Cocoa Butter – A Natural Healer
Not only is cocoa butter wonderful for the skin. It is even an integral part of many foods, to be precise, the chocolates. It has long been used for nourishing the skin too, as it is rich and smooth in nature.
Cocoa butter is light yellow colored fat extracted from cacao beans/seeds. Once these beans are cleaned, they are roasted and made into paste. Then the paste is heated by a process which makes the butter melt.
Liquor that comes from such cocoa beans (called chocolate liquor) is further processed into refined cocoa butter. Cocoa butter has many benefits to its credit. A natural remedy for tarnished or scarred skin and for skin disorders, cocoa butter finds various uses in industries too.
- Cocoa butter is an emollient that is used in suntan lotions as it is a moisturizer that can enhance the skin by activating the production of skin collagen. However, cocoa butter is not like SPF lotions and cannot protect you from sun-tanning.
- A vegetable fat, cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans by a fermentation process that is natural and does not involve usage of many chemicals. Whitish yellow in color, this extract is added as a main ingredient in chocolate production.
- Cocoa butter is added to pure cacao paste to create bar chocolate. It is also added to dark chocolate and white chocolate.
- Cocoa butter melts just below human body temperature and is edible and nutritious. This is why chocolate is solid at room temperature, but melts in the mouth.
- Cocoa butter is better than many moisturizers. It can be easily absorbed by the skin so much so that it goes till the dermal layer of the skin to enhance collagen production. It is also because of this reason cocoa butter is used in most of the fairness creams.
- Cocoa butter is used as thickening agent in lipsticks, soaps and emollient creams. Since it is harmless on the skin, it is also used in a lot of pharmaceuticals.
- Cocoa butter is also used for stretch marks and scars due to its hydrating effects. It is gentle on the skin and carries a pleasing aroma.
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