Cocoa butter is exotic, has many beneficial properties, and is simply a healthy product. made from the seeds of the chocolate tree - cocoa beans. The tree grows in the American tropics. It smells like milk with chocolate notes, a light yellow hue. There are no additives in the oil and, in addition to ingestion, it is successfully used in cosmetology.
Composition and useful properties of cocoa butter
Caloric content of the product: 900 kcal per 100 g.
The composition of the oil contains the following substances:
- acids (stearic, lauric, oleic, arachidonic, linoleic, palmitic);
- vitamins (A, B, E, C, F);
- minerals (potassium, magnesium, chromium, calcium, iodine, zinc, iron);
- amino acids;
- theobromine.
Cocoa butter is beneficial when applied both externally and internally
Beneficial features:
- increases the body's defenses;
- improves blood circulation;
- gives a tonic effect;
- lowers cholesterol levels;
- strengthens hair;
- fights mimic wrinkles;
- often used in the treatment of colds and viral diseases;
- helps get rid of stretch marks;
- used in combination with weight loss.
How cocoa butter is used in cosmetology
An important constituent of cocoa beans is cocoa butter. Oil-based creams, lipsticks and even shampoos are made. The acids contained in cocoa butter have properties that are important for skin and body care. Cocoa butter is found in many cosmetic products.
It has a rejuvenating effect, recommended for dehydrated skin. Fights fatigue well, removes wrinkles. Using cocoa butter in home cosmetology, you can prepare creams, skin and hair care products.
Which cocoa butter is better to buy
To get the most out of your oil, it is important to purchase a natural product.
It should be noted that there are 2 types of oil:
- Unrefined - is considered more natural and healthy. This type of oil does not undergo additional processing. It contains the maximum amount of nutrients. It is thick in consistency and has a chocolate aroma.
- Refined the oil is softer in texture and contains less fatty acids, because it lends itself to additional processing and purification. Odorless, white. The oil is hypoallergenic and allowed for pregnant women.
It is recommended to purchase unrefined oil. It retains all the useful properties and is easy to distinguish from a fake, rather than refined.
To buy real oil, when choosing, you should adhere to the following criteria:
- Smell and color.Natural unrefined butter with a light chocolate aroma, the color of a pale yellow tint reminiscent of white chocolate;
- Consistency. The oil is crumbly, hard and dense texture;
- Price. The approximate cost of natural cocoa butter ranges from 100 to 200 rubles. for 50 g. You shouldn't be led by cheap products. The opposite is true for refined oil: it is white, liquid in texture and odorless. It is recommended to purchase oil in eco-shops, pharmacies, or trusted online stores.
Royal forest oils
Real and quality oil can be purchased from Royal forest Colombia.
The company produces edible unrefined oil, which is useful for cosmetic procedures. The price is approximately 500 rubles. For 200 gr.
Oils from the Aromatika brand
The non-refined oil produced by "Aromatika" has proven itself quite well among competitors.
The composition meets the necessary requirements, has a solid texture. Also, the drug can be taken orally, which once again indicates the quality of this product.
The price ranges from 100 to 150 rubles. for 50 g. Country of origin: Ukraine.
Oil from TM "Fragrant World"
TM "Fragrant World" will cost an average of 700 rubles. for 150 gr. This oil is cosmetic refined and is not suitable for ingestion. Perfect for external use and adding to masks and creams. Produced by Russia.
Interesting! Quality experts say: It doesn't matter which oil manufacturer. It is important that the product meets the required standards.
Application for facial skin
Not many people know that cocoa butter is very useful for facial skin. The use of the cocoa bean product in cosmetology is appreciated for its effectiveness in combating skin fatigue and aging. Day and night creams and masks are made on an oil basis. By using the product correctly, you can quickly achieve the expected results. We offer effective and proven recipes.
Night moisturizer
The cream is recommended for skin prone to dryness.
Preparation: Mix a spoonful of cocoa butter with 3 tbsp. tablespoons of olive, add 1 teaspoon of jojoba.
Heat and cool all ingredients. Beat with a blender, adding a couple of drops of sandalwood oil. The night cream is ready to use. Apply before bed to cleansed skin. From the first days of use, a positive result will be visible.
Rejuvenating mask
Recommended for those who wish to preserve youth and tighten the skin.
Preparation:Mix parsley chopped with a blender with a spoonful of kefir and add melted cocoa butter - 2 tbsp. spoons. Thanks to the combination of simple and affordable components, a miracle rejuvenating agent is obtained. Apply for 30 minutes, then rinse and enjoy the pleasant sensations. Do no more than 3 masks per week.
Nutritious cream
Suitable for all skin types. Recommended for use during the cold season. The value of the composition lies in the fact that in cold weather the skin needs more nutrition than at other times. The cream nourishes and saturates with vitamins.
Preparation: Take 1 teaspoon of rosehip and sea buckthorn oils, mix with a tablespoon of warm cocoa butter. Combine the components and add a couple of drops of vitamin A and E. In the finished mixture, add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of cream. Apply in the morning after washing.
Anti-wrinkle mask
Preparation: Add raw yolk to a teaspoon of cocoa butter. In a separate container, mix the carrot juice and honey. Take 1 teaspoon of ingredients. Combine everything and apply to previously scrubbed skin. Keep 15 minutes.
The procedure should be done no more than 3 times a week.
Application for body skin
You can become the owner of elastic and smooth body skin by experiencing the properties of cocoa butter.The use of this product in cosmetology for the care of problem areas is very important, especially in the fight against the so-called "orange peel". Cocoa butter will tone the skin and smooth the relief.
During the anti-cellulite session, the use of cocoa butter instead of massage gives a good result. The product fights stretch marks, it is recommended to use it during pregnancy.
Effective recipes
Nourishing body cream
Elastic skin after using this product is ensured.
Preparation:Mix cocoa butter and coconut - 1 tbsp each. spoon, add 3 drops of lavender oil. Apply daily after shower.
Cream for getting rid of stretch marks
Suitable for pregnant women for prophylaxis and for those who have this problem. A month later, you can already evaluate the first results.
Preparation: You need to mix 30 g of melted cocoa butter with 10 g of castor oil, add 5 g of jojoba. Combine the ingredients, apply morning and evening. Store the composition in a dark place.
Anti-cellulite cream
This cream is a lifesaver for those with orange peel.
Preparation: You will need 30 g of beeswax and 4 types of oils. Take 30 g of each: cocoa, coconut, olive and shea butter. Grate the wax and melt in a water bath, cook for 5 minutes, cool, add the rest of the ingredients. Beat the resulting mixture. Massage the cream into problem areas 3 times a week on previously steamed body skin.
Hair application
I want to look well-groomed - you need to work a lot on yourself. Sometimes such withdrawal has a negative result. For example, using a hair dryer and styling products will ruin its structure. To restore hair health, cocoa butter is used in cosmetology in the form of masks. Due to the composition of useful components, damaged hair can be restored.
The cocoa bean product is a valuable assistant in home hair care. Its properties can help alleviate split ends, and brittle hair can be made strong and smooth.
The systematic use of cocoa butter will prevent hair loss and enhance growth. The option of independent use of the oil is possible, and the effect can be increased by mixing other useful components.
Important! Masks must be done on dry and clean hair. The oil must be warmed up before use.
Dry hair mask
The usefulness of this mask is that it contains many vitamins that can turn dry hair into healthy, thick and shiny hair.
Preparation of the composition: Mix 3 tbsp. tablespoons of burdock oil and cocoa butter. Add 3 drops of grapefruit oil. Combine the components and at the end add 4 drops of vitamins A and E. After mixing the ingredients, apply the mixture to clean hair, rinse after 2 hours.
Nourishing hair mask
It is believed that a mask in which there is little cocoa is already nutritious due to the composition of fatty acids. Restores damaged hair and saturates with vitamins.
Preparation: Take the components for 1 tbsp. spoon. Combine wheat germ oils, cocoa, jojoba with one yolk. Apply the mixture first to the roots, rubbing into the skin, and then along the entire length. It is good to leave such a mask overnight, but if this is not possible, a couple of hours is enough. You need to do it 2 times a week.
Hair strength mask
With this recipe, you can get strong, strong and shiny hair. To do this, you need to spend 2 hours once a week, and the result is noticeable from the first procedures. It takes time to prepare the recipe.
Preparation: Take 1 glass each: cognac, sea salt and honey. Mix the constituent elements and put in a dark place to infuse for two weeks. After the elapsed time, add 100 ml of cocoa butter. Store the infusion in a jar with a hermetically sealed lid.
Apply once a week before shampooing. A couple of hours before the shower, apply the mixture to the length of the hair, including the roots, after the composition must be washed off with shampoo.
Growth accelerator mask
Preparation: Mix 2 tablespoons of cocoa butter with 3 tablespoons of burdock and 1 of castor. Heat the mixture and apply overnight. It is recommended to do it no more than 2 times a week. An interesting feature of a healthy oil is that when applied to hair, it rinses off perfectly, unlike other oils. A one-time application of shampoo is enough to remove excess.
Use for delicate lips and eyelids
Cocoa butter for lips
The composition of cocoa butter is rich in vitamins and natural fats. Vitamin K present in the composition is often used in cosmetology to solve the problems of chapped lips. Applying a couple of times a day to the lip area, you can quickly forget about this problem.
This recipe will give your lips a healthy look.
Preparation:Take 1 tbsp. spoonful of cocoa butter and wheat germ, mix with 2 tbsp. spoons of beeswax. Once the cream hardens, you can use it.
Cocoa butter for eyelid skin
The delicate and delicate area of the face is the skin around the eyes. It requires care and the right approach, because not every oil is suitable for this zone. Having learned about the useful features, we can safely say that the oil is a universal remedy for the whole body.
The skin around the eyes is thin and must be handled with care. Penetrating into the skin, the oil impregnates every cell with essential fatty acids. Helps get rid of wrinkles and prevents new ones. By applying the oil to the area around the eyes, the skin gains firmness and elasticity.
How to apply: A simple and effective method is to apply oil to the skin of the eyelids and cover your face with a towel. Keep for 20 minutes, do it daily before bedtime, a course of 3 weeks.
Also, such a mask will be effective in the fight against wrinkles.
Preparation: Mix cocoa butter with sea buckthorn oil 1: 1 and add 5 drops of vitamin E. Keep the mixture for 15 minutes, do 3 times a week.
Application features in pure form and as the main ingredient of the cream
For body care, you can purchase ready-made products that already contain cocoa butter. But there is another option, for example, to use pure oil. The product can be used instead of moisturizer and nourishing cream, but not on a permanent basis.
The peculiarities of using the oil as a single remedy are that the skin must be cleaned before applying the product.
The procedures are recommended in the evening so that the oil has time to be absorbed. To do this, you need to have about two hours in stock. But, for example, adding cocoa butter to the cream will allow you to use it at any time of the day. The product will have a less greasy texture. In combination with other oils, it gives a much greater effect.
Perfectly complement each other, in a complex for face and body care, shea butter. Using oils, combining them, will allow you to achieve gorgeous results, sometimes which are achieved only by expensive cosmetics and procedures. This option is much more convenient and cheaper.
Precautions and contraindications
Having considered the beneficial aspects of using the oil, one should not forget about the precautions when using it. It almost does not cause allergic reactions, but still, such cases can be.
Precautions when using cocoa butter:
- Test the tolerance of the cocoa bean product. Apply a couple of drops of the product to the wrist and after 2 hours assess the condition of the skin. If itching and redness do not appear, you can safely proceed to cosmetic procedures.
- It is important to purchase natural oil.You shouldn't take the risk and buy a cheap product of dubious quality. Unpredictable results are possible.
- Do not use substance that has expired. It is important to familiarize yourself with the contraindications and only then apply the composition to the skin.
Contraindications for use:
- Individual intolerance.
- Not recommended for people with oily skin.
- It is strictly forbidden to use it for diabetics, people with sleep disorders and obesity.
How to store and shelf life
The oil does not have special conditions for storage, but it is worth remembering that it melts at temperatures from 32 degrees. The composition will keep well in a dark place at room temperature. Packaging or other container must be hermetically closed. The shelf life of the oil is about 2 years. It is worth paying attention to this before buying.
Recommendations for preparation and use
To benefit from using the product, you should adhere to these recommendations:
- In cosmetology, a condition for the successful use of cocoa butter is to cleanse the skin before use. It is necessary to cleanse the skin not only from cosmetics, but also from dead cells - use scrubs. Thus, the cream can penetrate deeply and start the regeneration process.
- Before use, the oil must be warmed to body temperature.
- Do not use pure oil every day. Everything should be in moderation.
To a large extent, the frequency of using cocoa butter depends on the procedure. For masks - about 2-3 times a week. The procedures are recommended to be done in courses of 10-15 applications, and after that a break of 4 weeks is required. Thus, it is possible to heal the skin and hair, and at the same time give the body the opportunity to show its protective functions.
Cocoa butter is a versatile useful product in home cosmetology.
It is recommended to use it not only internally, but also externally to prolong the body's youth and external beauty. The tool has no special contraindications, it is allowed for children. A natural product will only benefit the body.
At the same time, you should be careful in choosing the oil, adhere to the above recommendations. The use of cocoa butter in home body and hair care brings real pleasure and amazing results.
Cocoa Butter Skin Care Videos
Detailed recipe for an eye mask based on cocoa butter:
How to make your own cocoa butter moisturizer: