Cocoa butter is derived from the beans found on cocoa trees, and is grown in the Caribbean, Africa and Central America. It has been used to make chocolate for many years, but has recently been used for other applications such as skin care. This butter has some truly amazing properties that have made it the butter of choice for many people around the world. Here are some reasons we love it so much.
It Has Strong Antioxidant Properties
Cocoa is rich in antioxidants, which is beneficial as it seizes free radicals that could cause damage to the skin. Antioxidants in general are helpful in warding off aging, so those who use this butter will display younger looking skin. Some research indicates that cocoa can be useful in treating scars or stretch marks. Due to the fact that this butter has a shelf life of as much as five years, it can be used much longer than other butters whose shelf life is much shorter.
It Is A Magnificent Moisturizer
Cocoa is exceptionally creamy, which makes it a superb moisturizer. While it is a form of fat, it is stable, which means that it will melt when placed on the skin. Your skin will absorb it, which is moisturizing and offers the nice shield that will protect it.
It Has Reduced Allergen Risk
Some people have to be careful what types of products they place on their skin, as they are allergic to certain ingredients. The good news about this butter is that it is not high allergen, which means that it is very rare for anyone to have an allergic reaction to it.
It Has An Amazing Scent
This butter has a distinct scent that is very appealing to the nose. It smells a bit like chocolate but will not overwhelm your nostrils by any means. Cocoa’s scent has been found to bring about relaxation while reducing stress. As a result many people combine it with various essential and carrier oils to produce scents which are more exotic. This is another key benefit of cocoa; it is compatible with many other products.
The Only Good Cocoa Butter Is That Which Is Raw And Unrefined
When the pods of cocoa beans are opened up, the beans are then extracted and pressed into butter. At this point it is essentially vegetable fat, and is the best type of butter you can buy. Cocoa beans which haven’t come into much physical contact with human hands will retain much of their best attributes. If you use or make products with cocoa butter that is refined and not raw, it will neutralize many of its benefits and defeat the purpose of why you bought it.
Cocoa butter is ideal for body lotions and can also be applied to the face and other parts of the body. Once the beans are harvested they will typically be put inside sacks which are then put into rooms which are warm. The warmth of the surrounding environment will pull the butter from the beans so manually collecting it isn’t necessary. It will then be cooled at which point it will become semi solid.