Cocoa Butter Facial Moisturizer

Yes, you can use cocoa butter as a face moisturizer, in a light blend. This recipe melts Baraka cocoa butter with jojoba, rosehip and vitamin E oils to make a rich face cream for normal to dry skin. Cocoa butter is heavy on its own, so the recipe thins it with oils and uses only a small amount at a time. If your skin is oily or breaks out easily, read the section on disadvantages first.

Can you use cocoa butter as a face moisturizer?

Yes. A cocoa butter face moisturizer works well when the butter is blended with lighter oils. Cocoa butter is firm and rich at room temperature. It melts on contact with warm skin, which is why it makes a good base for a face cream, a cocoa butter cream for face, or a facial cream for dry patches.

On its own, a block of cocoa butter can feel thick and waxy on the face. That is why this recipe uses only 1 tablespoon (15 g) of cocoa butter and mixes in jojoba oil, which feels light, and rosehip oil, which is a thin, golden oil. A little vitamin E oil rounds it out. You get a smooth cream that sits on the skin without a heavy film.

Cocoa butter is a plant fat pressed from cocoa beans. It contains fatty acids such as stearic and oleic acid, which is why it feels so rich. It is a moisturizer, not a medicine. This page is DIY advice, not medical advice, so see a doctor or pharmacist for any skin condition.

Ingredients

• Cocoa Butter: 1 tablespoon (15 g)
• Jojoba Oil: 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
• Rosehip Oil: 3 drops
• Vitamin E Oil: 2 drops

This makes about 0.7 oz (20 g), enough for a few weeks of daily use on the face and neck. Make small batches so you always use fresh cream.

Instructions

1. Gently melt the cocoa butter in a double boiler over low heat, or in the microwave in short bursts of 10 seconds. Stir between bursts. Do not let it get hot.
2. Take it off the heat. Stir in the jojoba oil, rosehip oil and vitamin E oil until well combined.
3. Pour the blend into a small, clean jar. A recipe like this is yours to store, so a jar is fine.
4. Let it cool and set for about an hour. Stirring now and then as it cools helps keep it smooth.
5. Use a pea-sized amount. Warm it between your fingertips and press it onto clean skin on your face and neck. Use morning and night if your skin likes it.

Buy the ingredients now

This recipe uses one Baraka ingredient. One click takes it straight to checkout.

• Baraka Cocoa Butter, 1.8 oz (50 g): enough for three batches

Buy it now

Jojoba oil, rosehip oil and vitamin E oil are not Baraka products; use your usual supplier.

This recipe has no water in it, so it needs no special storage beyond a clean jar, a cool spot and clean fingers. Do not use the cream in the morning in place of sunscreen. It is not a sunscreen. In the day, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen on top.

What are the benefits of using cocoa butter on your face at night?

Many people find that cocoa butter on the face at night leaves skin feeling soft and well moisturized by morning. That fits how the butter behaves. It is rich and slow to absorb, and you are not wearing makeup or going out in wind, so a richer cream is easier to live with at night.

Here is what people tend to report:

• A rich, comforting feel. Dry skin often feels softer after a night with a cocoa butter cream.
• No greasy morning film for many people. A pea-sized amount warms into the skin. Too much will sit on top, so start small.
• A simple routine. Four ingredients, nothing added, easy to make again.

Cocoa butter has been used for generations in skin care. Traditional use is not the same as proof, and these are reports, not promises. If you have a skin condition such as eczema or rosacea, ask your doctor before trying something new on your face.

Is cocoa butter good for your face?

It can be, for the right skin. Cocoa butter suits normal to dry skin, especially in winter or in dry indoor air. It is a plain, unscented fat with a mild chocolate smell, so there is little in it to react to.

It may not suit oily or breakout-prone skin. Cocoa butter is a firm, rich fat, and rich fats can feel too heavy there. Some people like it on the cheeks and neck but not on the forehead or around the nose. You can use it where your skin is driest and skip the rest.

People often ask if cocoa butter is good for brightening skin. There is no reliable evidence that it brightens or lightens skin. It is a moisturizer, and moisturized skin can look healthy and glowing, nothing more. If you are looking at a skin tone concern, a dermatologist can help.

What is the best cocoa butter to use on your face?

The best cocoa butter for your face is plain, single-ingredient cocoa butter with nothing added. Check the label. Avoid blends with added fragrance, colour or mineral oil. Those add things you do not need in a face cream.

Look for these:

• One ingredient. Cocoa butter, and nothing else.
• A mild chocolate scent. That is the natural smell of the bean. Strongly perfumed butter is a sign something has been added.
• A pale, creamy colour. Colour varies a little from batch to batch.
• Solid at room temperature. It should snap or break cleanly when cool.

Baraka cocoa butter is sold as a single-ingredient butter. Its product page has the full details and sizes. If you are making a face cream often, a block lasts a long time because each batch uses only 1 tablespoon (15 g).

Can cocoa butter help with scars?

There is no good evidence that cocoa butter fades or removes scars. Studies on cocoa butter and scars have not shown that it works better than a plain moisturizer. Many people still massage it into skin as part of a daily routine, and massaging and keeping skin moisturized may feel good, but that is all this page can say.

If you have a scar that worries you, or it is new, painful, raised or itchy, ask a doctor, pharmacist or dermatologist. Do not put anything on an open wound. A recipe is not a treatment.

What are the disadvantages of cocoa butter on skin?

The main disadvantages are weight, pores and scent. Here is the honest list:

• It is heavy. Used on its own or in large amounts, it feels thick on the face.
• It may clog pores for some people. Cocoa butter is often rated high on comedogenic scales, meaning it may block pores on skin that is prone to breakouts. If you break out, try a small spot first or leave it off your face.
• It has a chocolate scent. Most people like it. Some do not.
• Any ingredient can irritate some people. If your skin turns red, stings or itches, stop using it and ask a doctor or pharmacist. Do not use this cream for acne. It is not a treatment for acne, so ask a dermatologist.

People also ask whether cocoa butter darkens skin. There is no evidence that it does. It is not a sunscreen either, so wear broad-spectrum sunscreen in the day.

What each ingredient does in this recipe

• Cocoa butter: The rich base. It is firm, it holds the cream together and it melts on warm skin.
• Jojoba oil: Light and quick to absorb. It softens the blend so it feels smooth, not waxy.
• Rosehip oil: A thin, golden oil that adds a light, dry-feeling layer and a little colour.
• Vitamin E oil: A few drops that add a stable, light oil to the blend. It is a common ingredient in skin creams.

How to change the texture

A good rule of thumb: butters make it rich, oils make it soft and light, wax makes it hold its shape.

• Softer or runnier: Add another 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of jojoba oil.
• Firmer or thicker: Use a little more cocoa butter, or add a small amount of beeswax.
• Lighter for the day: Cut the cocoa butter to 2 teaspoons (10 g) and keep the oils the same.
• Richer for night: Add 1 teaspoon (5 g) of shea butter, which is soft and creamy.

Essential oils are optional. For a face cream, keep them to 1% or less of the batch. For this 0.7 oz (20 g) batch that is about 4 drops (0.2 g). Lavender or sweet orange are gentle choices. Leave them out completely if the cream is for a baby or young child.

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.

This Recipe was originally published in Cocoa Butter: The Ultimate DIY Ingredient