Spectrum Essentials Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Unrefined Review

I had heard about coconut oil for years but didn't really use it much at all. When a friend moved and gave me a bunch of things, coconut oil was among them. I know that people eat coconut oil or cook with it. I, however, use it for body butter.

About Spectrum: On my page about Spectrum, you can read more about their company and see all my product reviews. I have reviewed other companies and their products as well and you can find those on my complete list.

YouTube: Watch my review and be sure to subscribe to my channel!

I got this for free: I got this for free from a friend who was moving. I love free stuff!

Disclaimer: Per FTC regulations, I am disclosing that I use affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the links. It is a way to support my blog at no additional cost to you. You can read more here.

buy it here

Ingredients 

This product is 100% unrefined, expeller-pressed coconut oil. In general, I prefer cold pressed oils over expeller-pressed, but the latter produces more product for a company. If you're using this for cooking, it's appropriate for medium heat which is good up to 280 degrees Fahrenheit. Below you can find the fatty acid composition of coconut oil. 

image source

Here's a chart comparing coconut oil to fractionated coconut oil to MCT oil.

image source

Stats about Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has a comedogenic rating of 2-4 out of 5, meaning that most people will break out, however, for some reason coconut oil seems to work well for some people. Some people believe that comedogenic ratings don't mean much at all: Colin's Beauty Pages and Babe + Beauty. The shelf life of coconut oil depends on whether it's refined or unrefined. I've seen sites that state refined coconut oil lasts as little as 2-3 months and others saying it lasts up to 18 months. Unrefined / virgin / extra-virgin has an indefinite shelf life depending on storage. They should be stored in a cool, dark place.

Smell and Texture

Since this is virgin and unrefined, it does smell like coconut, but it's a very slight smell.

image source

Size, Price, and Packaging

I have the old version of the packaging. There is now a new version as well as a fair-trade version.  I like that it's in a glass jar. You do have to be careful when it gets hotter since coconut oil will melt. I keep mine in the fridge during the warmer months.

YouTube
Watch my review and be sure to subscribe to my channel!  

Organic and Kosher

It is non-GMO verified, USDA certified organic, and Kosher. It is not fair-trade, however, they do offer a fair-trade version.

Would I Get This Again?

Maybe. I prefer to buy from smaller companies and would like cold pressed coconut oil rather than expeller-pressed. But, I got this for free, so I can't complain. If you'd like to try it out, you can buy it here.

I have heard good things about the coconut oil from Tropical Traditions aka Healthy Traditions. I bought some coconut oil for hair from them before finding out my hair doesn't really like coconut oil. They have a lot of other products, such as honey, house hold cleaners, skin care products and even Florihana essential oils.

Random Thoughts

Patch test before using.