Cocoa Butter Benefits, Uses, And More (Detailed)

Cocoa butter is the rich, creamy fat pressed from cocoa beans, the same source as chocolate. Baraka's cocoa butter is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorised, so it keeps the chocolate smell of the bean. It is hard at room temperature and melts close to body temperature, which is why people have used it as a body moisturizer for a very long time.

This guide explains what cocoa butter is, what people use it for, what it can and cannot do, and how to blend it at home. It is DIY advice, not medical advice. If you have a skin condition, see a doctor or pharmacist.

What is cocoa butter?

Cocoa butter is the natural fat in the cocoa bean. Makers press the roasted or unroasted bean and the fat runs out as a pale yellow butter. The rest of the bean becomes cocoa powder. Most of the world's cocoa butter goes into chocolate, and it is also a classic ingredient in body butters, balms and soaps.

On an ingredient list it appears as Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter. Cocoa butter and cacao butter are two names for the same fat. What matters when you buy is how it is processed. Baraka's cocoa butter is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorised, and its origin is Ghana.

Cocoa butter is a plant fat, so it is vegan. Baraka declares its cocoa butter vegan; that is Baraka's own declaration, not a third-party certification. It is also dairy free. The word butter describes the creamy texture, not milk.

Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade. You can read more about our work in the Baraka Impact Report.

Benefits Of Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is best known as a moisturizer. Here is what people report and what the butter is made of.

Improves Skin Health

Cocoa butter contains natural antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that help the body deal with free radicals. Cocoa butter is traditionally valued as a skin-care ingredient, and many people find their skin looks and feels healthier when they moisturize regularly with it. Research on cocoa butter itself is limited, so treat this as traditional use and personal experience rather than proof.

Moisturizes Skin

Moisturizing is the most well-known benefit. When you rub cocoa butter on, it forms a rich layer on the skin that helps hold in moisture. Many people find this keeps skin soft and hydrated. It is a popular choice for dry or rough areas such as elbows, knees and heels.

Cocoa Butter And Pregnancy

Many people use cocoa butter as a body moisturizer during pregnancy. It is a rich, pleasant-smelling butter for the belly, hips and thighs. We make no medical claims, and research does not show that any butter can prevent stretch marks. If you have a skin concern that persists, ask a midwife, doctor or pharmacist.

Cocoa Butter Is Not A Sunscreen

Cocoa butter is not a sunscreen and has no SPF. For sun, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen.

What each ingredient does in a recipe

Every butter and oil behaves differently in a blend. Here is how cocoa butter and its usual partners behave.

• Cocoa butter: Hard, brittle and rich. It gives a blend firmness and a slightly waxy glide, plus a chocolate scent.
• Shea butter: Soft and creamy. It makes a blend smooth and rich. Shea butter is unrefined and made by hand in Ghana. You can find it here.
• Baobab oil: A light, quick-absorbing oil. It makes a blend softer and less greasy.
• Coconut oil: Soft and light, and it melts quickly on the skin. It lightens the feel of a blend.

The rule of thumb: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, wax makes it hold its shape.

Common Uses for Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is a versatile natural ingredient. Here are the most common ways people use it.

Hair Conditioner

Many people use cocoa butter on their hair to make it feel softer and smoother. A small amount of melted cocoa butter on damp hair, or stirred into a hair mask, is traditionally used to help lock in moisture and add shine. Use very little, because it is rich and can weigh fine hair down. Rinse well.

Moisturizer

Cocoa butter is a popular body moisturizer. Its rich texture helps slow water loss from the skin. Use it on dry or rough areas such as elbows, knees and heels. Because it is hard, warm a small piece between your fingers until it softens, then smooth it on.

Homemade Skincare Products

Cocoa butter is a favourite with DIY skincare fans. It can go into body butters, balms, lip balms, scrubs and soap. It is also the fat that gives many homemade bars and balms their firmness.

A simple whipped cocoa butter body butter

This is a basic leave-on body butter with no water in it. Leave it unscented.

You will need:

• 2 oz (57 g) cocoa butter
• 2 oz (57 g) shea butter
• 1 oz (28 g) baobab oil

1. Melt the cocoa butter and shea butter gently in a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water.
2. Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the baobab oil.
3. Let the mixture cool in the fridge until it starts to firm at the edges.
4. Whip it with a hand mixer until it is light and fluffy.
5. Spoon it into a clean jar and keep it somewhere cool.

Buy the ingredients now

This recipe uses three Baraka ingredients. One click takes all three straight to checkout.

• Baraka Cocoa Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches
• Baraka Raw Shea Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches
• Baraka Baobab Oil, 3.5 oz (100 g): enough for three batches

Buy all three now

Related: THE WONDERS OF COCOA BUTTER

How to change the texture

You can steer any cocoa butter blend with a few small changes.

• Firmer: Add more cocoa butter, or a little beeswax. Cocoa butter makes a blend hard and a little waxy.
• Softer: Add more shea butter or a spoonful of baobab oil.
• Lighter: Use more oil and less butter, and whip well.
• Richer: Add more shea butter.
• Runnier: Add oil a teaspoon at a time.
• Thicker: Add butter or a pinch of wax, then chill.

Change one thing at a time and write it down, so you know what worked.

Common Questions For Cocoa Butter

Is Cocoa Butter Good For The Face?

Many people use it on the face, with care. Cocoa butter is rich and nourishing, and its texture helps hold moisture in. That can suit dry skin. It can also feel heavy, so people with oily or acne-prone skin often use only a little or keep it to the body. Cocoa butter is not a treatment for acne; ask a dermatologist about acne.

Is Cocoa Butter Good For Skin Conditions?

No. Cocoa butter is a moisturizer, not a treatment for eczema, dermatitis or other skin conditions. If your skin is red, itchy or irritated, or the problem persists, see a doctor or pharmacist.

Can Cocoa Butter Remove Dark Spots?

No, there is no good evidence that cocoa butter removes dark spots. It is a moisturizer, and well-moisturized skin simply looks and feels healthier. Dark spots are often made worse by sun, so use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day. For dark spots that worry you, ask a dermatologist.

Related: HOW TO USE COCOA BUTTER FOR SKIN (INGREDIENTS INCLUDED)

What is the disadvantage of cocoa butter for skin?

Cocoa butter is rich and can feel heavy, so some people find it clogs pores on the face. It is also hard, so it needs warming before it spreads, and the unrefined butter smells of chocolate. If your skin reacts to it, stop using it.

Make it your own

These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Use your judgement, be inspired, and don't be afraid to experiment. Everything here is a pure, natural ingredient that blends happily with the others. Start with a small batch, write down what you did, and see how your skin responds. When you find a blend that works for you, make it again.

Conclusion: How Cocoa Butter Helps You Look And Feel Healthy

Cocoa butter is a natural ingredient that people have long used as a rich moisturizer. Many find it leaves skin soft and hydrated, and a little can add shine to hair. It is a moisturizer, not a treatment for skin conditions, and it is not a sunscreen. Many people also use it as a body moisturizer during pregnancy.

If you have specific skin concerns, ask a dermatologist for advice. Otherwise, start small, enjoy the scent and see how it suits you.

Ready to try it? Baraka cocoa butter is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorised.

FOR MORE BARAKA BLOGS:

COCOA BUTTER VS COCONUT OIL: BENEFITS & USES COMPARED

Everything You Need to Know About Cocoa Butter

THE 10 BEST COCOA BUTTER RECIPES

Not sure how you will use cocoa butter? Take the Discover Cocoa Butter quiz: a few quick questions show the ways to use it that fit you.

Quick answers

What is cocoa butter?

Cocoa butter is the rich, creamy fat that comes from cocoa beans, the same source as chocolate. Baraka's cocoa butter is pressed from the bean and is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorised, so it keeps the chocolate smell of the bean. It is hard and brittle at room temperature and melts at close to body temperature.

What is cocoa butter made of?

Cocoa butter is made from cocoa beans. It is the fat pressed from the bean, and on an ingredient list it appears as Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter. Baraka's is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorised, and its origin is Ghana.

What are the benefits of cocoa butter for skin?

Baraka's guide explains that cocoa butter is best known as a moisturizer. Its rich texture forms a protective barrier on the skin that helps hold in moisture, keeping skin soft and hydrated. People use it on dry or rough areas such as elbows, knees and heels. More in Moisturizes Skin

What is the disadvantage of cocoa butter for skin?

As Baraka's guide notes, cocoa butter is rich and can clog pores, so people with oily or acne-prone skin often use only a little on the face or keep it to the body. It is hard at room temperature, so it needs warming between the fingers before it spreads, and unrefined cocoa butter keeps the chocolate smell of the bean. If your skin reacts to it, stop using it.

Can cocoa butter remove dark spots?

No. Baraka's guide notes that there is no good evidence that cocoa butter removes dark spots. It is a moisturizer. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, and ask a dermatologist about dark spots that worry you.

Is cocoa butter vegan?

Yes. Cocoa butter is pressed from cocoa beans, so it is a plant fat. Baraka declares its cocoa butter vegan. That is Baraka's own declaration, not a third-party certification.

Is cocoa butter dairy free?

Yes. Cocoa butter comes from cocoa beans, not from milk. The word butter describes its rich, creamy texture. Baraka's cocoa butter is the fat pressed from the bean.

What is the difference between cocoa butter and cacao butter?

Cocoa butter and cacao butter are two names for the same fat pressed from the cacao bean; on an ingredient list it appears as Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter. What matters when buying is how it is processed. Baraka's cocoa butter is unrefined, unbleached and undeodorised, so it keeps the chocolate smell of the bean.