The Science of Cocoa Butter in Skin Care
Cocoa butter is a good ingredient for dry and resistant skin types. Cocoa butter has anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antioxidant, and UV protective qualities. When not processed for cosmetic formulations, this ingredient dries into a solid resembling dairy butter.
This ingredient is super comedogenic and will cause acne on the face of sensitive skin types if not thoroughly washed off with a cleanser. Despite this drawback, there are still many interesting uses for cocoa butter in skin care.
To see if cocoa butter is right for your skin type, take our skin care quiz to get your Baumann Skin Type and a custom skin care regimen recommendation for free!
What is Cocoa Butter Made of?
Cocoa butter is a thick oil mostly composed of saturated fatty acids like palmitic and stearic acids. It also contains small concentration of linoleic, a-linolenic, and oleic fatty acids.
Palmitic acids and stearic acids are highly comedogenic saturated fats, meaning they can easily clog the pores of sensitive skin. In dry, resistant skin types, their ability to hold moisture onto the skin and repair the skin barrier might not result in acne.
Besides lipids, this ingredient is also rich in versatile polyphenolic compounds, minerals, and more. (1,6)
Some of the most notable components of cocoa butter include:
Caffeine – an antioxidant and vasorestrictor.(5)
Catechins – UV protective qualities and antioxidant activity (2)
Flavanols – a group of polyphenolic compounds found in many plants like green tea
Theobromine – a methylxanthine like caffeine (3)
Vitamin E – one of the most well studied antioxidants in skin care. (4)
Skin Benefits
If cocoa butter is right for your skin type, benefits of using it in your regimen can offer anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and sun protective qualities.
If you are not prone to acne breakouts, and know you have a dry, resistant Baumann Skin Type,this ingredient could be a good addition in your moisturizing products.
When used on the arms or legs, there is not really a concern for acne, so cocoa butter can be included in body moisturizers without risks of causing acne in most cases.
is it good to use cocoa butter in skin care?
Is Cocoa Butter Good for Skin?
Cocoa butter has a few positive attributes for skin care, but it is only suitable for dry, resistant skin. If you do have dry, resistant skin, this ingredient can great for inflammation, repairing the skin barrier, and holding moisture onto the skin with its thick, occlusive texture. It also contains antioxidants and UV protective capabilities that make it good for both preventing and treating sun damage.
If you are not using cocoa butter on parts of the body prone to acne, it can be a solid choice as well.
If your skin is oily or sensitive, cocoa butter contains a high concentration of comedogenic fatty acids that are known to clog pores in acne prone skin. (7)
While it might be great for moisturizing, and have some antioxidant benefits, it is not right for most skin types.
Is it safe?
Cocoa butter is considered safe for use in cosmetics by organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG), but more research on this ingredient is still required.
There is surprisingly little research onthis ingredient’s use in cosmetics, but it is known to clog pores because of its comedogenic fatty acids, so it is not good for use on sensitive, oily skin.
Additionally, over moisturizing the skin can result in a change of the face’s natural microbiome, which can result in various kinds of acne including cysts.
Cocoa butter in skin care and acne
Cocoa Butter and Acne
Cocoa butter is extremely comedogenic and will clog the pores of acne prone skin types. We do not recommend using this ingredient for any acne treatment as it and other comedogenic ingredients only make acne worse. Instead of cocoa butter for acne care, consider cleansers, peels, and other products designed specifically to treat acne.
Some common ingredients you can read about on our website that are typically great for acne care are:
Benzoyl peroxide
Glycolic acid
Retinoids
Salicylic acid
Raw Cocoa Butter
When you see cocoa butter in your skin care products, it is typically raw cocoa butter.
Cocoa butter is usually derived in the chocolate making process by treating fermented cacao beans with pressure and various other mechanical extraction methods.(6)
It is not a synthetic ingredient and is not typically heated to a temperature that denatures its beneficial enzymes when it is being used for skin care.
cocoa butter in skin care for inflammation
For Inflammation
Cocoa butter is great for inflammation control in dry, resistant skin types. Cocoa butter contains a few unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic and a-linolenic fatty acids which are good for repairing the skin barrier. (1,6,7)
The antioxidants in cocoa butter also help it alleviate inflammation from oxidative stress. Skin conditions where the skin barrier is dry and irritated like eczema can benefit from the occlusive, anti-inflammatory nature of this ingredient.
If you need an anti-inflammatory but you are prone to acne, check out this list of anti-inflammatory ingredients in skin care!
For Anti-Aging
Cocoa butter contains a decent amount of antioxidant components such as the various polyphenols, vitamin E, and caffeine. (1) Antioxidants are essential for eliminating free radicals on the skin. Free radicals can cause genetic damage within skin cells which can lead to conditions ranging from sunburns and wrinkles to skin cancer. (8)
In addition to binding free radicals, some of the components in cocoa butter are known to absorb UV radiation (2,3,6).
Cocoa butter alone is not enough to protect your skin from aging. For a full list of anti-aging ingredients, check out this library!
Best cocoa butter creams in skin care
Best Cocoa Butter Creams
The most common use of cocoa butter in skin care products is in thick, occlusive moisturizing creams for dry, resistant skin types. If you are looking for a potent moisturizer with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and are not prone to acne, here are some cocoa butter creams to consider:
More Cocoa Butter Products
Outside of face creams, there are a number of masks, sunscreens, and other interesting cocoa butter products that might be right for you if you have dry, resistant skin!
Make sure to take our skin typing quiz to avoid purchasing the wrong products for your face.
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
