Cocoa butter is packed with essential nutrients that you need to have radiant skin. But Does Cocoa Butter Lighten Skin? Yes and no. If you mean, lighten skin as in even out your skin tone, YES! But not lightening your total complexion as in bleaching. Cocoa Butter is a natural moisturizer that evens out your skin tone and won’t either lighten or darken your skin”
Did you recently struggle with acne scars or perhaps sun damage? If yes, I’m sure the dark spots are taking a toll on your confidence. That’s not even the worst part!
It’s not a glowy suntan look; this darkness makes you look dull, downgrades your self-esteem and makes it harder to love the person in the mirror.
Luckily, there is a solution.
Cocoa butter is packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that provide the necessary nutrients to your body to help restore the damage and finally get the tone that you deserve. In fact, you have unknowingly used it your whole life!
The powerful butter contains the primary ingredients which allow it to be used in most of your creams, lip balms, and lotions to do the trick for you.
Here is an in-depth guide that busts the common myths and shows you the actual image of what cocoa butter can really do for your skin.
Also Read: Best Cocoa Butter For Skin: Great For All Skin Types!
Facts about Cocoa Butter for Skin Lightening
When it comes to your skin, nothing should be compromised, not even because of the greasy pizza resting on your kitchen’s countertop right now. Here are some of the facts that perfectly answer your question: does cocoa butter lighten skin?
Also Read: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula: Everything You Need to Know!
1. Cocoa Butter is not for Bleaching
Cocoa butter comes from high rich properties, and the soft luxurious feel of it might trick your mind into thinking that your skin is gradually improving. However, this couldn’t be far from the truth.
Cocoa butter contains fatty acids, which are ideal to moisturize and speed up the process of healing dark spots, not bleach them. Therefore, if that’s your intention behind opting for one, it’s better you consider other products that contain Vitamin C or Kojic Acid.
Also Read: Best Nivea Cocoa Butter For Fair Skin
2. It slows down ageing
Sun exposure is the biggest culprit behind premature ageing. Don’t believe me? see it yourself.
Cocoa butter is known for its famous ingredient called phytochemicals which is a natural plant compound for sun protection. It helps form a layer on your skin to fight against the harmful rays that can eventually sag your skin down and cause wrinkles.
It’s also excellent to improve blood flow to the skin, and considering how you are required to properly massage the cocoa butter to get the best results, it helps uplift and sculpts your face as well.
Women, over the years, have been counting on cocoa butter during pregnancy to help them get the ever needed love and care they deserve in the delicate days of their life.
Also Read: Cocoa Butter Benefits for Skin: A Quick Guide!
3. Cocoa Butter Evens Out Skin Tone
As a general rule of thumb, dark spots occur due to hyperpigmentation. This is where your body overproduces melanin (the pigment responsible for adding color to the skin).
Now, this can be due to UV exposure, inflammation, or some skin product. Here cocoa butter contains sun-blocking ingredients and anti-inflammatory properties to fight anything that may cause dark spots and ensures you have an even tone all across your body.
Also Read: How Long Does it Take for Cocoa Butter to Even Skin tone?
Myths about Cocoa Butter for Skin Lightening
Cocoa butter has always been referred to as being the miracle ingredient to solve all your skin issues, but is it, though?
Here are some of the common myths of cocoa butter that you need to know before applying.
Also Read: Does Nivea Cocoa Butter Lighten the Skin? What I Wish I Knew!
1. Cocoa Butter Causes Stretch Marks
Many women apply cocoa butter on their bodies to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Now, here is the thing.
As we all know how cocoa butter contains fatty acids to keep the cracks and dry areas on your body moist in order to improve skin elasticity and prevent stretch marks. However, according to studies done by J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. in February 2016, cocoa butter doesn’t work any better than any other moistures when it specifically comes to stretch marks.
Also Read: Best Cocoa Butter Lotion for Stretch Marks
2. It lightens your skin
As mentioned earlier, cocoa butter is only used for letting you have an even tone on your body. Still, this statement makes the most common myth that people who buy cocoa butter believe in.
Also Read: Does Palmers Cocoa Butter Lighten Skin? What I Wish I Knew!
Cocoa Butter as a Skin Product
What is Cocoa Butter?
Now that you have a clear image of what cocoa is (and what isn’t), did I mention what cocoa butter really is and why it has been known as your best friend to ease all the skin issues?
Well, here’s everything you need to know.
A touch of Cocoa butter in desserts like chocolate bars and mouth-watering chocolate chip cookies can make you go head over heels for it. But do we have to say the same about its skincare products? Glad you asked that.
Allow me to explain.
One thing for sure, unlike desserts, cocoa butter on your skin won’t make you gain weight (yay!), but its unmatched properties can surely make this product your list of favorites right now.
In general, cocoa butter is a type of fat that is extracted from cocoa beans. To harness this butter, the beans are taken out of a relatively larger cacao plant then roasted, stripped and extracted to the cocoa butter from cocoa powder.
So yes, if you have been thinking cocoa powder is the same as cocoa butter, think again.
Also Read: What is Cocoa Butter: Benefits, Uses, Characteristics and Side Effects
The Origin of Cocoa Butter
The product has been adored by all the skincare experts and industries who are leveraging it in almost all of its beauty products. But when it comes to organic cocoa butter, it comes for the pure vegetable fats from the pods of the cocoa tree.
The high levels of polyphenols, which is a type of antioxidant present in cocoa butter, make it the one golden nugget you need to attain countless health benefits.
Originally served as a drink, the powerful butter has been in medicine for around 3,000 years to make the favourite of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans as it helps with skin and body at the same time. During those times, the effectiveness of coca got to the point that people started using them as currencies.
Also Read: What is Cocoa Butter Made of? Everything You Need to Know!
Does Cocoa Butter Darken Skin?
No, it doesn’t. However, cocoa butter does work well with repeating your skin to produce excessive melanin to darken the skin further. Therefore, it has the potential to naturally fade prominent darker areas on your skin to reveal the beautiful you underneath.
How long does it take for cocoa butter to even skin tone?
How long it takes to yield an even-toned skin depends on your skin consistency. If you regularly use cocoa butter on your skin it can take up to 2 weeks for the results to manifest and help you stick to it for the rest of your life; and that, I can promise, my friend.
What can I mix with cocoa butter for skin lightening?
Although cocoa butter is not the best option for skin lightening, if incorporated with some good essential oils like Vitamin E, it has the potential to be effective for your skin. Some people go beyond the traditional creams and products to create their one line of cool products like shampoos and shaving lotions.
However, bear in mind where a good amount of essential oils can improve the effectiveness of the butter, adding too much can do more harm than good.
Does Cocoa butter lighten dark spots?
This has a little grey area. Sure, cocoa butter is great for your skin but as a moisturizer and all the rest of the benefits that comes with it is the result of that. Since hyperpigmentation naturally fades with time, cocoa butter only speeds up the process by actively massaging and hydrating it.
This means your dark spots will fade regardless but with cocoa butter, but it can take up relatively less time. How can you efficiently do that, I hear you ask?
To make the most out of your cocoa butter and reduce the appearance of a scar, massage in circular and vertical motion across the pigmentation. Depending on your skincare routine, you can cleanse, exfoliate and then massage it every day.
One thing that you carefully need to consider is that cocoa butter does clog your pores. Where you will be trying to get rid of the dark spots and can end up giving a face full of acne within the first few days. Therefore, it’s best to use it on the rest of the body.
Also Read: Does Cocoa Butter help with Dark Spots?
It’s your turn…
Does Cocoa Butter Lighten Skin? Sure, it can let you have a beautiful even tone across your face or even brighten it but it will never let you go a few shades lighter.
The cocoa butter is its purest pure and does wonders for your skin. The challenge here is to find that “purest” form that ensures you have minimum to zero side effects whatsoever. Therefore, stick to 100% natural cocoa butter or create your own at home for your peace of mind.
Indeed this is the cocoa butter that goes to the deepest layers of the skin to rejuvenate and get rid of the dry ashy and uneven skin tone on your body.
As for lightening skin or instantly reducing hyperpigmentation, consult your dermatologist to help find the best skincare regime that can work best for YOU.
