Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter

Do you know the difference between Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter? Both natural moisturizers that melt at body temperature, shea butter, and cocoa butter are excellent multipurpose treatments for the skin. We hope this Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter post inspires you. 

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Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter

Shea Butter

Shea butter is a nut fat that comes from the karite tree found in the African savannah. The shea nuts that produce shea butter are cultivated by women in African countries, particularly Ghana and Burkina Faso, the two largest export countries for the product. All countries in the region export about 100,000 tons of refined or unrefined shea butter each year.

Unrefined shea butter is usually beige, light or dark green, gray or dark tan – has been filtered at least once using a natural cold press method. It usually has a strong smoky, nutty scent that discourages some people from using it. The smell disappears after it absorbs into the skin. In its natural form, shea butter is not greasy and forms a protective layer. Refined shea butter has no noticeable scent. It is white or cream-colored and has a smoother, creamier texture than unrefined shea butter.

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Most people use shea butter primarily as a moisturizer, but it is also useful for:

• all-natural hair conditioning (As a pomade, it rids the scalp of dandruff)
• quick healing of small wounds, cuts, scrapes, and burns (Vitamins A, E, and F in shea butter help stimulate collagen production in the skin)
• naturally removing makeup
• preventing and soothing sunburn (Shea butter's high content of cinnamic acid and SPF of 6 make the moisturizer act as a natural sunscreen)
• soothing overworked muscles
• conditioning animal's coats
• lip balm
• anti-inflammatory topical cream to soothe arthritis
• restoring elasticity to aging skin
• cooking oil
• conditioning wood or animal skin used to make drums
• a frictionless softening agent during massages
• fortifying cuticles
• nasal decongestion (when rubbed on the inside of the nostrils)
• making soaps, ointments, and cosmetic creams

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Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter can be used for various purposes. It is extracted from the cocoa bean (cacao seeds) and is used to add flavor, scent, and a smooth texture to chocolate, cocoa powder, soaps, cosmetics, lotions, and creams. In its pure form, cocoa butter has a mild chocolate flavor and smell. 

One of its most popular uses is among pregnant women, who use cocoa butter to prevent or treat stretch marks. They apply cocoa butter in cream or oil form on their stomachs, arms, legs, and hips to prevent the inevitable narrow discolored bands that come from rapid growth and extended skin. 

Recent research suggests that the cocoa mass polyphenol (CMP) substance found in cocoa butter eases the symptoms of dermatitis and asthma. Massaging the skin with cocoa butter may relieve stress, boost the immune system, and even prevent cancer. Due to its melting properties, cocoa butter is often used in pharmaceuticals as a base for suppositories. It can be stored at room temperature, but melts at body temperature and releases the medication.

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Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter

When choosing between cocoa and shea butter, the decision often comes down to personal preference. Both are great moisturizers, and your choice may depend on the preferred scent. Cost can also be a factor. Shea butter is typically richer than other emollients, but its scarcity can lead to fluctuating market prices. It's important to be aware that some manufacturers alter the smell of these products by adding fragrances and other additives to creams and lotions. This diminishes the natural properties of shea and cocoa butter and allows companies to sell butter-based products at lower prices.

Customers should also check the labels on shea butter products to avoid those refined with a hexane solvent, as this process destroys the vitamins and minerals in shea butter and its healing properties. Both shea and cocoa butter should be used within 18 months of purchase. If either has lost its natural smell, it has likely lost its healing and moisturizing properties as well.

In its pure form, shea butter is thought to have more documented healing properties than cocoa butter. While cocoa butter and other natural moisturizers like avocado oil have a 1% or less healing quotient, shea butter has been noted to have a healing quotient in the range of five to 17 percent. Shea butter that falls outside this range, labeled as Class F shea butter, has been overly diluted and is best used only as a moisturizer.

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Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter

Whichever product you choose, shea or cocoa butter, you place a safe bet with either for a moisturizer. They have equally amazing powers to soften skins – even callused elbows, knees, and heels. But if you want healing, shea butter offers the best all-in-one solution. It both softens and aids the overall health of your skin. We hope this Shea Butter vs Cocoa Butter post inspires you. Happy moisturizing. 

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