Kokum Butter - The Marvellous Ingredient for Skincare

All the natural oils and butter are well known for their hydrating, nourishing and healing properties. With so many natural oils and butter available in the market, it becomes difficult to choose the best one. Natural kinds of butter such as mango butter, cocoa butter, shea butter are well known for the moisturizing, nourishing and healing properties, but they tend to clog the pores. Unlike natural butter, Kokum butter may not be very popular but it definitely has immense healing powers and is of medicinal value. Kokum butter also helps in hydrating and rejuvenating your skin. You might be inquisitive to know more about Kokum butter- where does it come from, how is it made, what are its skincare benefits? We are going to address all these topics in this article, so keep reading.

What Are Natural Butters?

Natural plant extracts from seeds, kernels, beans and nuts are known to be the sources of Shea butter, Mango butter, Kokum butter and Cocoa butter. They are mostly used in beauty products because of their beneficial properties. They can be applied to the skin directly or after being incorporated into skincare formulations, such as creams, lotions, moisturizers, soaps, lip balms, and are mostly found in many natural and organic skincare products. One of the significant property of natural butter is that it melts on contact with the body because of body heat, thereby making your skin and hair more soft, smooth and it also has a conditioning effect on your skin and hair.

Natural Butter is rich in antioxidants that effectively fight free radicals and repair the damage caused to your skin and hair. The natural butter possesses excellent moisturizing and nourishing properties due to which it helps to keep your skin, scalp, hair - hydrated and well-nourished. It helps to retain moisture by forming a thin film over the surface of your skin or hair and locking in the moisture.
Natural butter is solid at room temperature. These natural butters are an excellent source of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, proteins, polyphenols, phytosterols and tocopherols which together work to rejuvenate your skin, making it soft, smooth, radiant and youthful.

Apart from the beauty benefits, these natural butters also serve culinary, industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. Cocoa butter is combined with cocoa powder to make chocolate. Shea butter is used for cooking in some countries. Similarly, Kokum butter and mango butter are also used in making chocolates and confectionery products. You should be very careful about the storage of these natural butter products as they have limited shelf life, so keep an eye on the expiry dates as well.

Kokum Butter 

Kokum butter is an oil which is derived from the seeds of a fruit-bearing tree known as the kokum tree- Garcinia indica which is primarily cultivated in tropical regions of India. The seeds and fruits of this tree are used not only for cosmetic purpose but serve the medicinal and culinary purpose as well.

Kokum butter is usually light grey or pale yellow in colour and is known to be rich in saturated fat known as stearic acid. The chemical structure of Kokum butter makes it a solid at room temperature. This is why it is popularly known as butter and not an oil. Kokum butter is edible and is mostly used in making chocolates and other confectionery products. But Kokum butter is popularly used as a key ingredient in many skincare products such as cosmetics, creams, lotions, soaps, lip balms, and skincare ointments for treating dryness. Kokum butter is generally known to be hard in texture that melts easily when applied topically on the skin surface. Kokum butter is mixed with other natural oils and used in skincare products meant for moisturizing and nourishing. Due to its hydrating, nourishing, healing and regenerative properties, Kokum butter is widely used in skincare, personal care and hair care products.

Benefits Of Kokum Butter In Skincare 

Kokum Butter is a versatile ingredient and is used in many skincare products because of its hydrating, nourishing, healing properties. It makes your skin visibly soft, smooth, radiant and more youthful. As Kokum butter is lightweight and non-greasy, it gets absorbed into the skin easily. Let us find out how is Kokum butter beneficial for skincare.

1. Moisturizing Property 

Kokum butter works as an excellent emollient that helps to keep your skin hydrated. It prevents the skin from dryness and makes your skin soft and smooth. Unlike other natural butters, kokum butter is lightweight and non-greasy, hence gets absorbed into the skin easily. Kokum butter is also beneficial for people with sensitive skin.

2. Rich In Fatty Acids 

Kokum butter is known to be rich in essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 help to keep the skin cells, tissues healthy, thereby improving the texture and appearance of your skin. Kokum butter is high in polyunsaturated fats that nourish and moisturize your skin and form a protective layer on your skin making it plump and moisturised. The high concentrations of fatty acids make Kokum butter a key ingredient in many cosmetic and skincare products. It provides stability to your skincare formula.

3. Reduces Early Signs Of Ageing 

Kokum butter is known for its anti-ageing property because of its emollient, skin regenerative and antioxidant properties. These properties of Kokum butter work together to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. Regular application of Kokum butter on your face helps to reduce early signs of ageing as its hydration property plumps up your skin and erases fine lines giving you younger-looking skin.

4. Cell Regeneration 

Kokum butter not only helps in cell regeneration but also prevents the degeneration of your skin cells, thereby preventing cell damage. Due to its emollient properties, Kokum butter helps to keep your skin well-nourished and hydrated as it is easily absorbed into the skin and repairs the skin from deep within. If effectively treats chapped lips, cracks in your hand and soles of your feet. Kokum butter is also known for its anti-inflammatory property due to which it has a soothing effect on the inflamed skin and heals the damaged skin.

5. Prevents Acne 

Kokum butter is beneficial for treating acne-prone and sensitive skin. Kokum butter is non-comedogenic in nature and does not clog the pores as clogged pores are responsible for various skin infections including acne and pimples. Its antibacterial property fights bacterial infections and effectively treats acne.

6. Rich Source Of Vitamin E 

Kokum butter is a rich source of Vitamin E which acts as an excellent antioxidant. Its antioxidant property is known to improve the immune system and helps to promote healthy skin. It also protects the skin from free radicals which are formed when your skin is exposed to the harmful UV rays and extreme climatic conditions. Being lightweight, Kokum butter gets absorbed into the skin easily and helps to lighten, brighten the skin.

Thus Kokum butter has proved to be beneficial in treating various dry skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, cracked lips, hands, soles etc, acne, ageing, hence effectively used in many DIY skincare remedies as well as in many skincare and personal care products.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Kokum Butter As compared To Other Natural Butter 

Kokum Butter is rich in essential nutrients due to which it is extensively used in skincare products. But it has its own share of advantages and disadvantages when used in skincare products. Let’s see how.

Pros Of Kokum Butter 

1. Odourless- Kokum butter is odourless, unlike cocoa and shea butter which are well known for their distinctive fragrances, Kokum butter may be the best option for you if you are a person who is sensitive to fragrances.
2. Gets Absorbed Easily- As compared to other natural butters, Kokum butter is easily absorbed into the skin and is lightweight, non-greasy.
3. Non-Comedogenic in Nature- Kokum Butter is non-comedogenic in nature i.e unlike shea butter, kokum butter won’t clog your pores. Clogged pores become the breeding ground for bacteria and other micro-organisms leading to various kinds of skin diseases. Shea, Cocoa and coconut butter are likely to clog pores, hence their use should be avoided on the face.
4. Chemically Stable- Kokum butter is known to be more stable as compared to its counterparts. It acts as an emulsifier and as a hardening agent in many DIY skincare products.

Cons Of Kokum Butter 

1. Expensive- Kokum Butter is slightly more expensive than other natural butters.
2. Not Easily Available- It is not available easily as compared to the other plant butters.
3. Difficult to Mix with Other Ingredients- It is hard at room temperature, hence difficult to work.

These are some of the pros and cons of Kokum butter. You can use Kokum butter or any other natural butter depending upon your need and their availability.

How To Use Kokum Butter For Skincare 

Kokum butter is a dynamic ingredient which is known for its nourishing, hydrating, regenerative and healing properties due to which it is extensively used in skincare products such as creams, lotions, soaps, moisturizers, body butters, scrubs, lip balms. Kokum butter is hard in texture but melts down easily when it comes in contact with the skin.

DIY Kokum Butter Lip Balm 

If you are suffering from dry, chapped lips then this DIY lip balm with definitely help to nourish, hydrate your lips, making your lips soft and supple.

Ingredients 

• Kokum butter
• Beeswax
• Avocado Oil

Method 

1. Take all the above-mentioned ingredients in 1:1:1 ratio.
2. Using a double boiler method you can melt Kokum butter and beeswax. Mix well.
3. Transfer the contents in a clean glass jar and apply it on your lips.

You can apply this balm on your lips as and when required.

Handling Kokum Butter 

You should be extremely careful while handling raw Kokum butter, or else you may need to compromise on the quality of it. It should be noted that repeated exposure to heat can damage the quality of Kokum butter.

Take Away 

Kokum butter is a natural butter which is derived from the seeds of kokum tree. It is beneficial for treating skincare issues like dryness, itchiness, ageing and acne because of its antioxidant, nourishing, moisturizing and regenerative properties. It targets the major skin issues more effectively than its counterparts- shea and cocoa butter because it is non-comedogenic in nature, lightweight and non-greasy. The only drawback of Kokum butter is that it is not easily available and is quite expensive as compared to other natural butters.

Also Read: 

Incredible Benefits And Uses Of Shea Butter

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