When we hear the word "cocoa", we tend to think of cups of hot chocolate by the fire on a cold winter's night or our favorite chocolate treats. However, cocoa can do so much more than simply tingle our taste buds; it can also soothe and nourish our skin in a wide range of ways. In this guide, we'll explore some of the best benefits of cocoa butter for skin.
What Is Cocoa Butter?
Before we look at cocoa butter benefits for skin, it's important to understand the basics of cocoa butter. So, what exactly is this miraculous natural ingredient seen in so many of the best skincare products? Well, as the name implies, cocoa butter comes from the same plant that gives us chocolate and cocoa powder: the cacao plant.
Grown in many parts of the world, like Africa, South America, and tropical Asia, the cacao plant has been cultivated and used in various ways for thousands of years. It produces cocoa beans. The beans are extracted from the plant, roasted, stripped, and then pressed to separate the cocoa butter from the powder.
The resulting cocoa butter is a creamy substance. It's very different to the cocoa powder we use in desserts and hot drinks, although it can be used for food products, too. It's rich in fatty acids and also contains a lot of natural plant compounds known as phytochemicals which can offer various cocoa butter benefits for skin.
The History of Cocoa Butter for Skin
The history of cocoa butter goes back thousands of years. It was used by ancient civilizations, like the Mayans and the Aztecs. They mainly used it for medicinal purposes, believing that its natural ingredients and properties could soothe certain ailments. Then, as the centuries went by, the ingredient spread further around the world and became more widely-used.
In more recent times, scientific research has shown that cocoa butter does indeed offer a range of vitamins and useful nutrients for the skin and can promote general skin health, as well as providing other benefits. This has led to a rise in demand for skincare products that use cocoa butter in some way.
Cocoa Butter Benefits for Skin
So, what kinds of benefits and positive effects can you expect to enjoy when using cocoa butter skincare products? Well, due to the fact that cocoa butter contains high amounts of antioxidants, fatty acids, and helpful vitamins, it can offer an impressive array of advantages. Here are some of the main benefits of cocoa butter for skin:
1. Cocoa Butter Smooths Wrinkled Skin
Wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process. It's perfectly normal to see wrinkles appear as time goes by, but many people like to slow down the process and keep their wrinkles under control with the use of skincare products. Cocoa butter can help with this, as it locks in moisture and boosts your skin's elasticity levels. Elasticity is vital for keeping skin feeling supple and soft, rather than dry and wrinkly.
2. Cocoa Butter Moisturizes Skin
Your skin's cells require moisture to stay healthy and plump, but there are all sorts of environmental factors and elements that dry your skin out on a daily basis. Fortunately, cocoa butter's high levels of antioxidants and fatty acids make it a supreme moisturizer. It's really effective at helping the skin retain moisture for longer, allowing your skin to feel smooth and silky. This is ideal for anyone who suffers from dry or rough patches around the face or body.
3. Cocoa Butter Improves Overall Skin Health
Last but not least, cocoa butter can also be a great ingredient for general skin health. It has photo-protective properties, for example, which help to defend your skin against sun damage. It also evens skin tone, diminishes dark spots, boosts elasticity, and soothes dry or peeling patches. Cocoa butter products like our Body Repair Treatment can therefore soothe, heal, and nourish all of your skin in a safe and gentle way.
How Best to Use Cocoa Butter for Skin
So, we can clearly see that there are many great cocoa butter benefits for skin, and you might want to experience some of those advantages for yourself. But what is the best way to get desired results when using cocoa butter products? Here are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of cocoa butter:
- Buy Raw Cocoa Butter - It's possible to buy and use cocoa butter in its pure, raw form. You can buy tubs or even sticks of raw cocoa butter for your own DIY skincare solutions. This can be interesting for some people, but using raw butter has its drawbacks, as it has quite a strong natural odor and doesn't come with any other nourishing ingredients.
- Use Professional Products - Instead of using raw butter on your skin, we recommend opting for skincare products that have been specially formulated with refined cocoa butter as an active ingredient. These products have more benefits, a wider range of effects, and are easier and more comfortable to use, with more pleasant odors.
- Focus on Dry Areas - One of the main benefits of cocoa butter is its power to moisturize the skin. It's a super strong moisturizer, so it's really effective when used on parts of the body that are lacking in hydration. Try to focus your applications on dry zones or rough patches of your skin to repair them.
- Another handy trick to note when working with cocoa butter is to use it on damp skin. When you use cocoa butter products on damp skin, it actually helps to lock in even more moisture. This is really useful for people with very dry or tired skin, and it's ideal to apply cocoa butter after a shower for great results.
Have a look at The Body Firm full line of skin care products including moisturizers, masks, pads, serums, scrubs, capsules, and creams to help keep your skin healthy and smooth.
