Hello, my dear friends, readers and guests!

It is impossible to engage in the preparation of homemade cosmetics if you do not know what properties those substances that are part of the cosmetic product that we want to prepare have.

Therefore, I decided to look at a few of the main components of most homemade cosmetics in more detail.

I propose to start with the most important component and consider beneficial features oils and various ways its application.

From this article you will learn:

Useful properties of cocoa butter and methods of application

Cocoa butter (cocoa butter, cocoa butter) is a fat squeezed out of cocoa liquor - ground grains of the fruit of the chocolate tree. The basis for the production of chocolate.wiki

Cocoa butter is included in most homemade cosmetics: face and body creams, lipsticks, hard massage tiles, anti-cellulite products, lotions, children's cosmetics.

Therefore, it is simply impossible not to know the properties of cocoa butter and how to use it, as well as the features of the manufacture of cosmetic preparations based on it!

How is cocoa butter obtained?

Cocoa butter is obtained from the fruits of the cocoa tree, and freshly picked cocoa beans do not have the taste and aroma properties characteristic of chocolate and powder, they have a bitter-tart flavor and a pale color.

The main producers of cocoa butter are West African countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Côte d'Ivoire produces about 43 percent of the world's cocoa.

Cocoa butter is also produced by Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil, Malaysia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.

Main way to get:

1. The seeds extracted from the fruit of the cocoa tree undergo a process such as fermentation or fermentation, resulting in a darker brown color and a "chocolatey" smell and taste.
2. Further, these seeds are sorted, cleaned, heat treated, crushed to the state of grains, which are very finely ground, obtaining grated cocoa, from which, by hot pressing, cocoa butter is obtained, and the cake remaining after pressing is used for cooking.
3. Then, depending on the application, the cocoa butter is refined.

Natural cocoa butter, used in cosmetology, has the highest level of purification and does not contain any chemical and harmful impurities.

One of the best for making homemade cosmetics is virgin cocoa butter - high-quality unrefined cocoa butter.

It is not deodorized, and therefore has a delicious, rich aroma of dark chocolate, and completely retains all the beneficial properties of cocoa butter.

Physical and chemical properties of cocoa butter

Natural cocoa butter, which is used in cosmetology, has a yellowish creamy color and a characteristic subtle, barely noticeable aroma of cocoa beans.

Cocoa butter refers to solid oils (butters) - Cocoa Butter

At temperatures up to 25-27°C, cocoa butter remains firm in its consistency and breaks easily.

Its melting point is 28-34 C degrees, which makes cocoa butter very convenient for use in cosmetology, because when it comes into contact with the skin, the normal temperature of which is 36 ° C, cocoa butter begins to melt and is easily absorbed by the skin, immediately removing its dryness and irritation.

Cocoa butter is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats.

The chemical composition of cocoa beans

Cocoa butter contains unsaturated and saturated fatty acids such as oleic, stearic, lauric, palmitic, linoleic, and arachidic acids.

These acids are partially present in the natural skin secretion, and therefore they all play a very important role in the vital activity of our skin (they contribute to its hydration, restore, slow down the aging process).

Cocoa butter contains:

• 3% polyunsaturated fat
• 35% monounsaturated fat
• 61% saturated fat

As well as copper, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc and manganese and vitamins A, group B, vitamins C and E, melaxontin, caffeine and tons

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and has known healing and moisturizing properties for the skin.

Cosmetic properties of cocoa butter

The main feature of cocoa butter is a high content of antioxidants (cocoa mass polyphenols) and an unsurpassed ability to increase skin elasticity.

The main properties of cocoa butter in cosmetology:

1. Due to the high amount of oleic acid, cocoa butter is able to restore the barrier functions of the surface layer of the skin and retain moisture in it, so it can be successfully used in products for dry and flaky skin.
2. Due to the content of palmitic acid, cocoa butter has lipophilic properties, due to which cocoa butter enhances the penetration of active substances into the skin.
3. Natural vitamin E (tocopherol), which contains cocoa butter, has skin moisturizing properties, as well as properties, it enhances collagen production, thereby reducing wrinkles and increasing skin elasticity.
4. Polyphenols such as CMP (cocoa mass polyphenols) inhibit the production of IgE immunoglobulin responsible for allergic reactions, so cocoa butter can be used to treat allergic dermatitis.

How to use cocoa butter for skin?

Cocoa butter is a water-repellent occlusive agent.

It is able to reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL), coat the skin with a protective waterproof film and retain moisture in the epidermis, so it is especially useful for dry, chapped, sagging and aging skin.

Main uses:

1. It is part of cosmetic products for face and neck, décolleté, lips, hands.
2. Cocoa butter is able to regenerate skin cells, so it can be used in products to restore the surface layer of the skin, as well as be used in anti-aging cosmetics to treat wrinkles around the eyes and in the corners of the mouth.
3. Cocoa butter has protective properties, so it can be used to protect the skin during low temperatures in winter.
4. Cocoa butter has a high emollient effect, and is also a lubricant, enhancing the sliding effect of oils when applied to the skin.
5. Cocoa butter, due to the content of caffeine, is part of anti-cellulite cosmetics, is used to prevent skin stretch marks and increase its elasticity.
6. Cocoa butter can enhance, so it can be added to lotions for. But at the same time, it is worth remembering that it does not have a sun protection factor (SPF).

How to use cocoa butter in the manufacture of home cosmetics?

It is believed that cocoa butter can be used in its pure form, simply by applying it to the skin of the face.

But, according to experts, cocoa butter for the face cannot be used in its pure form, due to the fact that it has comedogenic properties (4 each), can clog skin pores and is not recommended for application in its pure form on oily and problem skin.

1. Therefore, in the manufacture of home cosmetics, it is usually added to other oils in an amount of not more than 5%.
2. Pure cocoa butter can be used to lubricate dry elbows, knees and. To do this, you need to hold a small piece of oil in your hands and lubricate the necessary places on the body with it.
3. In the manufacture of home cosmetics, cocoa butter is used as a structure-forming agent in the manufacture of creams, lipsticks, balms, massage tiles and body butters, and candles.
4. And also added to soap in an amount of up to 15% to create a stable foam and bath bombs, as a binder.

How to store and shelf life of cocoa butter?

Shelf life 2 years. May be stored in the refrigerator.

Precautionary measures

Cocoa butter can cause allergic reactions and individual intolerance to the components.

Where to buy quality cocoa butter?

In search of good cocoa butter, I spent more than one day. Today it can be bought in almost every online store of goods for the manufacture of home cosmetics.

The average price for 100.0 is from 170-190 rubles. But, I found the best cocoa butter in terms of price-quality ratio here

Here 100% natural cocoa butter without fillers, preservatives, additives and artificial dyes can be purchased within 350 rubles per 200 grams.

Interesting video about cocoa butter

How cocoa grows and how its beans are obtained is very interestingly told in this video.

I hope this information will be useful to everyone who was interested in the issue of using cocoa butter for the face, for skin and in cosmetology, as well as in the process of making home cosmetics.

If you have something to add on this topic, I will be very glad if you share your knowledge in the comments on this post.

If you strive for beauty and health, subscribe to my newsletter of useful and interesting materials.

Alena Yasneva was with you, be healthy and take care of yourself!

Photo By iprachenko/https://www.shutterstock.com

In addition to cocoa powder, there is also cocoa butter. Here we will talk about its properties and application in cosmetology today.

Cocoa butter is obtained by pressing the beans of the cocoa tree. This is a fairly hard and brittle substance, which becomes watery and oily after heating, and it is enough to heat up to 35 degrees. Cocoa butter is known in the culinary and cosmetic industries. It has a pleasant aroma and numerous beneficial properties.

Useful properties of cocoa butter:

1. natural natural antioxidant
2. Healing and tonic effect
3. Strengthening capillaries
4. Prevention of oxidative processes
5. Reducing the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease
6. Protecting the heart muscle from weakening
7. Reducing the likelihood of developing cancer
8. Improving collagen synthesis and skin hydration
9. Normalization of cholesterol in the blood
10. Improving blood circulation in the brain
11. Skin protection from UV rays

Cocoa butter is used as a fatty base in cosmetics and recipes. It is based on, which improve the condition of the body, create a rejuvenating effect. Cocoa butter is also added to medicines - against peeling lips, burns and other skin damage.

Everyone is familiar with a depressive state, for many it occurs in autumn and winter, and for some in the spring there are such ailments. Cocoa butter will help protect yourself from this disease. With the help of oil, the work of the whole organism improves.

Is there any harm in eating cocoa butter? Yes, there is, but from excessive consumption, as, indeed, from all other foods, vegetables and fruits, which we sometimes get carried away with excessively.

If you love sweets, chocolate and other products that contain cocoa, you should also be aware of the results of abuse. And here are the main ones - metabolic disorders can occur; the appearance of excess weight and as a result, the appearance of acne is possible.

And hence the contraindications of cocoa butter: for those who have diabetes; obese or with impaired metabolism, as well as young children (up to a year), since the oil contains a small amount of caffeine.

Maybe someone will ask - what about allergies? Experts - doctors and nutritionists say that cocoa beans themselves will not cause allergies, but we should not forget that when we use our favorite sweets and other chocolate products, before putting this tidbit in our mouth, it goes through various stages of processing, where they are used and others chemical products.

Composition of cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is vegetable fat. The composition of cocoa products includes the same substances, but in different amounts and ratios. In cocoa butter, the highest fat content is approximately 95%, the remaining 5% is water, biologically active substances of a lipid nature (oleic, stearic, lauric, palmitic, linolenic fatty acids) and other substances.

Most the smallest content fat in cocoa powder, however, it contains more carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Cocoa powder is rich in vitamins and microelements, as well as biologically active compounds of the protein structure, which includes dopamine and serotonin.

Cocoa beans contain the largest amount of biologically active substances. So, back to cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is very fatty, hard, pale yellow in color. It has a high calorie content. The most useful and fragrant is natural, unprocessed oil. As a result of processing, the product loses some of its properties, and even the aroma partially disappears. In terms of antioxidant properties, cocoa butter is superior to other natural remedies.

The quality of an oil is determined by its purity from chemicals. It is easy to confuse it with substitutes, which is sometimes used by dishonest sellers. The oil is in a solid state at 20°C, starts to melt above 35 degrees. If it melts at 20 degrees, then this indicates its poor quality.

When buying cocoa butter, you may encounter a rather poor-quality product. The very best butter obtained from cocoa beans grown without chemicals. Its cost is high. The first thing to pay attention to is the color of the oil. As already mentioned, cocoa butter has a light yellow color, but not white. With white color there can be a substitute. The oil has an aromatic smell of cocoa. If the oil does not smell, this is also a substitute.

As a substitute, it may be Palm oil with low cocoa content. Hence the conclusion - do not choose the cheapest oil.

Cocoa butter can be stored in a cool place, and not necessarily in the refrigerator, as long as it is not in direct sunlight. If the room is too hot, you can put it in the refrigerator. Shelf life up to 2 years.

Properties and application in cosmetology

Due to the content of biologically active components in the oil, it is used in cosmetology, for the manufacture of creams, shampoos, soaps and other products, in salon cosmetology - for body, face and hair care. Cocoa butter is used to soften, mainly in the care of dry skin. It is also used for skin rejuvenation.

What are the results of using cocoa butter?
The oil has regenerating, moisturizing properties. It nourishes the skin, smoothes fine wrinkles, restores the cellular structure and strengthens the capillary walls. Cocoa butter can eliminate peeling, redness, flabbiness of the skin, promotes the healing of small wounds.

This is one that boosts immunity. Cocoa butter can also be used as a night cream if the skin is dry. During winter, when going outside in windy and frosty weather, you can lubricate your lips and face with oil. Covering the surface of the skin with a thin film, it protects the skin. Moisturizers that have a high water content are not suitable for this purpose.

Cocoa butter can also be used for hands, it nourishes, softens and protects the skin. The oil is suitable for use in home cosmetics. It can be used both in its pure form and as part of masks. It is suitable for any type of skin.

If you want to use it in its pure form, take a piece of oil in your hands and massage it over the skin. The piece will melt and remain on the skin as a greasy layer. But all this will pass quickly, as it is well absorbed. Cocoa butter can also be used for the eye area. There are also other options for using oil at home. Slightly melt the oil and add it in the amount of a few drops to any face cream.

In the summer, this miracle remedy can be used not only as protection from the sun's rays, it will also help to achieve a beautiful tan. The latter property is best used by those who need a tan.

Recipes with cocoa butter at home

Of course you like the flavor of chocolate. And if you also remember the benefits of oil, then try preparing the following masks.

Mask for nourishing and rejuvenating facial skin

Mix 1 teaspoon of melted cocoa butter, 1 yolk, 1 teaspoon of liquid honey and any fruit juice, add a few drops of lemon juice. Apply to face and neck for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. After this mask, the cream can not be applied.

Melted butter can be mixed with an essential oil of your choice and applied in a thin layer to your face. This procedure will help with extreme dryness and flaking of the skin.

You can make a face cream based on cocoa butter. To do this, melt a teaspoon of our product in a water bath, add the same amount of jojoba, peach, olive oil. Mix everything, remove from heat and add a few drops of essential oil. Place the container in which the mass was prepared in cold water to cool. The cream is ready.

The pleasant aroma of cocoa butter, its emollient properties and velvety texture have made it one of the most popular ingredients in cosmetic products. It can be found in lotions, soaps, creams, and other types of cosmetics.

The oil can be used to treat chapped skin, to prevent dryness and itching, and to care for lips.

For example, lip balm.

15 ml beeswax Heat 20 ml of cocoa butter until completely dissolved. Add 15 ml of shea butter, which should also dissolve in this mass, 3 drops of honey and 5 ml of sweet almond oil. Balm is ready. It can be used daily.

Body Oil

Melt 1 gram of cocoa butter, add 30 ml of shea butter to it, mix. Then add 12 drops, 15 ml of jojoba oil and 5 drops of vitamin E oil to the resulting mass. Mix everything and transfer the resulting mixture to a dry container, closing until it cools completely. This oil can be used as a body moisturizer.

If you use natural oil in your home cosmetics, then in a short time you will see amazing results. In almost all homemade masks, just one teaspoon of melted butter is enough.

The most commonly used masks, body wraps and massage. As for the hair, the use of oil gives them an extraordinary shine, softens well, perfectly strengthens the roots, preventing brittleness and loss. Hair, well-groomed with this tool, lends itself well to styling.

Cocoa butter masks can be purchased at pharmacies and cosmetic stores. However, many who have used this oil contained in products purchased from these sources say that there can be no better oil than at home. Here we mean, of course, that natural remedy, and not a substitute or a fake, in which the presence of chemical impurities or other components that our skin does not need is possible.

Hair masks

Rosemary mask

Heat the oil, add the same amount of rosemary tincture to it. To prepare the tincture, take 2 tablespoons of dry rosemary, pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew. Use after cooling, after straining. This mask is best applied to damp hair 1-2 hours before washing. Then wash off with warm water and shampoo.

Rum mask

Well warms up and stimulates hair growth mask of cocoa butter with the addition of rum. To do this, mix oil and rum in equal proportions, apply to hair, and rinse with warm water after an hour.

Mask with kefir

Mix cocoa butter, burdock oil and kefir (each component one tablespoon), add one yolk. Rub the whole mass well and apply on the head - on the skin and hair roots. It is enough to hold for 1 - 2 hours, then rinse with shampoo. In general, a mask with fatty oils can be kept much longer.

You can add oil solutions of vitamins A and E to the masks, 3-5 drops each. You can use various herbal infusions, to which add 2 teaspoons of cocoa butter. Cocoa butter for skin and hair care is most often recommended for those who have dry skin and hair. And owners of oily hair can replace oil with powder.

In addition to the nutritional benefits, the powder also colors the hair, but more on that another time. This method of staining deserves more detailed study.

The main ingredient in the manufacture of world confectionery masterpieces is cocoa butter. Thanks to him, chocolate from a liquid hot delicacy turns into a solid bar and acquired the look and taste that attracts everyone so much.

What is cocoa butter?

Natural natural fat, in which there are no additives. Produced from the seeds of cocoa beans growing on the chocolate tree, which is native to South America. A relatively new product in the history of mankind quickly gained recognition. After all, only at the beginning of the 19th century, after the invention of the press, they learned how to extract it. And even later, scientists discovered the valuable qualities of natural cocoa butter, which have more than 300 medicinal and beneficial properties. It is not for nothing that the chocolate tree, discovered back in the 16th century, is called the "food of the gods." Scientists say: natural cocoa bean oil works wonders with the human body. Knowledge of the properties, composition and methods of application of the product is very interesting and, of course, will be useful in everyday life, because. experts strongly recommend using on a regular basis.

Natural cocoa butter is known for its characteristic light yellow, creamy color, milky aroma with a hint of chocolate. The usual texture of the product is hard and brittle, easily melting at temperatures above 32 C. The oil melts completely and quickly in contact with the human body, as well as in the mouth, leaving no waxy aftertaste.

It is used in almost all areas of the food and cosmetic industries. Cocoa butter is natural and deodorized. Deodorized oil, unlike natural, has no smell, it is produced in a different way. When cleaning, involving the use of chemicals, the product does not lose its useful properties.

Composition and nutritional value of cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is the most valuable and significant component of cocoa beans. Basically it's a mixture fatty acids. Saturated fats make up 57-64%, unsaturated fats - 46-33%.

The composition includes:

• arachidonic acid: provides protection for the body against unfavorable flora and bacteria;
• stearic acid: has a strong emollient effect;
• palmitic and lauric acids: have moisturizing and healing properties;
• linoleic acid: nourishes hair and skin;
• oleic acid: is the strongest antioxidant;
• amino acids;
• vitamins A, B, F, C and E;
• minerals: iron, magnesium, potassium, iodine, zinc, calcium, chromium, etc.;
• calorie content 900 kcal per 100 g;
• Theobromine is a natural antibiotic.

The composition of the product is chemically stable, not subject to oxidative processes, and helps to extend the life of any product with its use.

Contains the substance phenylthylamine, known as a love drug. Phenylthylamine is identical to the chemical that appears in a person in love. That's why chocolate has been called the "hormone of happiness." And all this thanks to cocoa beans and its oil.

Useful properties of cocoa butter

1. Supports the work of nerve cells (substance theobromine).
2. Provides complete blood circulation.
3. Strengthens the immune system (vitamins A, E, C).
4. Helps to cope with viral diseases.
5. Has expectorant properties.
6. It has the ability to envelop inflamed tissues and relieve pain.
7. It has a positive effect on the entire body. Has tonic properties. Useful general massage using cocoa butter
8. Heals wounds and burns (even of moderate severity).
9. Reduces cholesterol levels.
10. Stimulates the work of the brain, increases mental activity.
11. Improves the endocrine system.
12. Promotes weight loss by suppressing appetite. It is necessary to apply dosed, because. it has enough calories.
13. Treats hemorrhoids and problematic anal fissures. It is especially useful during an exacerbation of the disease.
14. Helps with eczema and fungal infections.
15. Eliminates postpartum stretch marks and cracks on the chest during feeding.
16. Strengthens hair, removes split ends.
17. Eliminates mimic wrinkles. Rejuvenates the skin of the face and body.

The use of cocoa butter in medicine

In the group of valuable products plant origin second place was given to cocoa bean butter (first - coconut oil). Recall the recommendation of scientists: apply on an ongoing basis. Only in this case, it will provide indisputable and invaluable help to our body: in treatment, in nutrition, in cosmetology.

How to use cocoa butter?

Viral diseases. With influenza and acute respiratory infections, it is enough to lubricate the mucous tissue of the sinuses with oil, which will serve as a kind of barrier for the penetration of viruses into the body. The same use is useful in influenza epidemics, as a prophylactic, especially for children.

Cocoa butter for cough. Anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties are used in the treatment of cough, bronchitis, pneumonia.

Recipe: Melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a glass of hot milk (at one time). The drink is used for coughing, whooping cough, bronchitis, the lungs need cleaning and additional blood flow.

Chair problems.

Recipe: take one teaspoon of cocoa butter for two to three weeks at night, either alone or with tea or milk. The state is normalized, the problems go away.

Haemorrhoids.

Recipe: to achieve a therapeutic effect, it is enough to introduce 1 teaspoon of oil in a solid consistency into the rectum, first give the drug the shape of a candle or pencil.

Erosion of the uterus.

Recipe: Melt 1 tsp of oil in a water bath, add sea buckthorn oil (10 drops). Soak a tampon with the remedy and use it vaginally at night. The course of treatment is 20 days.

Atherosclerosis.

Recipe: 1/2 tsp. oils should be taken 20 minutes before meals twice a day, morning and evening. Natural cocoa butter removes cholesterol, reduces the formation of plaques in the vessels.

Cholecystitis.

Recipe: melt a tablespoon of butter in a water bath, take early in the morning on an empty stomach. The remedy is used as a choleretic agent for blind probing: put a heating pad on the right side, lie down for 2 hours. Repeat the procedure once a week.

Angina, sore throat.

Recipe: place cocoa butter in a water bath, add propolis powder in small portions, stirring constantly. The proportion is one part of propolis to ten parts of oil. Take half a tablespoon an hour after eating.

Anesthesia of shallow burns, itching, varicose ulcers, eczema, fungal infections, cracks in the chest in nursing mothers. How to use: use externally, gently lubricating the affected areas.

Cocoa bean oil is an environmentally friendly, natural, potent healing agent that does not have side effects from long-term use. British scientists have found that the components valuable product(theobromine, etc.) make it more effective in treatment than conventional drugs. Practitioners have recognized the healing properties of milk with cocoa butter. A glass of hot milk, to which a teaspoon of amazing cocoa bean butter has been added, will help in the treatment of a number of diseases, increase immunity, and protect against ailments.

Cocoa butter in cosmetology

The undeniable fact was the use vegetable oils cosmetics manufacturers. A large number of studies on the properties of cocoa butter have shown that the product is able to transform our skin (especially dehydrated, dry and flaky) and hair. Especially useful oil cocoa for the skin becomes in the cold autumn and winter season, when dry and frosty air dehydrates it. Cocoa bean butter for the body effectively moisturizes and softens the skin, penetrates deep into the cells, makes the skin supple, smooth, elastic and saturates with nutrients.

Cocoa butter for face

The product can be used by people with any skin type. For owners of dry skin, experts advise applying directly to the face (after cleansing), preferably at night.

For combination, normal and oily skin, it can be used as a base under a moisturizer or as an independent remedy. There is no single and absolute right way to use oil. But there is a recommendation from cosmetologists: cocoa butter is a rich source of antioxidants and emollients. To increase the water balance of the skin of the face and optimal hydration, use in tandem with moisturizing creams.

Dry or combination skin type:

• Facial scrub: two tablespoons of melted butter mixed with a tablespoon of honey, with two spoons oatmeal and chopped walnuts. Apply the mixture to a wet face, massage the face for several minutes, then rinse with water.
• Nourishing mask: mix 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley with melted cocoa butter, apply on face, hold for 30 minutes, then rinse with water.

aging skin

• Mix a tablespoon of grape seed oil, aloe juice (a tablespoon), melted cocoa butter (a teaspoon). Apply to the face for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with contrast water (warm and cold). The mask does an excellent job of moisturizing and rejuvenating the skin;
• Facial mask: cocoa butter, liquid honey, carrot juice (one teaspoon of each ingredient), lemon juice(10 drops) and 1 yolk mix, apply gently on the face for 15 minutes. After the mask is washed off, wipe your face with an ice cube.

Oily skin

• Cream home cooking contains the following components: almond, rapeseed and cocoa butter, essential tinctures of lavender and rosemary. Mix the prepared components of the cream together and put in a glass jar, store in a dark place.
• Unusual nourishing mask: mix one teaspoon of cocoa butter, condensed milk and any fruit juice and apply on the face. After keeping the mask for 15 minutes, rinse with water.

Cosmetologist's advice: the product is universal. Don't be afraid to use it in combination with essential oils and healing herbs you know. Use to rejuvenate the neck, get rid of "crow's feet", dark circles under the eyes. Strengthen their eyelashes and eyebrows.

cocoa butter for hair

A prepared mask will help strengthen your hair, which includes: rosemary (2 tablespoons) and melted cocoa butter (3 tablespoons). Rosemary must first be infused for 2 hours in hot water. The mask is applied to the hair for two hours, covered with a plastic bag and a towel. It is recommended to use a medical mask 2 times a week.

Hair care mask

Ingredients: cocoa butter, burdock, rosemary and ginger, extracts of burdock, violet, oregano, dog rose, chamomile, calendula, calamus root oil extract, cognac. It is used for health purposes, gentle hair care, to strengthen the hair roots and prevent hair loss. Thanks to the softening properties of cocoa butter, the mask envelops the hair, prevents split ends, instantly restores damaged hair. Use once or twice every 7 days, keeping on the hair for 2 hours under a plastic wrap and a towel.

cocoa butter in cooking

The product is an excellent addition to salads, cereals, seafood dishes, pastries, making homemade chocolate, creams for cakes, chocolate icing, sweets and desserts. A confectionery additive is not so easy to find on the free market. Contact our online store. Get a valuable natural product and be healthy!

Bibliography:

1. L. Nikolaychuk, E. Nikolaychuk, O. Goloveyko. Healing vegetable oils.
2. All about healing oil - pumpkin, linseed and more. RIPOL classic (Health and beauty)
3. I. Dubrovin. All about ordinary vegetable oil.
4. N.Dogareva, O. Bogatova. Dairy products. Part 2.
5. Composition of cocoa beans. Center for Health and Nutrition, November 20, 2012
6. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, No. 5, 2015
7. V. Sellar. Encyclopedia of vegetable oils, 2011.

Cocoa butter, the basis of the favorite delicacy, is suitable not only for creating mouth-watering and fragrant chocolate bars. Delicious melting base oil, one of the rare hard oils in aromatherapy they are also used for cosmetic purposes, while its properties are really not similar to any other basis.

Unique cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans - the fruits of relatively small tree representatives with evergreen foliage, very large, giving a touch of tropical charm to 10-15-meter spreading trees. In the wild, cocoa trees are distributed only in Central and South America, culturally they began to be bred in Sri Lanka and West Africa relatively recently. At the same time, historically, the chocolate tree was perceived in the homeland as a sacred plant and even endowed with magical properties. The first experiences of using cocoa fruits are associated with the cultures of the Maya, Incas and Aztecs. In Mayan times, the oil obtained after crushing nuts was used as a universal balm, healing wounds and bringing beauty.

Cocoa butter is the basis of all solid types of chocolate, because it is what makes bars and chocolate products hold their shape (while cocoa powder is the basis of taste and aroma). Today, the association of chocolate tree oil with hard chocolate bars is one of the most delicious and nutritious bases in aromatherapy.

Characteristics

Chocolate bean oil is obtained by an unusual hot pressing method, while its consistency depends on the temperature of the oil itself, appearance and features of perception after application to the skin.

Before starting to extract the oil, freshly harvested and peeled kernels are subjected to fermentation for at least 2 days, and sometimes for a whole week. Beans that have undergone such a kind of aging change color to brown and acquire such a beloved aroma and taste. After fermentation, the cocoa beans are dried naturally on solar plantations or subjected to hot air drying, after which they are sorted, thermally processed and crushed, obtaining grated cocoa, from which cocoa butter is extracted by pressing at high temperatures. The cake remaining after the process is used to make cocoa powder, and after cooling, the oil acquires a solid consistency, which it retains even at room temperature. Therefore, the basic texture of the oil is brittle, hard and changes only when heated. Cocoa butter is completely melted in the temperature range from 32 to 35 degrees, at 40 degrees it restores transparency.

The color of the oil is from light, whitish and cream to all shades of brown. The aroma is pronounced chocolate, completely characteristic of cocoa beans. The composition of the chocolate base is based on two- and three-acid triglycerides, with almost half of the content accounted for by oleic acid, more than a third by stearic, a quarter by lauric and palmitic acids. Chocolate bean oil is absolutely non-toxic, hypoallergenic, can be used in its pure undiluted form, used in culinary experiments and taken orally, and when heated, it is also suitable for mixing with other base oils and even essential mixtures.

Solid cocoa butter must be melted before being applied to the skin and used in aromatherapy methods. Oil on oily and problematic skin can have a comedogenic effect, more tangible results of its use are observed when used on the skin of the body and hands, rather than the face. After application, cocoa butter has a noticeably softening effect, making the skin soft, velvety and smooth, instantly replenishing the violations of the hydrolipid balance of the epidermis. Cocoa creates a protective film, but does not leave any visible greasy residue and is amazingly quickly absorbed. This oil is great for protecting the skin from chapping and frost.

Medicinal properties

Cocoa is one of the rare bases, all the recognized properties of which are associated primarily with cosmetic talents, and not with medicinal properties. He really doesn’t have many of the latter - cocoa butter is one of the main suppositories used for more than three centuries, that is, solid, penetrating candle bases that dissolve already in the body, which effectively transport healing agents into the body cavities. It is one of the top pharmaceutical solids in the world.

The emollient properties of this oil are manifested in colds and coughs, but all the rest are associated with the treatment of diseases and damage to the skin - burns, rashes.

Use in cosmetology

The cosmetic properties of the chocolate base are really extensive. Due to the particularly high content of active acids, the oil has an instant softening effect in combination with normalizing hydration, improving the texture of the epidermis, expressed in increased elasticity, smoothness, and tenderness of the skin. Most suitable for dry, aging and children's skin, comedogenicity is more pronounced on other types.

This is one of the best foundations that solves minor problems and maintains balance and skin turgor, thanks to which you can achieve smoothing of small wrinkles, including mimic ones, restoring healthy, radiant and fresh skin. Serious lifting effects of cocoa are not pronounced, but due to the restoration of elasticity, it prevents the formation of stretch marks, scars, spots, and eliminates small and “fresh” cosmetic defects. With weight loss and pregnancy, cocoa helps get rid of freshly acquired stretch marks.

It is practically not used for hair and nail care, but for dry skin of the hands it can become an effective basis for emollient masks and an excellent protective winter remedy.

Cocoa butter is a real source of nutrients. It is widely used in cooking, cosmetology and pharmaceuticals. This component is known to everyone not only because of its beneficial properties, but also due to its excellent taste, because it is almost the main component of everyone's favorite chocolate.

The value of this product lies in the fact that it can be used for the manufacture of home cosmetics. Cosmetics made with the addition of this fragrant ingredient will become a real panacea.

Composition, properties and uses of cocoa butter

This product is a vegetable fat. It is produced from the fruits of the Theobroma tropical tree, which is also called the "chocolate tree". These evergreen and medium-sized trees are found in the forests of South and Central America and Africa. Before getting to us, this oil, like other cocoa bean processing products and the fruits themselves, undergo a long transportation.

The fruit of the cocoa tree is shaped like a melon, 25-30 cm in size, and has a red-yellow color.

Cocoa butter is obtained in a rather complicated way, since the freshly picked fruits of the “chocolate tree” themselves have a light color, and their taste is quite tart and bitter. In order to give this product a familiar chocolate taste, the fruit goes through several stages of processing.

1. Cocoa bean seeds are amenable to fermentation, this process involves fermentation, as a result of which their taste properties change significantly.
2. After the fermentation process is completed, the seeds are crushed and hot pressed, and then filtered, after which the finished oil is obtained.

The finished product is pale yellow to golden in color and has creamy notes in the aroma.

To increase the shelf life of this product, it undergoes secondary processing: the deodorized "chocolate" butter retains its beneficial properties, but completely loses its aroma. It is used for the production of cosmetics, soaps, masks and other things. In cooking, deodorized butter is used to make white chocolate.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of aroma, unscrupulous manufacturers sometimes use a cocoa butter substitute - a mixture of palm, soy and rapeseed oils, which leads to an increase in harmful trans fats in the finished product.

Interesting fact! The first who began to use cocoa beans in food were the inhabitants of the Aztec and Mayan tribes. They made a drink from crushed cocoa beans, which they called "chocolatl". At that time it was believed that this is the drink of the gods, which gives wisdom and longevity.

To choose real cocoa butter, you can follow a few rules:

• quality oil will have a yellow tint
• low cost may indicate a substitute
• natural product does not melt at room temperature, its minimum melting point is 30 degrees

Natural cocoa butter contains:

• fatty acid
• vitamins
• trace elements

As well as caffeine, theobromine, polyphenol, melanin. These are vital compounds that are involved in metabolic processes.

A quality product has a wide range of positive properties:

1. In cosmetology, cocoa butter can eliminate many problems, as it saturates and softens the skin, and also has antiseptic and healing properties.
2. In medicine, this is used to strengthen blood vessels, treat varicose veins, peptic ulcers, and much more.
3. And in cooking they are used in a huge number of desserts and the production of chocolate.

The benefits and harms of cocoa butter

Cocoa butter contains substances that can increase immunity and stimulate the brain, as well as antioxidants that have a good effect on the body as a whole and cleanse it. By systematically consuming this product in a small amount, you can significantly reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood.

In pharmaceutics, extracts from this agent are used in various medicines. Cocoa butter has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Modern beauties know it as an important tool for many cosmetic procedures. Chocolate wraps allow you to effectively fight cellulite, as well as cocoa butter is an excellent prophylactic against stretch marks.

Cocoa butter can be used in food in small quantities or used as one of the ingredients of home cosmetics.

A few contraindications to the use of this product are:

• obesity
• diabetes
• allergy

Cocoa butter is completely prohibited for babies in infancy, as there is a possibility of developing allergic reactions. You can consume such a product in small quantities, due to the high calorie content (namely, about 1000 kcal per 100 g), it can lead to an increase in body weight. In addition, cocoa prevents the absorption of calcium.

This product is not recommended for pregnant women and during breastfeeding due to possible allergic reactions.

Cocoa butter in medicine

Due to its medicinal qualities, cocoa butter is used for treatment both in its natural form, and its individual enzymes and extracts for the production of medicines. It has the following actions:

• anti-inflammatory
• enveloping
• expectorant
• healing

Cocoa butter is widely used to treat diseases and is used for massage purposes.

Cocoa butter for cough is a great alternative to expensive and not always effective drugs. It can be taken for medicinal purposes, both in pure form and in combination with other components. In its pure form, it is recommended to absorb a piece of oil at least 4 times a day.

In the fight against cough, such recipes with cocoa butter will help:

• A glass of milk with a teaspoon of butter and honey, consume 1/3 cup three times a day, for 5 days;
• A spoonful of badger fat is mixed with the same amount of cocoa butter, you need to take a dessert spoon three times a day for a week;
• Propolis ointment is added to melted butter at the rate of 1:10, used 3 times a day with meals.

Reviews about the treatment of cough with cocoa butter are varied, due to the individual characteristics of each organism. So for some people, cocoa fat-based products become a panacea, while others do not notice a special result.

Cocoa butter in cosmetology

Cosmetic cocoa butter is a real find, it has the following effects:

• moisturizing
• rejuvenating
• nutritious
• anti-inflammatory
• brightening

Regular use in reasonable amounts allows you to achieve amazing results, skin and hair are rejuvenated and look well-groomed and healthy.

Today, there are a large number of recipes for home cosmetics, with which you can easily make a lip balm with cocoa butter, a hair or face mask based on this fat, a scrub or cream. Wrap formulations with this ingredient are very popular.

Recipes with cocoa butter for skin

• "Spicy" scrub. In a ratio of 1 to 2, honey and cocoa butter are mixed, ground coffee is added to the resulting mixture. Fragrant composition can be used as a peeling for the face and for the body. Cocoa butter combined with coffee gently removes dead skin cells and moisturizes the skin with nutrients. Peeling can be used no more than twice a week.
• Rejuvenating mask for all skin types. The mask, which contains cocoa butter, provides an excellent lifting for the face. In equal proportions, mix the pulp of aloe with fat and grape seed oil, apply the composition for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Such a vitamin charge will make the skin radiant and elastic. Cocoa butter allows you to get rid of wrinkles and other age-related changes.
• Masks for oily skin with cocoa butter. This oil stops inflammation and allows you to get rid of acne and acne. To make a mask for oily skin at home, you will need the pulp of one cucumber, aloe juice, 1: 1 cocoa butter and chamomile. Combine the components and apply on the face for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
• Another option would be a face mask with cocoa fat and milk, a teaspoon of cocoa butter is added to one tablespoon of milk, a warm mixture is applied to the skin for 10 minutes, then washed off. Numerous reviews indicate that cocoa butter is very useful for the face and allows you to get rid of many problems with regular use.

• Skin care product around the eyes. Cocoa butter is mixed with vitamin E, and added sea ​​buckthorn oil. You can apply the composition several times a week. With this tool, the skin will become radiant and moisturized, so you can forget about the highlighter and corrective pencil.
• Hand cream based on cocoa butter. Good for sensitive skin. mix linseed oil and cocoa butter 1 to 2, add 40 g of pharmacy glycerin. This composition will moisturize the skin and have a healing effect.
• A lip emollient. On steam bath melt the paraffin and add cocoa butter to it, if desired, the composition can be diversified with essential oils. Such a tool will protect the lips from external factors. The tool will be characterized by a delicate aroma and dense texture.

Recipes for hair masks with cocoa butter

Masks based on this ingredient make hair healthy and shiny. This is an excellent remedy for brittle and dry hair.

Recipe #1

1. Mix, melt in a steam bath and mix cocoa butter and burdock in equal proportions, add a solution of vitamin A and E
2. Apply to hair and wrap for 40 minutes, then rinse the composition with shampoo and apply conditioner
3. Regular use will help achieve lasting results.

Recipe number 2

1. Mix kefir or yogurt with one yolk and a spoonful of cognac, add olive oil 1 tbsp. l. and pre-melted cocoa butter 1 tsp.
2. Apply the mixture to dry hair, keep the composition for an hour, and then rinse.

To enhance the effect of masks, it is necessary to additionally apply a wrap to ensure maximum transport of nutrients deep into the hair.

cocoa butter in cooking

Cocoa butter is widely used in cooking. It is used in the preparation of creams and desserts, as well as sweets and chocolate itself. Homemade cocoa butter chocolate is delicious and healthy treat. Cooking it at home is not difficult.

For this you will need:

• cocoa powder 200 g
• sugar 2 teaspoons
• cocoa butter 70 g
• milk 4 tablespoons
• You can also add vanilla or cinnamon to taste.

Having previously melted the butter, it must be put on a slow fire, add cocoa and sugar to the milk, and after complete dissolution, mix the mixture with the butter. Pour the finished chocolate into molds and cool. natural and useful product ready.

How to make cocoa butter at home

To do this, you need high-quality cocoa beans. You can buy such a product in a supermarket, a store specialized in chocolate making or order it online.

• The beans must be ripe and without blemishes. Like any other product, before processing, they must be washed and dried by laying out on a paper or regular towel.
• The next step is roasting. In a preheated oven, put the cocoa beans using a baking sheet or any heat-resistant container. The recommended oven temperature is 150 degrees. As a rule, the roasting process takes about 20 minutes. During this time, the fruits acquire a brown color and a characteristic chocolate smell and taste. You can determine the degree of readiness by smell and appearance.
• After roasting, the fruits must be cooled, it is recommended to cool at room temperature.
• And then you need to start grinding. You can use a coffee grinder, mortar or mixer. The mass obtained as a result of crushing must be squeezed out through a press or gauze. The resulting liquid will be cocoa butter.

The result of such labors will be unrefined cold-pressed oil with a pronounced taste and smell. Such a product is very useful and retains all the good properties.

You can store the natural product in the refrigerator.

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