Pure Cocoa Butter Benefits and How To Use

Jan — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:38:15 +0000

Simple Skin Softening Scrumptious!

I prefer to use pure organic cocoa butter on my dry skin, it’s readily available and a little can go a long way!

I looked up some information to make it easier for you to learn how exactly you can use pure cocoa butter to benefit your skin.

GLOWING, SOFTER, SMOOTHER SKIN

You can use cocoa butter straight up or mixed with other ingredients to give yourself glowing soft and smoother skin. While I can’t tell you 100% that you will achieve these results, I would be very surprised if you don’t, especially if you have reasonably healthy skin. Pure cocoa butter is also used for dry skin and can be effective for excema although as always, a test patch is recommended in case you do have sensitivities to it.

I love the glow, the softening and smoothing effect that using pure cocoa butter gives my skin, as well as the powdery feel it seems to have and the slight protective barrier it gives to help lock the moisture and goodness in.

THE SCAR AND STRETCH MARK QUESTION

This seems to be what I see most when I look for information on cocoa butter – it seems common fact that cocoa butter will reduce or even remove scars and stretch marks.

I can’t tell you that it will, but in my experience if you can keep your skin moist and provide a thin protective coating while the skin is healing and continue on after it does seem to reduce scarring – so I guess you could call that prevention. In general skin that has been kept moisturized seems to heal better than dry skin.

There can be no argument that cocoa butter is a great emollient and really does make your skin smooth and soft – so in that respect I’d say go for it!

As for stretch marks, the general feeling seems to be that it can reduce the appearance but does not actually heal or remove old stretch marks. If you have had experience otherwise, please let us know in the comments section below. It will make your skin look healthier so your skin in general with look better and have a glow to it upon regular use.

I found a few sites that had information on how to use cocoa butter for stretch marks and scars.

How to Use Cocoa Butter to Get Rid of Scars

How to Remove Stretch Marks With Cocoa Butter

HERE’S HOW TO GET YOUR COCOA BUTTER ON

A Few Practical Tips on Using Pure Cocoa Butter

You may want to keep some of these tips in mind if you use the methods in the articles above or if you want to use cocoa butter in it’s pure form.

1. IN THE TUB: Cocoa butter is amazing in the tub. It melts easily and cleans up nicely too. It’s an easy and enjoyable way to get all over body coverage. I find cocoa butter in the tub to have a really powdery soft feel. Just grab a little chunk and pop it in the tub while you run the bath.

2. HOT WATER METHOD: Hot water is a great way to apply pure cocoa butter that may be hard and brittle (some is softer than others – black cocoa butter is the softest and will spread fairly easily or with minimal warming, unrefined seems to be next up in order of softness with the steam deodorized being the hardest).

If you are in the tub or shower, just take a little piece in with you and the hot water will melt it enough that you can rub it on your skin – the tub probably works best but the shower is doable.

Depending on the consistency of your cocoa butter, you may even find that you can rub it easily onto your skin when you get out of the shower while your skin is still warm from the water. This is one of the best times to apply skin care products by the way – your skin is at top absorbency at this time because both the heat and moisture open your pores and help your skin to absorb anything better – also another reason to pay particular attention to what you are using on your skin in the shower or bath in respect to fragrance, preservatives, additives and all that fun stuff!

If you need to use it at a time you are not showering or bathing or just want to do a small area, just boil the kettle or put some hot water in a small bowl and drop your cocoa butter in.

Make sure it is not so hot that it will burn your fingers or melt the cocoa butter right away and as always, take care to keep it away from children or pets so they don’t burn themselves – or eat it!

Take the chunk that will now have a soft outer coating and rub it on your skin. Don’t waste the water! Pour it into your tub later or pour it into your hands and rub it on your skin (when it is warm – not hot). This is an amazingly effective way to hydrate and moisturize your skin. And it’s easy as can be!

3. BEWARE OF PRODUCTS LABELED COCOA BUTTER that come in lotion pump bottles and cream form. While these items contain cocoa butter, they are not cocoa butter in it’s pure form and many contain a very minimal amount – along with a bunch of stuff you may not want to even be putting on your skin. Read the label! I have seen cocoa butter sticks available but I haven’t seen the ingredient listing. There are probably various brands available some more pure than others.

4. COCOA BUTTER STICKS: If you prefer a stick you can make your own quite easily. (recipe coming as soon as I give it a try!) Or you can probably buy a good cocoa butter stick from a multitude of crafters – if you offer a pure (or almost pure) cocoa butter stick in your product selection, please feel free to post it below along with the percentage of cocoabutter and ingredient listing in your product.

5. GO PURE AND SIMPLE: Or skip the stick and go pure, with minimal packaging and beautifully simple. Buy a chunk of cocoa butter, break or shave a little piece off and rub it on your skin following any of the hot water methods above.

How To Shave Your Cocoa Butter

This is a really easy method that will allow you to easily get the amount of cocoa butter you want for the bath or to use in a recipe if you want smaller pieces.

Just shave it!

Here’s a picture I took to give you an idea. It’s kind of like peeling a potatoe. Chances are that if you have a knife you like using for peeling potatoes, you’ll like it for peeling your cocoa butter.

Of course as always, use caution. If the cocoa butter is hard it can be more difficult. You can also set it on your plate and run the knife in a downward motion away from you watching out for your pinkies or any slippage. I would recommend not to use an especially sharp knife, it isn’t necessary but a smooth edge is helpful. Use any necessary safety precautions that you would normally use in the kitchen – or out and be sure not to leave your knife laying out if you have kids around.

I’ve been doing it for a long time with no problem, but always better safe than sorry!

Voila! Cocoa Butter pieces in managable sizes.

Here is a video that I enjoyed about using pure cocoa butter to best benefit your skin. Even if you don’t want to hear about cocoa butter, take a minute to watch the beginning, it’s really funny.

Harvesting Cocoa Pods for Cocoa Butter Video

Here’s a video put out by Lush that has some interesting footage about how cocoa butter is harvested in case you’re wondering.

Cyber Monday 2

Jan Ferrante — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 01:24:06 +0000

Here is our 2nd Cyber Monday specials list.

Items are available while supplies last.

So today is… drumroll please -

Macadamia Nut Oil - One of my favourite, rich skin care oils, perfect for dry, winter skin.

8oz – 6.99 Reg 9.99

More Information about Macadamia Nut Oil

Grapeseed Oil – it just wouldn't be a Christmas sale without a green oil! I love this oil too. The colour is a beautiful, light green and it is very light. Used as a massage oil, would make a great gift right out of the bottle for Christmas.

8oz – 4.99 Reg 7.99

More Information about Grapeseed Oil

Fir Needle Essential Oil – I use this oil often in my morning facial steams. It makes the whole kitchen smell like Christmas and has a nice deodorizing and freshening effect. Perfect for first thing in the morning! Great oil for a soap, I'm really looking forward to trying it and playing with some blends.

I don't have it on the cart yet, but you can order it with special pricing this week here.

Here is some info.

Fir needle is a middle note that is said to help arthritis, bronchitis, colds, coughs, flu, muscle aches, rheumatism, sinusitis. Great to use in air fresheners, deodorants, soaps and household cleaners.

I find it to be strong but not overpowering. I like it with lemon.

Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing. Avoid use in the sun.

10ml 3.99 Reg. 4.99

30ml 7.99 Reg. 9.99

4oz 24.99 Reg. 29.99

You can navigate around the main website using the continue shopping on the cart or go to handmadesoap.ca to shop further.

Just so you know, there is a minimum purchase requirement of 35.00, but you can purchase anything from the site to make the minimum.

Also, SALE PRICES RUN FROM MON TO THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY AND THE SALES LINK IS AVAILABLE ON THIS PAGE ONLY.

Not Just a Pretty Face – the Ugly Side of Synthetics in Skin Care and Cosmetics

Jan Ferrante — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:56:58 +0000

An interesting collection of information about the ugly side of synthetics in skin care and cosmetics.

A video interview of Stacy Malkan, author of the book "Not Just a Pretty Face", on ABC News.

For an interesting read, full of resources including Oprah and the Wall Street Journal.

Not Just a Pretty Face Website

You can get the book at Amazon…

Not Just a Pretty Face – US and Not Just a Pretty Face – Canada

Skincare Naturals » Natural Ingredients Information