Does Cocoa Butter Cause Acne?

Does Cocoa Butter Cause Acne? Cocoa butter doesn’t cause acne on its own. However, it tends to clog your pores if you have oily skin. It is the clogged pores that may result in acne. That doesn’t mean that cocoa butter isn’t good for the skin. It has lots of skin benefits.

Some people even believe that it removes acne.

Also Read: Does Cocoa Butter Clog Pores?

Facts about cocoa butter Causing Acne 

For years now, people have believed that cocoa butter removes acne. Well, there might be some element of truth in it. Cocoa butter is a natural fat, and it has lots of nutrients that benefit the skin. Among the benefits is enhanced blood circulation in the skin.

With proper circulation going on, the skin finds it very easy to undergo all of its processes, including fighting off infections. If the skin is fighting infections off, then obviously you’ll have little to no skin problems, unless other things are causing your skin problems.

In addition, cocoa butter softens the dead skin on the surface of your skin, making it easier to be removed. As you may know already, dead skin cells are contributing factors to acne. With those bad guys taken care of, you’ll have less acne.

One thing you should note is that these benefits are mainly for dry skin. With oily skin, you risk having more breakouts instead. Why? Because your oily skin is already producing more oils.

Adding extra oil to it would only make the condition worse, and you’ll end up clogging your pores. However, there is one myth.

Also Read: Is Cocoa Butter Good for Oily Skin?

Myths about cocoa butter causing acne

Because cocoa butter is a heavy moisturizer, some people claim that it’s the main cause of acne and in some cases dark spots. Therefore anyone using cocoa butter would get breakouts.

Well, cocoa butter indeed clogs pores sometimes. However, it’s not always the case with acne. More so, not everyone using cocoa butter would get their pores clogged.

When your skin is already producing too much oil, also known as sebum, and you smear the heavy cocoa butter on it, then the excess oils would get trapped in your pores and cause acne.

But if you have dry or normal skin that doesn’t produce excess oils, then cocoa butter wouldn’t give you acne.

One thing to note is that the moisturizer you use is not the only thing that causes acne. Therefore, if you are having regular breakouts, visit your dermatologist for advice and treatment. Before I continue with my narrative about cocoa butter and acne, let me dive a little into what cocoa butter is and where the heck it came from. 

Also Read: Does Cocoa Butter help with Scars?

Cocoa butter as a skin product

Cocoa butter is an organic fat from an organic tree. This tree is the cacao plant. It was first cultivated by the Mayans over decades ago. With time it became popular in Central and Southern America, and then to some parts of West Africa.

These days, over 70 percent of the world’s cocoa butter is produced in Africa.

First, the ripe fruits of the cacao plant are harvested, and then the seeds are removed to be fermented for about three to five days. When it is fermented enough, the farmers dry it either in the sun or any other drying method available to them.

After drying, the seeds are roasted to develop their flavor and also make the hulls easy to remove. The hulls are simply the outer covering of the seeds.

These hulls are removed by special mechanisms, leaving the cocoa nibs behind. It is these nibs that the farmers grind into a cocoa paste also referred to as called chocolate liquor. They then separate the cocoa butter from the residue by pressing. The residue that remains is what is used in making chocolate and cocoa powder. This explains why cocoa butter has that strong chocolate smell.

For decades, people have used cocoa butter for cooking and as a skin moisturizer. However, a lot of controversies and questions have been asked about cocoa butter and skincare.

Read the Q& A section below to get answers to some of the most asked questions about cocoa butter.

Also Read: Best Cocoa Butter For Skin: Great For All Skin Types!

Is cocoa butter good for your skin?

Yes! Cocoa butter is good for your skin in so many ways. Here are just a few.

  1. Cocoa butter helps your body produce more collagen, and this helps your skin maintain its elasticity for a long time.
  1. It has phytochemicals that are responsible for blood circulation in the skin, and therefore nutrients are easily delivered to the skin.
  1. Its heavy nature hydrates the skin by locking moisture into the skin. This makes the skin supple and prevents it from drying out.
  1. Cocoa butter also helps to reduce inflammation of the skin, especially the ones that come from eczema and dermatitis.

Also Read: Cocoa Butter Benefits for Skin: A Quick Guide!

Can cocoa butter cause pimples?

As I said on the onset, cocoa butter alone does not cause pimples.

Pimples and breakouts are formed or triggered by at least four elements. They are; clogged pores, inflammation, bacteria, and dead cells.

1. Bacteria

Starting with the bacteria, our skin is almost like a zoo of various kinds of microorganisms. Some of them feed on the skin oils in your pores. These bacteria are not harmful unless they are trapped in the skin and his leads to my next point.

2. Dead skin

Your skin is constantly turning over and slogging off the dead cells. Sometimes, your age and other factors would either slow down the turnover rate or make the dead skin stay on your skin, leading to clogged pores.

3. Clogged pores

You have bacteria that are living freely on your skin. But then when the dead cells or other physical things like makeup and heavy moisturizer trap the bacteria into your pores, trouble happens.

4. Inflammation

As the bacteria is trapped, it multiplies and causes the pore to swell. This swelling is a result of the bacteria living its normal life and producing waste. Their waste substances make your body turn alert and try to solve that problem with inflammation. That’s why you get that painful sting from pimples.

Let’s get back to cocoa butter. Among the four factors, cocoa butter causes pore-clogging. This happens mostly among people with oily skin. The oily skin is already producing nourishing oils for the bacteria. 

What do you think would happen when you plaster your already oily face with the heavy cocoa butter?

You’ll end up clogging your pores and providing a cage for the bacteria to become fruitful and fill your pores. In the end, you’ll have a full ripe pimple.

Also Read: What is Cocoa Butter: Benefits, Uses, Characteristics and Side Effects

Is cocoa butter good for acne scars?

Acne scars are mostly caused by hyperpigmentation. To remove this hyperpigmentation, you need a substance that can reduce the amount of melanin in that region of the skin.

Cocoa butter doesn’t have elements that remove hyperpigmentation or fade scars. However, you can use it as a carrier moisturizer to make your skin lightening cream.

Some people mix skin lightning essential oils like lemon oil and the likes with their normal cocoa butter and use it for those scars.

Just know that cocoa butter alone won’t remove your acne scars. It’ll only make the skin look healthier and moisturized.

Also Read: Is Cocoa Butter Bad for Your Face: What I Wish I Knew!

Is it okay to put Palmer’s Cocoa Butter on the face?

Well, there is nothing wrong with putting Palmer’s Cocoa butter on your face. However, you need to exercise caution. Like any other cocoa butter, Palmer’s Cocoa Butter can cause oily skin to get clogged and then breakout.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy Body Lotion
  • Deep hydrating lotion: this 24 hour cocoa butter daily moisturizing body lotion features a light coc
  • Special formula: this lotion is made with cocoa butter to naturally moisturize and vitamin e to help
  • Finest ingredients: we strive to use only the finest natural, raw ingredients to bring you soft, hyd
  • Choose what's real: our beauty products and hair and skin treatments feature real high quality, plan
  • Palmer's skin care: our cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, and vitamin e product lin

If you have dry to normal skin, then you can use it on your face. It’ll give your face that glow and velvety feel. But if you have oily skin, my sister, use something else for your face. 

You can even use the cocoa butter lotion instead of the solid cocoa butter.

Does Cocoa Butter worsen acne?

It depends. If you have acne-prone, oily, or sensitive skin, then using cocoa butter on your face would worsen your acne, because more pores would be clogged and hence more bacteria cages would be created.

But if you are not prone to acne or you have dry skin, then cocoa butter wouldn’t be the cause of your worsening acne.

Also Read: How Long Does it Take for Cocoa Butter to Fade Scars?

What is the best cocoa butter that can heal acne?

There are numerous brands of cocoa butter out there. They all claim to heal acne. You only have to find the one that best suits your skin.

When you have dry skin, you wouldn’t go wrong with the hard waxy cocoa butter. However, if you have oily skin, then the lotion would help you better.

I’m recommending the lotion because it has water in it, hence the heavy butter feel has been reduced. Therefore, you wouldn’t have your pores clogging so much.

Also Read: Best Cocoa Butter for Scars: The Small and Scary Ones!

Over to you…

Cocoa butter alone doesn’t cause acne. But it can be a contributing factor to your regular breakouts. If you have oily skin, please avoid using it on your face, because it’ll clog your pores.

Dry skin wouldn’t have a problem at all with using cocoa butter. Always find the one that best suits your skin, and you’ll be okay. If you have an acne problem, then other things are causing see your dermatologist for recommendations and treatment.

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AUTHOR
Hello! Sedi here... I love cocoa and everything that comes out it even more! Chocolate, butter, paste, etc... Picture this: I have very sensitive and dry skin, and as a result, I develop dark spots, especially on my legs, at the slightest provocation. To get rid of it, I have been using cocoa butter for more than a decade. My dark spots are gone; my skin tone is even! When I'm not writing, you'll find me reading, working out, and advocating for plastic-free earth.