Cosmetic butter has been a popular product for many years, used in a variety of ways. Known for its moisturising properties, it is sourced from nuts and vegetables. With a soft, creamy texture, cosmetic butter is commonly used in skincare and body products to replenish the skin’s moisture.
Cosmetic butters provide numerous benefits and can be used with essential oils and other ingredients for a wide range of applications.
A natural product, cosmetic butter is a good option for those who prefer chemical-free products. With that in mind, it is important to ensure that when you buy cosmetic butter, it is a pure product and not a blend.
Some of the most common cosmetic butters include shea butter, cocoa butter and mango butter. Each contains unique properties and benefits.
Shea butter
Extracted from the Karite Nut tree, native to Africa, shea butter is widely used in beauty and skincare products.
Rich in Vitamin A, it is commonly used to achieve smooth, hydrated skin. It can help minimise the appearance of wrinkles and is often used to soothe irritated or damaged skin.
Shea butter contains oleic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid, which are quickly absorbed into the skin. With both unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids, it also contains Vitamin E and D, phytosterols, provitamin A and allantoin.
As well as being a highly moisturising product, shea butter is also considered a good anti-ageing agent for the skin as it can help stimulate the production of collagen.
Shea butter is available in both unrefined and refined versions. Unrefined shea butter can be extracted by hand or through a mechanical process. No chemical or synthetic ingredients are introduced, resulting in an organic product with a stronger, natural aroma.
Refined shea butter has been steam-processed and has not undergone any chemical processing. While it may retain some of its moisturising properties, they may be reduced, and the butter will not be as strongly fragranced. This is a better option for those who are sensitive to strong scents.
Whether you prefer refined or unrefined, when you buy shea butter, make sure to purchase a high-quality, pure product to get the best benefits.
Cocoa butter
Cocoa butter is a natural vegetable fat extracted from the cocoa bean. Good quality cocoa butter comes with a delicious chocolate aroma, though you can also buy cocoa butter that has been deodorised if you’re sensitive to fragrance.
Cocoa butter is well known to produce numerous benefits for the skin. Rich in antioxidants, natural fatty acids and vitamins such as A, B1, B2, B3, C and E, cocoa butter is a popular ingredient in skincare and beauty products. The fatty acids allow cocoa butter to deeply penetrate the skin, providing maximum hydration.
It is often used to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and improve the elasticity of the skin. This can result in more healthy, youthful-looking skin.
Due to being such an excellent moisturiser, cocoa butter is often used within soaps. It creates a barrier on the skin to offer protection from environmental elements. For people with easily irritated skin, cocoa butter can be a more gentle, soothing alternative.
As well as providing benefits for the skin, cocoa butter can also help manage the condition of your hair. It can help penetrate all the fibres of your hair and add volume, strength and moisture to your hair.
A great source of antioxidants, cocoa butter can help prevent signs of ageing for healthy and smooth skin.
An added benefit of cocoa butter is that it can prevent rancidity in all sources of products and can be added to any product that has a high oil content.
Mango butter
Extracted from the fruit kernels of the mango tree, mango butter is carefully refined and deodorised. It is a popular product for use in skin creams, lotions and balms.
Ideal for injecting moisture into the skin, mango butter is a rich, nourishing product good for adding hydration to more mature skin. It can also be used to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, as well as assist in moisturisation of skin exposed to sun exposure and other harsh elements.
This natural product contains natural fatty acids and antioxidants that are nourishing for the skin.
Mango butter also provides benefits for your hair. It can help soften your hair and protect it from environmental damage. As with skin, it will also add hydration to your hair, making it look healthier.
This creamy, moisturising cosmetic butter is great for conditioning the skin and hair and providing lasting moisture. A soft solid, mango butter melts on contact with the skin to disperse and absorb easily into the skin.
Mango butter has a slightly fatty aroma, rather than a strong fruity scent. This can make it a good choice for those who don’t like a strong scented cosmetic butter. It can also be mixed with essential oils without overpowering their unique scents.
Buy cosmetic butter online
When you buy cosmetic butter, make sure to purchase a natural product. Naturally pure cosmetic butter is much richer than store-bought versions that have likely been mixed with added chemicals. Those with sensitive skin will enjoy using pure products, free from irritative additives, and with highly moisturising benefits.
