Did You Know About These Cocoa Butter Uses?
Cocoa butter is a buzzy ingredient in all sorts of beauty products, touted for its skin care benefits. However, the amount of cocoa butter in commercial products is generally pretty low. More and more people are using it straight for a wide variety of purposes.
For example, did you know that cocoa butter is actually edible? It also smells delicious! We’ve searched up some of the most unusual uses for cocoa butter that you may not have heard. By the end, you’re sure to put a tub of it on your shopping list.
What it is
Cocoa butter, not surprisingly, comes from cocoa beans. History shows that humans have been using cocoa in some form since 460 AD! These days, the beans are first fermented, dried, and roasted before being pressed. The result of pressing is a creamy vegetable fat called cocoa butter.
Recent studies show that cocoa butter is high in antioxidants, which help prevent cellular damage in the body. It may also be a natural anti-inflammatory that can offer some protection against disease and reduce pain. Of course, because it comes from the cocoa bean, it also smells like chocolate.
Understanding these basic properties of cocoa butter, let’s look at some of the interesting uses for this incredible product.
Slows aging
Because cocoa butter is so high in antioxidants, it has the potential to prevent damage both inside and outside the body. Whether eaten or spread on the skin, these antioxidants bind with free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. As a result, signs of aging are reduced.
Use cocoa butter for smooth, glowing skin and reduced pain from inflammation. You will not only feel younger, but also hold back the visible signs of aging including dark marks and wrinkles.
Fades scars
Not only does cocoa butter reduce visible signs of aging, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it can also help to fade scars. Used in combination with massage of the area, you may be able to lighten and smooth scarred areas.
Note that some evidence about scarring in general suggests that neither external products nor massage will change the nature of scars older than two years.
Moisturizes hair
We can all agree that dry, brittle, or flyaway hair is not ideal. Moisture is so important to hair that we use a separate product in the shower – conditioner – in order to achieve a pleasing texture. Because cocoa butter is a fantastic moisturizer, it’s also a great ingredient for conditioners.
You may also use plain cocoa butter to rub into hair ends or reduce static. Just be careful to avoid rubbing it into the hair roots so your hair doesn’t hang limply or look greasy.
Anti-dandruff
Cocoa butter may also help to reduce dandruff. Though we think about dandruff as being the flakes of dry skin that shed from the scalp, this is actually just a symptom of the condition. Inflammation is also part of dandruff, and cocoa butter is excellent for reducing this.
We need shampoo to remove natural scalp oils that weigh hair down, but it can also dry the skin, which in turn produces even more oil. Use of cocoa butter on the scalp may also reduce general itching due to dry skin.
Some evidence suggests that cocoa butter may also keep the hair follicle beds healthier. Many people use it in an effort to reduce hair loss and slow the onset of male pattern baldness.
In any case, when used on the scalp, cocoa butter is best applied before bedtime and then washed away in the morning. Be sure to cover your pillow with a towel to absorb any that transfers from your head.
Making candles
Because it comes from cocoa beans, cocoa butter has a nice chocolately smell. And like wax, it is solid in cool temperatures and melts into a liquid when warmed. That makes cocoa butter a nice ingredient in homemade candles along with beeswax or paraffin.
But an even more interesting use of cocoa butter is in a product called a massage candle. The material that melts off of these candles can actually be used as massage oil! Massage candles typically contain more oils, including cocoa butter, shea butter, and avocado oil, than wax.
For cooking
Cocoa butter is actually edible, even though it’s used most often in topical products. But since it resists burning at high temperatures, it’s a nice oil for cooking meat or vegetables in recipes that require a hot pan.
Using cocoa butter in pastry recipes can either add a subtle chocolate flavor or boost the taste of chocolate in recipes that already use it. When substituted for butter in baking, you’ll need less cocoa butter and thereby reduce the fat content of rich goodies.
As you can see, cocoa butter has a ton of uses and is a great product to have in its raw form, beyond simply buying products that contain it. Whether you are a crafter who makes candles and soaps, a creative chef, or a person who struggles with eczema or another skin condition, cocoa butter is an excellent product to have on hand (and on your hands).
