8 Amazing Beauty and Health Benefits of Cocoa Butter

You may or may not have heard about cocoa butter but there is no doubt that you have consumed it before or have used it on your skin at one point. Bakers make use of cocoa butter in their creations while beauty industries tap on this ingredient to create products that will nourish their users’ skin.

So what is all the fuss about cocoa butter lately? For those who are not familiar with its benefits, here are eight of its amazing advantages that you should know of.

1. Hair conditioner. Cocoa butter can be used to moisturize dry hair. For this treatment, you will need 2 tbsp. of organic coconut oil, 6 drops of essential vanilla oil, ½ cup of cocoa butter, and 2 tsps. of vitamin E oil. Mix the ingredients with the exception of the essential oil on a small pan and heat it until the ingredients melt. Remove from heat and let it cool for ten minutes before transferring into an airtight bottle. Add the essential oil then place the container in the freezer and leave it for 15 minutes. Remove the container and allow the mixture to soften like butter before applying on your clean and dry hair.
2. Moisturizer. Dry skin can be a problem because it is prone to breakage. Instead of using moisturizers that you buy from local beauty shops, switching to cocoa butter is highly recommended as it can heal you from inside and out. The best part is that it won’t trigger any side effects like rashes, itching, and redness.
3. Good for relaxation. A long day at work can leave you tired and out of sorts. Draw a hot bath and add some cocoa butter to your bath water to soak yourself into. The smell of cocoa butter will help ease the tension in your body so you will be able to relax and unwind.
4. Anti-aging. Another advantage to using cocoa butter is that it slows down aging thanks to the antioxidants present in it. These antioxidants can protect your skin against free radicals as well as other stressors that can trigger aging.
5. Lip moisturizer. Since the skin on our lips tend to become dry every now and then, either we lick them for moisture or apply lip balm. A better and healthier option is to use a cocoa butter stick instead because it not only moisturizes your lips but it makes them creamy too. You can even make your own lip balm with cocoa butter stick and your favorite essential oil.
6. Soothes rashes and burns. Another benefit that you can get out of cocoa butter is that it can help soothe burns and rashes on your skin. If you are always in the kitchen cooking, having this ingredient on hand will help you treat any burns that you experience when cooking. The soothing and healing properties of cocoa butter will alleviate the pain fairly quickly.
7. Immunity booster. Research shows that cocoa butter can reduce T-cell activity in the immune system which prevents inflammation as well as adaptations in our DNA. Adding cocoa butter to your diet can provide you with protection against high blood pressure, heart disease, and skin disease as well.

Boosts mood. If you are feeling blue or out of sorts, chances are your serotonin levels are quite low. Without the presence of tryptophan, your body might have difficulties in boosting your serotonin levels. Cocoa butter, on the other hand, can help with this problem as it can elevate the tryptophan in your body thus combatting various mood disorders.