Cocoa Butter

Other Name(s):

Theobroma Cacao Butter; CAS# 84649-99-0 ; CAS# 8002-31-1

Cacao trees grow happily in rainforest type environments. Hot and wet climates with rich soil profiles yield beautiful cacao trees. Cacao trees are native to central America but have become widely cultivated in central Africa and Southeast Asia.

Is Cocoa Butter Faithful to Nature?

Depends.

Cocoa butter is a fantastic, natural ingredient with many benefits. It can be manufactured safely and sustainably. Cacao plantations can be run sustainably without harming rainforest ecosystems, using organic farming practises. Cacao products can also be traded fairly ensuring workers are properly compensated.

Benefits: Why is Cocoa Butter used?

Skin Loving Fatty Acids

Cocoa butter’s fatty acids are absorbed by the skin, plumping out wrinkles.

Naturally Moisturising

Cocoa butter forms a light barrier on skin and lips preventing them from drying out.

Enhances Skin Elasticity

Cocoa butter enhances skin elasticity, helping to prevent stretch marks (especially during pregnancy).

A Healthy Fat

Cocoa butter is widely enjoyed as a keto-friendly, nutritional fat.

Learn more about Cocoa Butter:

On the Shelf: Which Products Use Cocoa Butter?

Cocoa butter is a major ingredient in high quality chocolate (usually making up about 50% of the final product) but is also widely used as a moisturising ingredient in lipsticks, lip balms, body butters, baby lotions and bar soaps.

Production: How is Cocoa Butter Made?

Ripe cocoa pods are harvested from the cacao tree by farm workers. The raw, white cocoa beans are then removed from the pods before being fermented and dried. Once dried, the cocoa beans become a deep brown colour. The dry cocoa beans are then pressed to extract their oils which sets at room temperature to solid cocoa butter.

Interesting Fact: Cocoa Butter

Keep a lookout for chocolate that is certified by the Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Fairtrade. Brands that use certified cocoa ingredients are monitored closely to prevent rainforest habitat destruction.

Despite being native to central America, the three leading countries which export cocoa are Cote d'Ivoire in the number one spot with Ghana and Indonesia in second and third place.

Cacao butter is rich in stearic, oleic and palmitic fatty acids making it a wonderful raw material from which to make soaps.

Cocoa butter melts at a relatively low temperature of just 34 - 38°C. This means it's very easy to cold-press cocoa beans and make raw cocoa butter.