Cocoa butter is a type of fat that comes from the cacao bean. Cocoa butter is most commonly used as a type of skin care ingredient that helps moisturize and help prevent dry skin. It's often found as a nourishing ingredient in many summer lotions, sun tanning oils and self tanners. Cocoa butter has a long shelf life of between two to five years, making it a good emollient for higher-heat situations during the summer.
Processing
Cocoa butter starts when beans are roasted from the cacao tree and then pressed to create an aromatic solid. The paste is softened from a solid in order to get the buttery consistency. It has an off-white, golden color and a pleasing chocolate scent. The cocoa butter base is often then mixed with other ingredients to form a product. Colors, additional scents and packaging offer an enticing product for those who enjoy the scent of cocoa butter and its natural skin-healing properties.
Types
Cocoa butter can be found in many kinds of summertime products. Popular uses are as moisturizing creams and lotions for dry or sun-exposed skin. Skin butters are a little more thicker in consistency than lotions and are used for an all-over body drenching. The butters are cocoa in its most natural form, but additional ingredients such as synthetics and perfumes may be added. Cocoa butter can be found in cosmetics such as moisturizing creams, lip balms, body soaps and face masks. Cocoa butter extract can also be added to tanning lotions to help sun worshipers achieve moist, flake-free skin while getting their tan.
Care
One of the reasons cocoa butter is in such demand as a summer lotion or skin care product is its high melting point. Generally, it starts melting between 93 degrees F and 100 degrees F. If it's mixed in with other ingredients to form a lotion or liquid consistency, it may start to break down into small crystals. Keeping it out of direct sunlight will help prevent this. Otherwise, cocoa butter can retain its smooth consistency even when the temperature begins to rise.
Purchase
Cocoa butter can be found in many products bought at retail stores worldwide. Pressed and unrefined extractions of coca butter can be bought at organic markets or craft outlets. Most all-natural cocoa butter comes in solid form and should be exposed to room temperature, or carefully heated to allow it to blend or liquefy for personal use.
Benefits
Cocoa butter moisturizes skin, and its aromatic qualities are sought after by those who want to rejuvenate and pamper their skin. Cocoa butter scent has relaxing properties and allows the skin to radiate and replenish, creating a golden quality that shows off darker skin. Tanning lotions that contain cocoa butter can be used before, during and after a tanning session to keep skin from drying out.
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