The lips are particularly vulnerable to dehydration because their skin is thin and contains very few sebaceous glands. Under the effects of cold, wind, or loss of moisture, they can quickly crack and become painful. To soothe them, many natural remedies are recommended, including certain plant-based oils. Can coconut oil truly help repair chapped lips? Let’s find out.
Coconut oil to repair chapped lips?
Summary
Published on March 5, 2026, updated on March 5, 2026, by Andjela, Chemical Engineer — 7 min of reading
Themes:
Key points to remember.
Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, particularly lauric acid, which give it emollient and protective properties for the skin.
When applied to the lips, coconut oil can form a lipid film on the skin’s surface, reducing water loss and temporarily improving hydration.
Studies on lip balms containing coconut oil show a boost in lip hydration and a reduction in water loss for several hours after application.
Coconut oil also has a moderate photoprotective activity, with a relatively low SPF (around 4 to 7), which is not sufficient to replace a dedicated sunscreen.
Scientific data are still limited: more clinical studies on people with chapped lips are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
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Is coconut oil beneficial for helping to combat chapped lips?
Coconut oil is a plant-based oil widely used in cosmetics for its emollient and protective properties. It is mainly composed of medium-chain triglycerides, with lauric acid making up nearly half of its fatty acids. This lipid composition gives it a strong affinity for the stratum corneum of the skin, which explains its frequent use in products designed to restore the skin barrier. When it is minimally processed, in the form of virgin coconut oil, it also contains antioxidant compounds and certain polyphenols that may contribute to protecting skin tissues against oxidative stress.
These characteristics could theoretically be of interest in the context of chapped lips.
As a reminder, the skin of the lips is particularly thin and poor in sebaceous glands, which limits the formation of the natural hydrolipidic film and promotes transepidermal water loss. However, thanks to its viscous texture, coconut oil acts as an occlusive agent to retain water in the skin and improve its hydration. In addition, its fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that may help soothe micro-irritations and reduce the risk of bacterial contamination when the skin barrier is compromised, as is the case with chapped lips.
Scientifically validated effects of coconut oil on chapped lips?
In practice, coconut oil can provide real support in relieving chapped lips.
Several studies have investigated the effect of formulations containing coconut oil on lip hydration and barrier function, providing objective data on its moisturizing potential. One study specifically evaluated the effect of a lip care product formulated with wax and plant oils, including coconut oil and olive oil, on lip skin hydration and barrier function. Fifteen volunteers applied the product, and the researchers measured skin hydration, transepidermal water loss, and lipid penetration into the stratum corneum at different time points (30 minutes, 2 hours, and 6 hours after application). The results showed a significant improvement in lip hydration and barrier function. Lipids from the product, including coconut oil, deposited in the stratum corneum and remained detectable for several hours, creating a reservoir effect that favored hydration. In addition, transepidermal water loss decreased in the first few hours after application, indicating an improved ability of the lip skin to retain moisture.
Effects of using a lip balm containing coconut oil on water loss and levels of coconut oil–derived lipids in the stratum corneum over time.
Source: STAIB P. & al. Deposition of plant lipids after single application of a lip care product determined by confocal Raman spectroscopy, corneometry and transepidermal water-loss. International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2019).
These observations suggest that formulations containing coconut oil may help temporarily restore hydration and the protective function of the skin of the lips.
As a continuation of this work on lip hydration, other research has examined the usefulness of coconut oil in lip balm formulations designed to protect and repair lips that are dry or damaged by sun exposure. An experimental study evaluated different lip balm formulations combining virgin coconut oil and palm oil, both of which are rich in antioxidants. The objective was to analyze their physical properties and their ability to protect the lips from the effects of UV radiation. The researchers formulated several balms containing different oil concentrations, then measured their photoprotective activity by UV–Vis spectrophotometry in the wavelength range associated with UVB (290–320 nm).
The results showed that the formulations studied exhibited a measurable photoprotective activity. The formula containing 5% coconut oil and 15% crude palm oil displayed the highest SPF value, namely 15.4.
The analysis also confirmed that coconut oil itself has moderate photoprotective activity, with an estimated SPF of about 7. In addition, the tested formulations showed physical properties considered satisfactory—stability over 28 days, homogeneous texture, and a consistency suitable for application on the lips. These results suggest that coconut oil may help protect and maintain the hydration of the lips when exposed to environmental stressors, particularly sunlight. However, as in the previous study, its effectiveness depends on the overall formulation of the product and its combination with other active ingredients.
These results must, however, be interpreted with caution. Although coconut oil exhibits measurable photoprotective activity, its sun protection factor remains relatively low and does not allow it to substitute for a sunscreen.
The formulations studied mainly show that coconut oil can help, along with other ingredients, to protect and moisturize the lips when used in a balm. However, the available data are still limited: they consist mainly of instrumental studies or formulation research, rather than clinical trials directly assessing the effectiveness of coconut oil in volunteers with chapped lips. Clinical studies are therefore still needed to fully confirm the relevance of coconut oil in this context.
Sources
AFANDI A. & al. Utilization and evaluation of betalain pigment from red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) as a natural colorant for lipstick. Jurnal Teknologi (2014).
STAIB P. & al. Deposition of plant lipids after single application of a lip care product determined by confocal Raman spectroscopy, corneometry and transepidermal water-loss. International Journal of Cosmetic Science (2019).
USMAN A. & al. (2020). Formulation and characterization of lip balm made from beeswax, almond oil, virgin coconut oil, and honey. AIP Conference Proceedings (2020).
HAFSA S. & al. Formulation and evaluation of herbal lipsticks. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology (2020).
NURJANNAH O. & al. Sunscreen lip balm stick formulation containing a combination of virgin coconut oil and crude palm oil. Pharmacy Reports (2022).
