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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Introduction to Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is helpful to prevent stretch marks. It is a natural edible vegetable fat, which comes from the cacao bean. It is extracted and one of its uses is to make toiletries. I must add hear that not all of you will appreciate its mild chocolate aroma. There are many proprietary creams for stretch marks that contain cocoa butter. It has a low melting point but remains solid at room temperature, so when applied to the skin it melts immediately into the stretch mark.

Making a beauty product from cocoa butter

If you like the idea of using cocoa butter to get rid of stretch marks, you might be interested in making your own natural beauty products from cocoa butter. To make a cleansing cream put two tablespoons of safflower margarine into a double boiler, add four tablespoons of cocoa butter, and two tablespoons Soya margarine. When blended, take from heat and whisk every now and then until cool.

Add essential oils for perfume if required. It can be used as cleansing cream and conditioner for sun-dried hair. Apply to hair wrap in warm towel for two hours, then shampoo as normal.

Cocoa butter uses

Because of the melting temperature of cocoa butter, it is often used in pharmaceuticals as a base for suppositories. It is able to be stored at room temperature, but readily melts at body temperature, releasing the medication.

Cocoa butter is one of the most stable fats known, containing natural antioxidants that prevent rancidity and give it a storage life of two to five years, making it a good choice for non-food products. The smooth texture, sweet fragrance and emollient property of cocoa butter make it a popular ingredient in cosmetic and skin care products, such as soaps and lotions.

Making Cocoa butter

During processing of the cacao bean, cocoa solids and cocoa butter are separated out at an early stage. The two are recombined in the manufacture of regular (brown) chocolate bars. The confection known as white chocolate contains cocoa butter but not cocoa powder.

Benefits of Cocoa butter

Pregnant women have long used to cocoa butter formulations to prevent and treat stretch marks, but this pleasant-smelling substance is added to countless other topical preparations as well.

Lotions and oils containing cocoa butter are often used in aromatherapy massages to promote feelings of relaxation and well-being. Recent research indicates that massaging the skin with cocoa butter may help relieve stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. This is because cocoa butter, like chocolate, contains a lot of CMP.

CONCLUSION

Cocoa butter is found in chocolate of course, and as previously stated, is an ingredient in countless topical preparations. You can also buy pure cocoa butter at pharmacies, health food stores, and from online distributorships.