Cocoa butter has become in recent years a star ingredient for the world of cosmetics. This natural oil extracted from cocoa beans not only offers health benefits but also for the skin and hair.
In this post we tell you more in detail all the properties and benefits of cocoa butter.
What is cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is a vegetable fat with a very pleasant aroma that is extracted from the cocoa beans, produced by the cocoa tree, during the chocolate manufacturing process. This fat is quite healthy, as more than 50% is saturated fat.
To obtain the butter, the cocoa beans are first extracted from the pods to carry out the fermentation. Then the beans are dried naturally or artificially and the roasting process to obtain the cocoa liquor that contains the fat. Subsequently, this fat goes through the pressing stage in which the solid particles, better known as cocoa butter, are collected.
Properties of cocoa butter
The countless properties of cocoa butter make it a great alternative for both the beauty world and gastronomy. Below, we explain exactly what the benefits of cocoa butter are in its different uses.
Cocoa butter for cosmetic use
Cocoa butter offers a lot of benefits for the face, skin, and hair. That is why many beauty brands have already included it in the formula of their cosmetics. If it is not yet part of your routine, maybe knowing its properties will make you change your mind.
- Hydration: Thanks to the nutrients and fatty acids it contains, cocoa butter is a powerful moisturizer that offers deep skin hydration, keeping it soft and flexible at all times. For example, it is widely used to repair dry and cracked lips.
- Treats skin problems or diseases: Cocoa butter has anti-inflammatory properties that help treat problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, or eczema.
- Conceals skin marks: It helps reduce marks left by acne, scars, and helps fade stretch marks and prevent their appearance in the future.
- Provides freshness and shine: Thanks to the vitamin E it contains, which increases collagen production, it gives the skin a healthy and vibrant appearance.
- Protects the skin: It prevents skin ulcers and protects the skin from external agents such as the sun, wind, or extreme temperatures thanks to the vitamins A and C it contains.
- Natural exfoliant: It is used as a body and facial exfoliant to remove dead skin cells.
- Antioxidant properties: Thanks to its antioxidant properties, cocoa butter can also prevent premature skin aging.
- For the hair: Besides its benefits for the skin, the vitamin E it contains also gives hair a lot of shine, softness, and vitality. It is ideal for dry hair and hair prone to frizz.
Benefits in the kitchen
In addition to its benefits for the skin, cocoa butter also has nutritional properties, as it is widely used in cooking to improve texture and flavor in some foods such as breads, sauces, ice creams, or soups. Also, thanks to its composition, this ingredient offers some health benefits when ingested:
- Prevents constipation: cocoa stimulates the functioning of the intestines and improves the digestion process, which helps prevent constipation.
- Helps prevent cardiovascular diseases: the butter contains a high percentage of saturated fats that can help prevent cardiovascular diseases and reduce cell inflammation.
Where to buy cocoa butter?
You can find cocoa butter as an ingredient included in the cosmetic formula such as lipsticks, soaps, creams, shampoos, etc... which you can buy in any beauty store due to its popularity.
However, if you want to use it as ingredient for the preparation of dishes or for baking, there is also the possibility to buy cocoa butter for cooking. In your trusted supermarket you can find it without any problem.
0 comments