By Jordan Robertson
If you’re like most sweet-toothed people, you probably associate cocoa butter with chocolate, which makes sense considering it is made from cocoa beans (AKA the starting point for – you guessed it – chocolate). But if you’ve seen labels marketing cocoa butter for lips and skin, you might be a bit confused. Is it edible? Should it just be used in skincare? Does it have benefits?
To help you understand why cocoa butter for lips and skin is an exceptional ingredient, we’ve compiled all the info you need to know about it in a handy Blunt-approved guide:
What Is Cocoa Butter? Can You Use Cocoa Butter for Lips and Skin?
Pictured: Cocoa Butter and Cocoa Seeds | Source: Healthline
Even though cocoa butter may bring to mind decadent desserts like fudge brownies and cake, it’s also a staple ingredient for many skin and lip care products. Cocoa butter is a kind of fat (a triglyceride) that comes from cocoa beans after they’re roasted, stripped, and pressed. The leftover goodies are then pressed into cocoa powder, which can be used as a natural bronzer.
If you’ve never seen cocoa butter before, it’s generally a pale yellow color and looks similar to a block of soap or white chocolate (ironic, we know). When melted, its creamy texture is next-level and what makes it such a must-have ingredient for moisturizers, lotions, and lip balms. In addition, cocoa butter offers an intoxicating chocolate aroma and has an ultra-long shelf life.
Pictured: Different Types of Cocoa Products | Source: LFM
Let’s Get Blunt About the History and Usage of Cocoa Butter for Lips and Skin
Pictured: Men Harvesting Cocoa Pods | Source: Noal Farm
Cocoa butter’s raw form is known as cocoa or sometimes cacao; it’s been harvested for centuries in West Africa, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. The Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs revered cocoa butter, using it as currency and in religious rituals. Over time, it became associated with medicinal properties and was used on skin for deep hydration.
The first European encounter with cocoa beans occurred in 1502 when Columbus spotted them off the Bay of Honduras. But it was Hernando Cortez who introduced the tree to Europe in 1528. Soon, the cultivation of cocoa trees became an international botanical, and in 1828, the invention of the cocoa press led to the discovery of cocoa butter. Pretty neat, if you ask us.
Pictured: Cocoa Press | Source: LFM
The Benefits of Cocoa Butter for Lips and Skin
While we’ve all likely eaten and enjoyed cocoa butter before, have you ever wondered what it can do for the skin? No matter how cocoa butter is prepared (bean, butter, or powder), it’s insanely rich in essential nutrients and antioxidants, making it an amazing ingredient.
Here are the benefits of cocoa butter for lips and skin:
- Cocoa Butter Is an Antioxidant Powerhouse: Containing high amounts of polyphenols, AKA ultra-strong antioxidants, studies have shown that cocoa butter can help fade fine lines and wrinkles. But it’s not just about looking good; it also soothes sensitive or inflamed/irritated skin, giving you a double win for healthy, happy skin.
- Cocoa Butter Is Packed With Vitamins: In cocoa butter, you'll find a beneficial mix of vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, copper, and iron. Copper works behind the scenes to support healthy collagen and elastin, ensuring your skin stays bouncy. Meanwhile, iron plays its part in giving you that lit-from-within glow that’s currently all the rage.
- Cocoa Butter Deeply Hydrates: Rich in fatty acids, cocoa butter goes beyond the surface, forming a protective barrier on your skin to lock in moisture. Oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids (also present in cocoa butter) are known to go deep, providing your skin with the nourishment it truly deserves.
Experience Cocoa Butter for Lips and Skin With Blunt’s Game-Changing Puffer Lip Hydrating Butter
Elevate your beauty routine with Blunt's new Puffer Lip Hydrating Butter, a hemp seed oil-infused lip savior inspired by Earth’s finest natural oils and butters. Our plant-based formulation boasts four deeply moisturizing butters, cutting-edge aquaporin-activating technology, and a long-lasting, plant-powered occlusive – no petrochemicals here!
Check out this in-depth look at what makes our new Puffer Lip Hydrating Butter more nourishing and innovative than your normal lip product:
- Four deeply moisturizing butters: Murumuru, cocoa, shea, and Cupuaçu (+ mango butters)
- Cutting-edge aquaporin-activating technology (known as Hydra Synol® DOI and Saliporine-8), which is a science-forward way to describe clinically-smart ingredients that activate your skin’s own hydration channels
- Long-lasting, plant-powered occlusive that hangs around, keeping moisture locked in and leaving your lips happily hydrated, smooth, healthy, and plump
- Natural Shiso-flavoring (a prized Japanese herb you might’ve tasted before) that gives the butter citrusy, herbal notes with a hint of mint, licorice, and cinnamon for a lux lip care experience
- Hemp seed oil that’s not only hydrating AF, but is anti-inflammatory, full of omega fatty acids, heals damaged lips, and oh-so gentle and lightweight
- Comes in our patented Eco-Smart Packaging for sustainability
@bluntskincare Chemist and founder @Stasschi is taking you to the lab 👨🔬🧪🔬 #lipbalm #cosmeticchemist #fyp ♬ original sound - BLUNT SKINCARE 🍃
Why choose Blunt? Founded in 2019 by a cosmetic scientist on a mission to destigmatize and excel in cannabis skincare research, we offer various cannabis-infused facial oils (paired with our Gua Sha, they’re even more of a game-changer) and the new Puffer Lip Hydrating Butter for diverse skin benefits. Blunt Skincare is the home of real skincare, no filters (or fillers) needed.
Kiss dryness goodbye with Blunt’s one-of-a-kind Puffer Lip Hydrating Butter to experience the cocoa butter benefits for lips and skin, which can be found here.
References:
- National Center for Biotechnology Information (2024). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 5281, Stearic Acid. Retrieved January 4, 2024 from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Stearic-Acid.
- Gasser P, Lati E, Peno-Mazzarino L, Bouzoud D, Allegaert L, Bernaert H. Cocoa polyphenols and their influence on parameters involved in ex vivo skin restructuring. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2008 Oct;30(5):339-45. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2494.2008.00457.x. PMID: 18822039.
- Scapagnini G, Davinelli S, Di Renzo L, De Lorenzo A, Olarte HH, Micali G, Cicero AF, Gonzalez S. Cocoa bioactive compounds: significance and potential for the maintenance of skin health. Nutrients. 2014 Aug 11;6(8):3202-13. doi: 10.3390/nu6083202. PMID: 25116848; PMCID: PMC4145303.
- Michalak M, Pierzak M, Kręcisz B, Suliga E. Bioactive Compounds for Skin Health: A Review. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 12;13(1):203. doi: 10.3390/nu13010203. PMID: 33445474; PMCID: PMC7827176.
- Percival RS, Devine DA, Duggal MS, Chartron S, Marsh PD. The effect of cocoa polyphenols on the growth, metabolism, and biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguinis. Eur J Oral Sci. 2006 Aug;114(4):343-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0722.2006.00386.x. PMID: 16911106.
- Takata K, Matsuzaki T, Tajika Y. Aquaporins: water channel proteins of the cell membrane. Prog Histochem Cytochem. 2004;39(1):1-83. doi: 10.1016/j.proghi.2004.03.001. PMID: 15242101.