Benefits of Kokum Butter for the Skin

Kokum butter is one of the best butter for use on the skin due to its emollient and restorative abilities.

Kokum butter is derived from the seeds of the kokum tree aka wild mangosteen or red mangosteen tree found in India.

Kokum butter has been used for healing for centuries in India. The butter is aka Goa butter.

Kokum butter has a hard and dry texture, similar to cocoa butter, and can be blended with other butter to make it more pliable.

However, it is one of the most stable vegetable butter and has a long shelf life.

It is also popularly used as an ingredient in cosmetic formulations like body creams, lip balms, hand creams, and toiletries.

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7 Benefits of Kokum Butter for Skin

1. Kokum Butter is Non-comedogenic

Kokum butter is non-comedogenic, which means it doesn’t clog pores. It is light and easily absorbed into your skin.

2. High Vitamin E Oil Content

Kokum butter contains a significant amount of vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. It also softens and conditions.

3. Kokum Butter is Highly moisturizing

Kokum butter helps heal dry and cracked skin especially lips, elbows, knees, and soles of feet. It may also aid in improving the appearance of scars and stretch marks.

The recipe below includes rosehip seed oil, which is good for hyperpigmentation. 

4. Softening Essential Fatty Acids

Kokum butter is rich in essential fatty acids. This property softens the skin and helps promote elasticity and suppleness. 

Kokum butter contains high amounts of stearic and oleic acid which accounts for its emollient properties. 

5. Stable Butter

Due to its highly stable nature, kokum butter can help prolong the shelf life of your body butter and other DIY formulations.

It especially plays well when mixed with natural oils such as coconut oil, tamanu oil, emu oil, and sweet almond oil.

6. Aids Cell Renewal

The essential fatty acid content in kokum butter also aids in cell oxygenation and regeneration.

7. Soothes Inflammed Skin

Kokum butter soothes inflamed skin so if you’ve suffered sunburns or insect bites, you should pamper your skin with the body butter recipe below.

Related Content: Benefits of Illipe Nut Butter

Kokum Butter Recipe

You will need 4 oz of kokum butter, 1 oz of illipe nut butter or cocoa butter, 1 teaspoon each of tamanu oil and emu oil, and 1 teaspoon of rosehip seed oil for this recipe.

Step 1

Measure the kokum butter and illipe nut butter or cocoa butter into a bowl and place into a hot water bath to soften.

Step 2

Start whipping the mix with a fork when butter is soft. When frothy, add the tamanu oil and emu oil and whip some more.

Add the rosehip seed oil and whip again until smooth and creamy.

Step 3

Pour the kokum butter mix into a cosmetic jar like this one and set it aside to cool and harden.

How to Use Kokum Butter for Skin

Use as a body butter every day on damp skin after a shower focusing on the dry and chapped areas.

You can also pour a bit into a container like this one and store it in your handbag for use as lip butter and hand butter during the day. 

Additional tip – if you use matte lipsticks, which can be drying, you can apply a very light layer of this butter on your lips as a base before applying the lipstick.

Where to Buy Kokum Butter

Oslove Organics Kokum Butter

Plant Guru Kokum Butter

Kokum Butter Hair & Beauty Products

• Studio Make Up Condition and Repair Lip Balm
• OBIA Naturals Kokum Body Butter
• Alikay Naturals Alikay Dulce Hydrating Curl Lotion
• Better Botanicals Kokum Butter Body Wash
• Burt Bee’s Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm with Kokum Butter
• Dr Brandt Skin Care Xtend Your Youth Face Cream
• Origins Precipitation(TM) Extra Continuous Moisture Recovery For Very Dry Skin
• Sisley-Paris Confort Extreme Lip Balm
• Sisley Paris Supremÿa Cream
• nyl Winter Rescue Set

DIY Kokum Butter Body Butter

Yield: 1 jar

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Simple

This kokum butter body butter is perfect for dry and chapped skin. It also makes a great base for matte lipsticks.

Print

Materials

• 4 oz of kokum butter
• 1 oz of illipe nut butter or cocoa butter
• 1 teaspoon each of tamanu oil and emu oil
• 1 teaspoon of rosehip seed oil

Tools

• Cosmetic jar
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Fork

Instructions

1. Measure the kokum butter and illipe nut butter or cocoa butter into the mixing bowl and place into a hot water bath to soften.
2. Once the butter is soft, start whipping with the fork.
3. Add the tamanu oil and emu oil and whip again.
4. Add the rosehip seed oil and whip until smooth and creamy.
5. Scrape into the cosmetic jar with the spatula and set aside to cool and harden.

Notes

1. You can use an immersion blender with a whisk attachment like this one instead of a fork.
2. Do not microwave the butter as this will compromise its integrity.
3. Store your body butter in a cool area for longevity.

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