Cocoa butter never fails to keep your skin and hair fresh and glowing with its wide variety of nutritious properties like polyphenols that help give it an upper hand over most of the skincare products that you use.
Top Cocoa Butter Benefits for (both) Skin and Hair
We live in the world of no-makeup selfies and woke-up-like-this Instagram age. And looking dull in your pictures is certainly not what you are looking for.
As cocoa butter is extracted from cacao beans, it is packed with saturated fats and antioxidants.
The best part? This type of fat is actually incredible for your skin.
You can either use it as a standalone natural remedy to benefit your skin and hair or mix it with a few other ingredients to enhance its performance, either way, cocoa butter can do wonders for your body.
Here’s a rundown of the top cocoa butter benefits for skin and hair to make it your go-to beauty secret for that ever-needed natural beauty.
- Refined Cocoa Butter is one of the greatest natural moisturizers
- Keep the skin moist and wrinkle free.
- 100% pure organic high quality product
- SHIPS IN A FOOD GRADE PLASTIC BOTTLE
- Usage Rate: 1-100%
- Cocoa butter is Armed with Antioxidant Properties
- Has Essential Vitamins
- Moisturizes your Skin Deeply
- Reduces stretch marks and scars
- It heals sensitive skin
- Cocoa butter is an excellent choice for Skin Discolouration
- Helps Eliminate Dandruff
- It Can Fade Facial Scars
- Cocoa butter can Help with Hair Loss
- Great Conditioner
- Can Tighten Loose Skin
- Cocoa Butter Can Rejuvenate Your Skin
- Adds Volume to Hair
- Protects Hair Against Sun and Chlorine Damage
- It is a Versatile Option
1. Cocoa butter is Armed with Antioxidant Properties
As I’ve already mentioned earlier cocoa butter is high in polyphenols which are properties that are used to slow down the signs of ageing. Going back to fundamentals, the biggest culprit behind most of the physical damage is that you get is from free radicals.
The only way to combat free radicals is to slather your body with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food or skincare products to help soothe all the effects free radicals had on your body.
Therefore, cocoa butter is an excellent choice to add to your skincare regime if you want to get rid of the fine lines that are only draining your appearance.
Other than that, high amounts of antioxidants can also play a big role in reducing inflamed skin, sensitivity, dullness and bringing back the ravishing glow that you have been longing for.
However, to make the most out of this benefit, you need to stay consistent with your effects and make sure you are perfectly aware of the skin type (I’ll get to that in a while, I promise).
2. Has Essential Vitamins
Simply put, cocoa butter is a powerhouse of vitamins and nutrients. Sure, it does contain the well-known Vitamin and K but most people fail to realise that it is also packed with choline, copper, iron and magnesium that can only be found in leafy greens.
When we specifically talk about copper, it is an ideal skincare ingredient that helps support collagen and gives you nice, bouncy, baby-like skin.
This means you get all the major benefits present in natural resources into one.
3. Moisturizes Your Skin Deeply
Are you tired of waking up to dull, dry and flaky skin that makes it hard to smile? Trust me, we all have been there. You wake up in the morning of winters only to see chapped lips and dried skin that instantly adds some solid five years to your face.
Luckily, cocoa butter is all the way to rescue the cracking skin on your face and make use of oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids that are the epitome of nourishing your skin from within.
Don’t believe me?
Check out one of the main ingredients of modern moisturizers and lip balms, you are likely to find them with a high amount of cocoa butter.
This is because the fats present in the butter can act as a protective layer on your skin to help prevent moisture from robbing your face in the first place.
Not just that, it is also known as one of the best ways to treat psoriasis and eczema that are common skin issues related to dry skin.
4. Reduces stretch marks and scars
This benefit comes with a slightly grey section. Although cocoa butter has been used by pregnant women to help reduce the formation of stretch marks during and after pregnancy, there is no scientific evidence proving that.
However, if we look at how cocoa butter works, it can truly justify why many people see great results from this butter.
As a general rule of thumb, cocoa butter can help boost the elasticity of your skin and replenish it with hydration so even if your skin stretches, it won’t leave permanent marks on your skin.
You can easily apply cocoa butter by gently massaging the selected areas and let the nourishing properties of coca work their magic.
However, if you already have stretch marks, you can expect cocoa butter to take up to three months to show results and two years to offer visible differences in your body.
If you are planning on leaving it overnight, that is nothing that will work better than cocoa butter.
5. It heals sensitive skin
As cocoa butter contains nothing but pure extracts of the cacao plants and a wide range of valuable properties, you can count on it to heal sensitive skin and gently penetrate deep inside the layers of the skin to treat irritations.
However, it may not be the best choice if you are allergic to the cacao plant. Thus, be aware of your skin before diving headfirst into trying cocoa butter on your sensitive skin.
6. Cocoa butter is an Excellent Choice for Skin Discolouration
Considering how cocoa butter can moisturize your skin and add the missing nutrients back, it is an ideal way to even tone your face and fade the stubborn dark spots present on your skin.
Thanks to the oxidants that are known for their hydrating properties, you can make use of both the fatty acids and hydrating minerals to reveal the gorgeous and healthy skin that lies behind a dull layer of skin.
And let’s not forget how massaging it every day can increase the healthy blood flow without putting in much effort.
7. Helps Eliminate Dandruff
Have you ever seen white flakes in your hair no matter how much you wash it? This can be one stubborn problem that takes a long time to tackle—the worse part; some never get rid of it!
Here the problem is mainly your dry scalp that will not take much longer to start extreme hair fall in your scalp. However, unrefined cocoa butter can help.
This butter can moisturize your scale and resonate back the natural oils in your hair to ensure you get a healthy and shiny-looking scalp in just a few washes.
8. It Can Fade Facial Scars
Acne can be a pain. You battle through it for half of your life only to face the deep facial scars that will leave their mark for the rest of your life.
By applying cocoa butter directly on your skin you get the proper blood circulation going and help get rid of the dead skin cells to speed up the process of fading scars on your face.
In addition, cocoa butter cures dead skin by rejuvenating and treating the skin from within, you can rest assured that it will do all of its miracles with no side effects whatsoever.
If you want to go the extra mile, you can also try incorporating other essential oils like Vitamin E that can aid dark spots, reducing the appearance of scars on your face.
Remember, the best way to use cocoa butter here is to exfoliate your skin first and then apply the cocoa butter to let it only work on the fresh layer of skin that you have after exfoliation.
Applying it every day will not only help fade scars but can also enhance the overall health of your skin.
However, when it comes to buying cocoa butter from the market, things aren’t as black and white as they seem. You may need to make sure that the brand you are opting for uses 100% organic cocoa butter and has as few additives as possible.
Here, it’s best to try stick cocoa butter moisturisers or treatments as they are relatively more healthy. You can also go for raw cocoa like this one to DIY one yourself and create your own line of skincare products that you can truly trust.
9. Cocoa butter can Help with Hair Loss
Damaged and dry hair can inevitably lead to hair loss.
Prevent this by incorporating cocoa butter shampoo into your regular shower routine. It is armed with many antioxidant properties to drive out free radicals from its root and help keep your hair follicles happy as they grow with time.
It will also ensure to pump out only the healthy and strong strands of hair that populate your scalp and you get naturally pliable and softer hair to ensure the hectic wear and tear of regular hair styling and chemicals that you put in your head.
Well-known celebrity Leighton Meester also claims to use natural products off your pantry like cocoa butter and shea butter to help keep her hair moisturized instead of using the conventional shampoos that may make the matters worse with all the chemicals.
10. Great Conditioner
As cocoa butter is packed with fatty acids, it can do wonders in conditioning your hair and give it a nice, glowy, and healthy look without putting too much stress on your hair. You can also count on cocoa butter to keep your hair tangle-free and make them more manageable.
This means it will not only lock in the precious moisture in your hair but ensure that regardless of how many times you shower every week, it doesn’t have a huge impact on the condition of your body.
To make the most out of it, simply apply a small amount of cocoa butter to your palms, add water and start massaging your hair to help get the product to penetrate deep inside your scalp and bring out the true potential that your hair is holding back.
11. Can Tighten Loose Skin
It is no surprise why Kamal Patel from Examine.com stated “It will take some time for your skin to tighten up, as it depends on genetics, your age, and how much weight you have lost.
It is commonly recommended to drink lots of water, and to apply something like cocoa butter or coconut oil onto the loose skin.”
You can encounter loose skin for a wide range of reasons. But the most common reason is the loss of fat. The deduction of collagen from your skin can also compromise the elasticity of your skin and your face and give an overall saggy appearance.
Here, face lifting procedures can take up to a whopping $7,700.00 to $11,780.00, and let’s not talk about the hassle that has to go through to get the right dermatologists and spend hours getting the treatment done.
The good news is, cocoa butter can do just the right trick for you at less than half of that price.
Although they may not be as fast as these facelift treatments they can work naturally to tighten your skin without putting much strain on your delicate face. This gives you beautiful and healthy skin that will last for a long time.
12. Cocoa Butter Can Rejuvenate Your Skin
Although I’ve already mentioned this before, the concept of rejuvenation needed more emphasis. You lose most of your youthful glow, the harmful UV rays and the daily push from gravity.
Cocoa butter can ensure to work the right muscles and cells on your face to not only resonate with the beautiful skin but can help most of your imperfections as well.
With time, you will also get to see that your skin is relatively more refreshed and hydrated than it has ever been.
Struggle believing me? Try it yourself.
13. Adds Volume to Hair
As cocoa butter thickens your hair, you can expect it to add the ever-needed volume and make you younger. This means, by simply incorporating cocoa butter into your skin and hair care routine, you can rest assured to get healthy, thick, and voluminous hair along with glowy skin to give you the confidence to rock any stage with no make-up whatsoever.
14. Protects Hair and Skin Against Sun and Chlorine Damage
Applying cocoa butter in your hair before or after beach or pool days, adds an extra layer of protection to your hair to help you enjoy your summer days without having to worry about damaging your hair.
These anti-inflammatory properties of cocoa butter have also proven to work the same on skin as it stands between our skin and sun rays that can be the biggest culprit behind premature ageing.
This is one of the main reasons why most sunscreens come with cocoa butter in them.
15. It is a Versatile Option
Now that you are aware of the beauty benefits of cocoa butter, let’s look at the practical benefit that cocoa butter offers to its users. Unlike most of the products that only work on certain parts of the body, this butter is versatile enough to be used on any part of the body without worrying about damaging your health.
This makes coco abutter a cost-efficient choice that must be in your pantry as well as on the dressing table at all times.
Using Cocoa Butter on your Skin and Hair: Pros and Cons
Your skin is one of the most delicate things to take care of. Where good products are the secret behind naturally glowing skin, bad products can get you on the trail of countless doctor visits.
Therefore it is always a wise decision to make the right choice in the first place and prevent the hassle of fixing your skin.
To help you in this journey, here I have compiled all the pros and cons that you can potentially avail yourself of cocoa butter for your skin and hair.
Pros
1. Anti-Ageing Properties
Cocoa butter makes sure that it’s never late for you to bring back the youth that you have always desired.
As you have already read the wide variety of nutrients that cocoa butter offers to its users, you can rest assured that this butter can increase your skin elasticity and help boost up collagen.
However, for best results, it is highly recommended you start your anti-ageing treatment in your 20s so you don’t have to struggle with keeping up with your skincare routine in your 30s.
2. Can even tone your skin
As you massage your skin with cocoa butter, you not only make use of the nutrients present but as you carry out the gentle massage movement, it can also make the blood flow moving to help keep your skin fresh and even-toned.
Many of the healing properties can also contribute to eliminating the discolouration in certain parts of your body.
3. All Vitamins in one
Gone are days when you used to have a one-hour skincare routine twice a day. As cocoa butter is packed with vitamins like Vitamin E and K you can get most of your skincare down by just applying it to your body.
Cons
1. Not suitable for Acne-Prone Skin
Sure, cocoa butter is safe to use but it works its magic by residing deep inside your skin for long periods of hours. Although it can heal your scars and moisturize your body, it can also clog your pores and cause you to break out even more.
Therefore, if you are looking to get rid of your facial scars and are currently suffering from acne, you may need to opt for other alternatives that are non-comedogenic.
2. Cause rashes during Pregnancy
If you are allergic to cacao plants or are simply in the sensitive stages of pregnancy, it’s best to avoid cocoa better as it has caused rashes in a few women.
Another thing to bear in mind is that in the study on cocoa butter in 2015, researchers found that all cocoa butter products have anti-estrogenic effects.
This means cocoa butter runs the risk of blocking some of the effects of estrogen in the female body which can inevitably cause the problem of your baby during her puberty.
Thus, it’s best to avoid using cocoa butter during pregnancy.
Using Cocoa Butter for Skin: What does Research say?
When it comes to the beauty benefits of cocoa butter, unfortunately, there hasn’t been much research done on cocoa butter. This is mainly because most people believe that cocoa butter works as a placebo cream on your body.
However, if you are really curious to know what cocoa butter can do for your skin, it’s best to look into the properties mentioned like palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids that can penetrate deep into your skin and create e supple and beautiful texture that lets your fingers glides smoothly across your body.
Another study showed that the seeds extracted from the Theobroma cacao are high in phytochemicals to offer anti-ageing benefits for your skin and protect it against sun damage.
This has been further confirmed by other cocoa butter studies to ensure you never indulge yourself in the wrong products for your delicate skin.
Things to know before using cocoa butter for Skin and Hair
Truth be told: regardless of how many benefits cocoa butter has on your body, it will work the same unless your skin is accepting of its properties.
Therefore it is never a bad idea to look into the potential situations that can go wrong and whether cocoa butter is the right option for your skin type.
Leave Time
As a general rule of thumb, you should always leave your cocoa butter on your skin for 10 to 15 minutes to let your skin absorb its nutrients. If you are looking for fast results, I recommend you apply it post-shower when your pores are wide open and are ready to take in what you are about to slather on your body.
Furthermore, if you are applying specifically to your hair, do not keep it for more than 20 minutes as cocoa butter, at room temperature, will solidify in just about 20 minutes. This will make it difficult for you to get all the butter out of your hair and will leave your hair looking greasy.
Allergies
Before you mindlessly try cocoa butter on your skin and body, it’s best that you find out if you are allergic to it. To help you do that, simply try it on a small part of your body and leave it overnight.
Once you wake up, look for any signs that may indicate an allergic reaction to your skin. If you encounter pain, rashes, or anything else, discontinue using cocoa butter immediately.
Skin type
Although cocoa butter is excellent for dry and flaky skin, I don’t think we can say the same about oil or acne-prone skin. As cocoa butter has a high comedogenic rate, it can clog your pores and cause acne in no time.
How?
The molecules of coco abutter are closely packed together. This makes it difficult for your skin to breathe while you have it on your body. As a result, all the bacteria and gunk build up and eventually lead to blackheads and pimples that might take up to months to be cured.
Therefore, if you are looking for oil-based solutions to keep your skin hydrated and moisturized, it’s best to count on sunflower, apricot and almond oil that lets your skin breathe normally.
In a nutshell, the best way to find out whether cocoa butter is the right option for you is to create a list of the conditions where cocoa butter does not fit. If you fall under any one of them, it’s never too last to begin your hunt towards cocoa butter alternatives.
Conclusion
Coming to the end of the guide, you must be armed with just the right knowledge to help you get started with your journey to this new addition to your skincare regime.
As cocoa butter is a natural ingredient, you can feel free to use it for a wide range of purposes and still make sure that you get no harm whatsoever. If you are contemplating between chemical-based cocoa products and organic, raw ones always take the lead in offering not just the benefits but offer convenience like no other.
You can be sitting at home (in your pyjamas), just simply walk to your panty, grab cocoa butter and you are all set to make your skin luxuriously soft.
Therefore, unless you are sensitive to cocoa butter or have acne-prone skin, you can count on this outstanding ingredient to be your companion in every skincare routine.
However, if you are suffering from severe skin scarring issues, harmful or stretch marks, it’s best to consult your doctor or dermatologist who can give you a better-personalised skincare regime that you can stick to until all your issues have been completely resolved.
Remember, it’s always better safe than sorry!
