There are always new skincare trends to try, highlighting ingredients of which you may have never heard. But some ingredients, like cocoa butter, will always remain a tried and true staple. In case you are unfamiliar, cocoa butter, also known as cacao butter or theobroma oil, is a versatile ingredient that can be used for cooking, baking, and for skincare needs. Due to its super-moisturizing properties, cocoa butter is often used in lip balms, lotions, and other beauty products.
Ahead, we break down what you need to know about this powerhouse ingredient, including where it comes from, its benefits, and products that contain this incredible ingredient that you might want to add to your morning skincare regimen.
What Is Cocoa Butter?
Believe it or not, cocoa butter does not contain any dairy. It is actually a yellow plant-based fat that comes from the cocoa or cacao bean. Farmers collect these beans from cocoa pods, which stem from theobroma cacao plants. Once the pods have been collected, the farmers create the cocoa butter through four main steps: fermenting, roasting, cleaning, and pressing the beans. After the beans are pressed, the leftovers are ground into cocoa powder.
Theobroma cacao plants are native to lowland tropical rainforests around the equator. However, the majority of cocoa beans are grown commercially in West African countries, such as Ghana and Nigeria.
Cocoa Butter Benefits
Skin is the body’s largest organ, and it is essential to moisturize regularly to keep it healthy and hydrated. Cocoa butter is fantastic for a wide range of skincare needs since it is rife with naturally occurring vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants. As a result, products that contain cocoa butter can help to improve, heal, and protect the skin. Learn more about the benefits of cocoa butter for skin below.
- Improves Skin Appearance Through Hydration: Given that cocoa butter is rich in fatty acids, it is an excellent moisturizing ingredient to boost skin appearance. The fatty acids in cocoa butter help to build a protective skin barrier that preserves moisture and prevents skin from drying out.
- Protects Skin Against Outside Elements: Cocoa butter also contains phytochemicals, which are compounds derived from plants, that are reported to help protect skin against UV rays. Consistently using a moisturizer that contains cocoa butter may protect skin appearance, skin cells, and risk of skin disease.
- Supports General Skin and Overall Health: Cocoa butter includes a solid dose of vitamin E, which contains a variety of different benefits for vision, reproduction, and brain and skin health. Additionally, cocoa butter is a rich source of antioxidants, which can protect the skin from inflammation and free-radical damage that can cause dark spots and wrinkles.
- Assists With the Symptoms of Skin Conditions: Since cocoa butter helps to hydrate skin and contains healing oil, it has been purported to help relieve some of the symptoms of skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis.
How MUTHA™ Uses Cocoa Butter
Because of its incredible properties, it’s no wonder cocoa butter is found in products like body lotion, skin moisturizers, and lip balms, which could be excellent additions to anyone’s skincare routine. The Founder and CEO of skincare company MUTHA™, Hope Smith, is intimately familiar with the incredible benefits of cocoa butter. As a result, she made sure to incorporate it into the wildly popular MUTHA™ Body Butter. This award-winning product is crafted with completely natural origin ingredients and has been clinically proven to improve the appearance of stretch marks and skin elasticity.
To stay updated on the latest skincare tips and new MUTHA™ products, follow Hope on Instagram.