Cocoa butter is a basic and delicious ingredient for skin moisturizers and other health and beauty products. More recently, researchers have discovered that phytochemicals in cocoa can keep your body and skin healthy.
The use of cocoa in medicine dates back to about 3,000 years ago. Cocoa was a favourite ingredient of the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, who even used it as currency. Cocoa butter is a type of fat derived from cocoa beans. To harvest it, cocoa seeds are removed from the plant. They are then roasted, stripped and pressed to separate the fat – the cocoa butter – from the rest of the seed body. The residues are then processed into cocoa powder.
How can cocoa butter improve the appearance of your skin?
- Cocoa butter is high in fatty acids, which is why it is said to moisturize and nourish the skin, promoting its elasticity. The fat in cocoa butter forms a protective barrier on the skin, able to retain moisture.
- Cocoa butter is also rich in natural plant compounds called phytochemicals. These substances can improve blood flow to the skin and slow down its aging, protecting it from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
- A common use of cocoa butter is for healing scars and restoring wrinkles. Many women believe that cocoa butter creams can be used during pregnancy and afterwards to prevent and minimize the appearance of stretch marks.
- Cocoa butter is also therapeutic for skin rashes and conditions such as eczema and dermatitis.
- Due to its high fat content, cocoa butter has a richer and denser feel compared to other moisturizing products or ingredients. It is often compared to shea butter, which comes from the seeds of the shea tree found in West and Central Africa. Shea butter is also high in fatty acids, although it doesn’t smell as sweet as cocoa butter! Shea butter also contains vitamins that are believed to help repair skin damage and speed healing from trauma.
