I don’t think there is a person in the world who has not tried cocoa butter, because it is an integral part of every chocolate. It is the main ingredient of white chocolate because there is no cocoa powder in white chocolate.
And you all wonder how cocoa butter ended up in cosmetics?
Cocoa butter is a solid at room temperature, but it melts in contact with human skin because its melting point is at temperatures up to 40 °C, ideally at 36 °C. That is why it was initially used in the pharmaceutical industry for the production of vagitorium and suppositories (suppositories).
Of all the butters, it has the most stable structure and is difficult to spoil and has a longer shelf life. This helps the formation and reflects the stability of various cosmetic preparations. Cocoa butter is one of the main ingredients in making natural soaps because it gives firmness and moisture to the skin.
- Deeply hydrates the skin and is rich in highly saturated fatty acids – it contains oleic, palmitic and stearic acids,
- Acts as a powerful antioxidant – helping to fight free radical damage, which can cause skin aging, dark spots and dull skin,
- Reduces the appearance of stretch marks – moisturizes the skin and gives elasticity,
- For body skin care – not for acne-prone skin,
- Nourishes damaged hair – helps to restore it.
I made a couple of simple recipes that you can make at home.
It is used as the main ingredient in lip balm because it creates a barrier that will protect the lips from moisture loss.
Cocoa butter lip balm – for daily lip care
Created by rawpixel.com – www.freepik.com
Ingredients for 10 ml:
- 2g of beeswax or substitute some vegetable wax
- 4g of cocoa butter
- 4 g of coconut butter or shea butter
- 3 drops of sweet orange essential oil
Measure out the ingredients: beeswax, cocoa butter and coconut butter in a fireproof glass. Dissolve the ingredients in a water bath over low heat. Remove the melted mixture from the water bath and stir it until it cools down a bit. Add sweet orange essential oil to the mixture prepared in this way. Mix the mixture and pour it into the prepared, previously disinfected packaging (it is enough to disinfect it with 70% alcohol).
Cocoa butter cares for the skin very well, this butter does not contain UV protective filters and you should use it after sunbathing because it nourishes, prevents dehydration, soothes and restores the skin after sunbathing. If you are prone to acne, do not use it on your face and body parts where you have acne.
Cocoa bar for dry skin – for daily body care
Ingredients for 30 ml:
- 30g of cocoa butter
- 5 drops of essential oil of geranium or real lavender
Measure the cocoa butter into a heatproof glass. Dissolve in a water bath, on low heat. Remove the melted mixture from the water bath and stir it until it cools down a bit. Add essential oil of geranium or real lavender to the mixture prepared in this way. Mix the mixture and pour it into the prepared, pre-disinfected silicone mold – the shape you want (it is enough to disinfect it with 70% alcohol).
One of life’s little joys is the smell of chocolate, which immediately brings a smile back to our faces. To get that scent to lift our spirits, we can enjoy bubbly bath balls with cocoa butter.
Bubble bath ball – home wellness – chocolate and orange
Created by pvproductions – www.freepik.com
Ingredients for 1 ball:
- 50g of baking soda
- 25g of citric acid
- 25g of Adriatic salt
- 25g of starch
- 5g of cocoa butter
- 5g of cocoa powder
- 5-10g of water/alcohol
- 10 drops of sweet orange essential oil
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. To get rid of lumps in the mixture, you can break them with your fingers. Citric acid tends to strip nail polish, so wear gloves to protect your manicure. Mix the ingredients well. Add cocoa butter to a heatproof glass and melt in a water bath. Add the melted butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix all the ingredients well with your hands. Now add the sweet orange essential oil. Again mix everything well with your hands. Now add alcohol or water little by little (preferably with a syringe). Test the consistency of the mixture mixture. The perfect consistency is similar to wet sand that holds its shape when compressed. If it is too dry, spray the mixture with alcohol or water with one hand and mix with the other. Continue spraying until the mixture holds its shape when squeezed.
Fill the two halves of the mold, gently pressing the mixture into each to hold their shape. In the center of each half of the mold, apply a little extra mixture. Wipe off the powder that got into the seams of the mold, match the lugs on each side up and press together. To avoid any imperfections, be sure to apply pressure to the edges of the mold, not the center. Continue filling the bath ball molds until the mixture is gone.
Allow the bath balls to dry and harden in the molds for 24 hours. Then carefully remove them from the mold and they are ready for use. Put these balls in a dry place and add as much as you want. 100-120g is enough for one bath.
Maja Gašparić,phytotherapist and owner of Biljarica obrta, 05.04.2022
*The texts and content on the website www.muzejcokolade.hr are copyrighted works and may not be copied or reproduced for any use (commercial or non-commercial) without the explicit written consent of the company Svijet čokolade d.o.o.
