Unlike shea butter, cocoa butter has a distinct smell compared to chocolate. It has a firm texture and does not melt at room temperature. You can use unrefined cocoa butter as a body butter, hair conditioner, or to make your favourite coffee.
Let’s look at the five most common scents associated with cocoa butter.
Also Read: Best Smelling Cocoa Butter That Will Keep You Smiling!
5 essential oils to mix with your pure cocoa butter
- Frankincense essential oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Rose Geranium Essential Oil
- Vanilla Infused Oil
- Peppermint Essential Oil
Top 5 essential oils to mix with your pure cocoa butter Comparison Table
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | US Organic 100% Pure Frankincense Essential Oil |
| Check Price |
 | NOW Essential Oils, Lavender Oil |
| Check Price |
 | Edens Garden Geranium- Rose Essential Oil |
| Check Price |
 | Vanilla Infused Oil |
| Check Price |
 | Now Peppermint Essential Oil |
| Check Price |
As delicious and chocolaty as cocoa butter may smell, it can be overpowering for some users. That’s how essential oils come in handy. With oils like vanilla, you can be sure to tone down the chocolate smell of cocoa butter.
Top 5 essential oils for pure cocoa butter Reviewed
1. Frankincense essential oil
Frankincense, sometimes referred to as olibanum, is a common type of essential oil used in therapeutic massage that can offer a variety of health benefits. It helps relieve chronic stress and anxiety, reduces pain and inflammation, and boosts immunity.
Frankincense essential oil’s sweet, warming, resinous, woody aroma is a popular choice for those who want to foster relaxation and contentment. It blends well with cocoa butter as well as rose absolute and myrrh.
Pros
- Antiseptic
- Astringent
- Sedative
- Sweet fragrance
Cons
- May cause an allergic reaction.
2. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is one of my favourite essential oils. The sweet floral aroma soothes anxiety and nurtures feelings of calmness, making it an excellent choice for DIY spa treatments.
It is purported to have anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties, as well as antispasmodic, analgesic, detoxifying, hypotensive, and sedative effects.
You can anchor the cocoa butter’s chocolaty smell with lavender essential oil for a fresh, sweet fragrance.
Pros
- Antiseptic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Bactericidal
- Cicatrising and balancing
- Fresh sweet floral fragrance
Cons
- May cause skin irritation.
3. Rose Geranium Essential Oil
Rose geranium is a type of geranium plant with leaves that smell strongly like roses. It is known to soothe anxiety and nurture feelings of calmness, making it an excellent choice to add to skincare products.
A 2017 review of studies established that antioxidant properties in rose geranium oil may help reduce the signs of ageing.
A touch of spicy black pepper, the zest of lemongrass and the sweet floral scent of geranium make a wonderful companion to cocoa butter and create an intoxicating scent.
Pros
- Antioxidant
- Anti-anxiety
- Antimicrobial
- Balancing effect.
- Sweet rosy fragrance
Cons
- May cause reactions to sensitive skin.
4. Vanilla Infused Oil
Vanilla absolute is a fragrant extract derived from the pulp of vanilla beans. Its rich, soothing scent is loved by skincare formulators and beauty enthusiasts alike. It complements cocoa butter well by adding a deliciously sweet aroma to the mix.
Vanilla oil is also a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, proven in studies to help effectively prevent infection and inflammation. This makes Vanilla Infused Oil a great choice for soothing burns and aiding in the treatment of acne.
Pros
- Soothing
- Uplifting
- Sweet warm fragrance
Cons
- Can cause irritation and swelling.
5. Peppermint essential oil
Peppermint has a sharp scent that’s cool and refreshing, and the taste is similar. You may be familiar with the refreshing feeling in your mouth after consuming something with a peppermint flavour. The main chemical components of peppermint oil are menthol and menthone.
Researchers found that a 1% solution of peppermint oil led to improvements in how long itchiness lasted and the severity of the itch.
The sweet chocolate smell of cocoa butter combined with peppermint’s uplifting, fresh scent is simply divine. It can help calm stress and find clarity and inner peace.
Pros
- Cooling
- Decongestant
- Stimulating
- Revitalising.
- Refreshing minty fragrance.
Cons
- It May cause skin reaction
Common scents associated with cocoa butter
People associate the smell of cocoa butter with many things around them. The most common scents compared to cocoa butter are;
Chocolate smell
People believe cocoa butter smells strongly of chocolate. If you’ve ever smelled chocolate-covered strawberries or cherries, you’ll have a fair notion of what cocoa butter smells like.
It’s a sweet and fruity combination with a tinge of chocolate to tie it all together. Others agree that cocoa butter has a stronger aroma than honey or molasses.
Cocoa butter is the way to go if you want a moisturiser that will leave your skin with a lovely chocolate scent. Who wouldn’t want to smell like they’ve spent the day eating chocolate? But not everyone is okay with the chocolate smell.
Earthy Scent
When people say cocoa butter smells like soil or dirt, they’re expressing a musky scent.
While you don’t want to smell like an overgrown garden after using this moisturiser, it does have a unique and fascinating perfume. Some people enjoy the earthy aroma of cocoa butter, while others find it overpowering. However, if you’re seeking a unique moisturiser, this could be it!
Popcorn Like Smell
This may seem strange, but cocoa butter can smell like popcorn! Some pure cocoa butter has this aroma, although it is far from the only one. While it may not be a perfume for everyone, it is certainly unusual and memorable!
But it’s largely unprocessed cocoa butter with a pronounced chocolate aroma.
What is the difference between Refined and Unrefined?
Refined cocoa butter has had its natural smell and colour deodorised, but unrefined cocoa butter has a distinct chocolate aroma. It is yellow or creamy in colour. It retains all of its vital nutrients.
Also Read: Best Raw Cocoa Butter Without Any Added Products
What are the benefits of using Unrefined Cocoa Butter on the skin?
Unrefined cocoa butter has many benefits. Among these are:
1. It contains antioxidants.
Antioxidants help prevent oxidative stress, which causes signs of ageing. Using antioxidants in our skincare helps prevent the signs of ageing and also helps reduce dull skin and dark spots.
2. It has hydrating properties.
One of the biggest benefits of pure cocoa butter is that it is so hydrating. Perfect for dry skin types, the fatty acids will keep your skin moisturized. The presence of fat can help to form a protective layer on the skin, preventing moisture from escaping and therefore stopping the skin from drying out.
3. Help reduce the appearance of scars.
Did you know that cocoa butter has also been known to help reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks? Many users of cocoa butter testify to its efficacy in preventing stretch marks, especially during pregnancy.
Cocoa Butter is also gentle enough to use on skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Although there is no scientific evidence to say this helps relieve the conditions, it can help to prevent dryness.
Does pure cocoa butter benefit your hair?
Not only is cocoa butter great for use on the skin, but it also has many hair benefits as well. Let’s look at some notable benefits;
i. Moisturise scalp
Cococa butter is rich in nutrients, which deeply moisturises your scalp and aids in the elimination of dandruff. It not only benefits the scalp, but it can also offer nutrients to the hair and reduce dullness.
il. Rejuvenate hair
When used as a deep conditioning treatment, unprocessed cocoa butter will revitalize hair and leaving it smooth and lustrous. We recommend melting some down until it resembles an oil, then applying it to the mid-lengths and ends and massaging it into your scalp for around 15 minutes. Shampoo and condition as usual after 15 minutes.
Also Read: Best Pure Cocoa Butter with Quality Assurance
How do you use unrefined cocoa butter?
Because it is so firm, you can melt your unrefined cocoa butter using a double boiler or by placing it in a bowl of hot water. Then place it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Remove and whisk until you have a fluffy texture. Add your favourite essential oil or use it just like that.
Use it in skincare recipes like lip balm, lotion, and body butter.
If necessary, you can heat unrefined cocoa butter in the microwave. However, it is important to be careful as over-heating the butter can damage its beneficial properties. To melt this butter in the microwave, place it in a small, heat-proof container, then heat for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until it has melted through.
Also Read: Best Cocoa Butter Brand You Can Trust!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Long Does Cocoa Butter Smell Last When Applied to Your Body?
This varies depending on the person. Some people might find that the smell fades relatively quickly, while others might find it lasts for hours or even days. It just depends on your body chemistry!
What Does Cocoa Butter Smell Like When It’s Melted?
When melted, cocoa butter will have a more chocolate-like scent. This is because the molecules change when they’re in liquid form and release different scents.
What does shea butter smell like?
Shea Butter has a natural smell, which is not unpleasant to most people. It can smell like mild nutty or, some say, like coconut or even woody in scent. Over time, the smell of the shea butter will reduce, if unrefined, especially once it is used on the skin or if the shea butter is getting old.
Does cocoa butter tone your skin?
Its composition, rich in vitamin E, makes facial skin firm, moisturised, smooth, and even. Cocoa butter balances skin tone and diminishes ageing signs, hence it can be a great addition to your facial skincare routine.
What should cocoa butter smell like?
The scent of cocoa butter, though chocolatey, is not truly a chocolate scent. In fact, some people who like chocolate dislike the scent of cocoa butter. It is easy to fix this. By mixing cocoa butter with the chocolate truffle essential oil blend, you can make it smell exactly like the finest chocolate dessert.
Now it’s your turn.
Pure cocoa butter smells like chocolate. Perhaps it’s because it comes from the same bean as chocolate. However, from the reviews of users, they associate cocoa butter with the smell of earth and popcorn. Others may find it nutty.
When you use cocoa butter in body lotions, hand creams, or lip balms, it may be deodorized to do away with the strong chocolatey fragrance.
To have all the benefits of the essential vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals, it’s important to use them unrefined. But unrefined cocoa butter is very solid at room temperature. And many people may not like the smell.
Therefore, you can whisk your melted cocoa butter to make it soft and add your favourite essential oils to tone down the smell.
