How to Use Cocoa Butter for Skin (Ingredients Included)
To use Baraka's cocoa butter for skin, rub a small amount between your fingers until it starts to melt, then smooth it over clean, dry skin until it is absorbed. Baraka's cocoa butter is unrefined and keeps the chocolate smell of the bean, and on the face you use very little because it is rich. Below you will find the steps for face and body, a three-ingredient DIY body butter recipe with exact amounts, and what to know before you use it every day.
How to use cocoa butter on skin: face, body and DIY
Start small. Cocoa butter is hard at room temperature, so warm a pea-sized piece between your fingers until it turns to oil, then press it onto clean, dry skin. Use a little more on dry areas such as elbows, knees, heels and hands, and less on the face. Many people find that a small amount goes a long way.
Pure cocoa butter on the body
Pure cocoa butter is the simplest way to use it. You need nothing else.
- After a bath or shower, pat your skin nearly dry.
- Break off a small piece of cocoa butter, about the size of a pea for a hand or elbow.
- Rub it between your palms until it melts.
- Smooth it over the skin in small circles until it sinks in.
- Wait a minute or two before dressing, so it does not rub off on clothes.
Apply it to damp skin if you like a richer feel, or to dry skin if you want a lighter one. Both work. Once or twice a day is plenty for most people.
Pure Cocoa Butter as Facial Moisturizer
The most direct way to use cocoa butter on the face is as a plain moisturiser. Cocoa butter is solid yet slightly malleable at room temperature, so you can soften it with your fingers first.
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat it dry with a clean towel. Take a very small amount of cocoa butter between your fingers and rub it until it starts to melt. Then apply it to your face and neck in an upward motion until it is fully absorbed. Use a thin layer. If your skin feels shiny or heavy after a few minutes, you used too much.
Many people prefer to use it at night, when they do not mind a richer finish. Cocoa butter is not a sunscreen, so use a broad-spectrum sunscreen when you are in the sun.
DIY cocoa butter body butter
Pure cocoa butter is hard, which makes it awkward to spread and to carry. A homemade body butter fixes that. This one uses only three ingredients and no water, so it is simple to make and keep. Our cocoa body butter recipe is another option if you want a different blend.
Cocoa and shea whipped body butter
- 2 oz (57 g) cocoa butter
- 2 oz (57 g) shea butter
- 1.5 oz (43 g) baobab oil
This makes a little over 5 oz (150 g). There are no essential oils in this recipe, so it suits the body and the face.
- Break the cocoa butter and shea butter into small pieces and put them in a heatproof bowl.
- Set the bowl over a pan of just-simmering water. Stir gently until the butters have melted. Keep the heat low.
- Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the baobab oil.
- Put the bowl in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes, until the edges look firm but the middle is still soft.
- Whisk for 3 to 5 minutes until it looks creamy and light, like frosting.
- Spoon it into a clean, dry jar. Store it somewhere cool and dark.
Buy the ingredients now
This recipe uses three Baraka ingredients. One click takes all three straight to checkout.
- Baraka Cocoa Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches
- Baraka Raw Shea Butter, 8.8 oz (250 g): enough for four batches
- Baraka Baobab Oil, 3.5 oz (100 g): enough for two batches
Use clean, dry hands or a small spoon each time, and keep water out of the jar. Because it is easy to carry, you can keep a small jar in your bag for hands, elbows and heels.
What each ingredient does in the recipe
- Cocoa butter makes the blend rich and firm. It is the reason the body butter holds its shape.
- Shea butter makes it creamy and soft, and it spreads more easily than cocoa butter on its own.
- Baobab oil makes it light and soft, and helps it absorb more quickly.
How to change the texture
The rule of thumb is simple: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, wax makes it hold its shape.
- Firmer: add a little more cocoa butter, or a small amount of beeswax, about 1/4 oz (7 g), to make a solid balm.
- Softer or runnier: add another 1/2 oz (14 g) of baobab oil.
- Lighter: use more oil and whip it for longer.
- Richer: use more shea butter and a little less oil.
Change one thing at a time, and write down what you did.
Cocoa butter lotion
Cocoa butter lotion is another way to use it on the body or face. Shop-bought lotions often contain only a little cocoa butter. If you make your own, you control what goes in. Our DIY recipes have more ideas for lotions and other skincare. Any lotion made with water needs care: make small batches, keep it cool and throw it out if it smells or looks off.
Make it your own
These recipes are a starting point, not a rulebook. Use your judgement, be inspired, and don't be afraid to experiment. Everything here is a pure, natural ingredient that blends happily with the others. Start with a small batch, write down what you did, and see how your skin responds. When you find a blend that works for you, make it again.
What does cocoa butter do for your skin
Cocoa butter is a rich moisturiser. It sits on the surface of the skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth, which is why it is a popular choice for dry skin on the body. It is mostly made of fatty acids such as oleic, stearic and palmitic acid, and it naturally contains vitamins E and K. People have used it for generations as a body butter, and many people tell us they like how it feels on dry hands, heels and elbows.
It is a cosmetic moisturiser. It is not a medicine, and we make no medical claims about it.
Does cocoa butter help bruises?
No. Cocoa butter is a moisturiser, not a treatment for bruises, cuts or marks. If a bruise is large, painful or does not fade, ask a doctor or pharmacist.
Does cocoa butter help eczema?
Cocoa butter is not a treatment for eczema. If you have eczema or any skin condition that will not settle, ask a doctor or pharmacist before you try a new product.
Cocoa butter ingredients
Cocoa butter is a single ingredient. It is the natural fat of the cocoa bean, with nothing added. These are the natural compounds people most often ask about.
Oleic acid
Oleic acid is one of the main fatty acids in cocoa butter. It is well known in skincare as a moisturising fatty acid, including for the dryness that comes with age. Cocoa butter is a rich moisturiser, which is why it is a popular choice for dry skin.
Stearic and palmitic acid
These two fatty acids are the reason cocoa butter is so firm at room temperature. They give the butter its snap, and they are why it holds its shape in a balm.
Choline
Choline is a compound sometimes mentioned in connection with cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is used mainly as a moisturiser, and it works best as part of a simple routine of cleansing and moisturising.
Vitamin K
Cocoa butter contains vitamin K. It is a plain ingredient fact. Cocoa butter is a moisturiser, not a treatment for cuts, bruises or signs of aging.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant in skincare, and it is naturally present in cocoa butter. Many people like the glow that a rich moisturiser gives their skin. Cocoa butter is not a sunscreen, so use a broad-spectrum sunscreen when you are in the sun.
Vitamin D2
Cocoa butter contains vitamin D2 in trace amounts.
Where Does Cocoa Butter Come From - The Origins of Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter is the fat from the seeds, or beans, inside the fruit of the cacao tree. The cacao tree grows in tropical regions of the world, and much of it is grown in Africa.
We know the cacao tree for cocoa powder and chocolate. The same tree is the source of cocoa butter. The seeds are taken out of the fruit and dried in the open air. They are then roasted and cracked open, and the inner part is pressed to separate the butter from the cocoa solids. The solids are ground into cocoa powder, which is used in chocolate and desserts.
Can you put cocoa butter on your face? Side effects to know
Yes, many people use cocoa butter on the face, in small amounts. It is rich, so go light, especially if your skin is oily or acne-prone. Cocoa butter is often rated high on lists of pore-clogging ingredients, so notice how your skin reacts.
Can you use cocoa butter on your face every day?
You can, if your skin likes it. Start with every second day and use a thin layer. If you notice new bumps or shine, use it less often, or keep it for the body.
Cocoa butter and acne
Cocoa butter is not a treatment for acne. If acne is a concern, ask a dermatologist.
Who should go easy
- People with oily or acne-prone skin should use very small amounts on the face.
- Anyone with a skin condition that is sore, cracked or will not settle should ask a doctor or pharmacist first.
This is DIY advice, not medical advice.
Conclusion
Cocoa butter is a simple, rich moisturiser. Melt a small amount in your fingers, apply it to clean skin, and use less on the face than the body. If you want something easier to spread and carry, make the whipped body butter above, then change the texture to suit you. You can find Baraka's cocoa butter in our shop.
Quick answers
How to use cocoa butter on skin: face, body and DIY
To use Baraka's cocoa butter, rub a small amount between your fingers until it starts to melt, then smooth it over clean, dry skin until it is absorbed. For the face, wash and pat dry first, then apply to the face and neck in an upward motion. Cocoa butter is hard at room temperature, so it can also be made into a body butter or lotion that is easier to spread and carry. More in Pure Cocoa Butter as Facial Moisturizer
Is cocoa butter good for your face?
Yes, Baraka's cocoa butter can be used as a face moisturiser. Use a small amount, because it is rich and can clog pores. If your skin is oily or acne-prone, keep a close eye on how much you use. Cocoa butter is not a treatment for acne, so ask a dermatologist if acne is a concern. More in Pure Cocoa Butter as Facial Moisturizer
Is cocoa butter good for older skin?
As Baraka's guide explains, cocoa butter is a rich moisturiser, and its oleic acid is known in skincare for moisturising dehydrated skin, including the dryness that comes with age. Melt a small amount between your fingers and apply it to clean skin. On the face, use it moderately, because it is rich. More in Oleic acid
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