myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid. What is more, coconut fat contains 50% of lauric acid which is responsible for the features of the oil. The percentage of the acid is higher in Babassu oil. Additionally, oil extracted from Babassu palm tree is rich in phytosterol, E vitamin, and antioxidants.
FEATURES
When it comes to actions of the oils, these are pretty alike. Both products are ideal for moistening, nourishing as they work perfectly for hair and skin care. When it comes to coconut oil, it can be used for aromatherapeutic purposes. However, as mentioned before, not everybody would be content with the fragrance this white oil has.