How Plant Butter can change the way you moisturize!

Last Updated on November 21, 2020

Ever wondered what plant butters are and how they can benefit your skin? Fret Not, Because We are deep-diving into their benefits, how to use them and where to buy good quality butters in India. So let’s start.

With the winters in full swing, you may be switching up your personal care routine for something more moisturising and hydrating. And you may be spoilt for choices between different options available in the market.

While lotions, creams and oils are quite commonly known options, plant butters may be a fairly new concept to some. Especially when you see a solid block of raw butter being sold and wonder how to use them.

What are plant butters?

Plant butters are edible fats extracted from fruits seeds and nuts. These seeds and nuts with high-fat content are cleaned, dried and then either boiled or cold-pressed to separate the fat from the pulp.

The fat is then filtered to remove any impurities and residue, and allowed to cool to form a solid block of butter. The most commonly available plant butters are cocoa butter from cocoa pods, shea butter from shea nuts and mango butter from mango seeds.

Sometimes, these plant butters are further refined using chemicals to improve the colour, remove their natural aroma and extend its shelf life. But this process strips away certain benefits and renders them less beneficial compared to unrefined butters.

Hence, always choose raw, unrefined and preferably organic plant butter for all your beauty needs

Use of Plant Butters in Skincare

The basic function of plant butters in skincare is moisturisation due to their emollients and occlusive properties. They can be found in everything from conditioners, lip balms, face creams, body lotions, body butters, soaps, lipsticks etc.

They form a protective layer on your skin to prevent moisture from evaporating. This layer also helps keep irritants at bay and protects your skin from cold winds.

Apart from moisturization, plant butters also nourish your skin with essential fatty acids, vitamins,  and antioxidants. This is the key reason they are a far better choice compared to petroleum jelly and mineral oil any day.

Also Read: All about the Clean Beauty Movement

Difference between plant oils and butters.

The most distinctive feature between plant oils and butters is that oils have a liquid consistency at room temperature. Hence they absorb faster into the skin and tend to be less greasy.

But plant butters have better occlusive properties and are thus the better choice for dry skin types. They are also a great choice to prevent your hair from drying out during winters

However, these occlusive properties make them a bit heavier to use on facial skin. Cocoa butter is often regarded as a comedogenic ingredient and avoided by the oily skinned population. But when used in small proportions can be beneficial for them too.

Also Read: Why you should be using oil for oily skin.

Types of plant butters

There are several types of plant butters that can be used for all your skincare and haircare needs. eg. like jojoba butter, avocado butter, macadamia nut butter, hemp butter, sal butter etc.

But the four below are the most easily available and commonly used in skincare.

• Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa bean pods and is pale yellow in colour. It contains Vitamin E, polyphenols (fight free radicals) and has a heavenly chocolatey aroma. With its rich texture, it will leave your skin soft and moisturized and also help in fading stretch marks and scars.

•  Shea Butter

Extracted from nuts of the African Shea tree, it is beige in colour and has healing properties. It contains vitamin A, E and phytonutrients and can soothe diaper rashes. Shea butter will also help you in fading blemishes, reducing inflammation and preventing dry skin.

•  Mango Butter

Mango Butter is made from Mango seeds and has an off-white colour. It has a sweet fragrance and is less greasy compared to cocoa and shea butter. Rich in fatty acids, it will help moisturize your skin and hair, prevent fine lines and wrinkles and soothes irritated skin.

•  Kokum Butter

Made from the Kokum trees native to India, kokum butter sports a light brown colour. With a uniform triglyceride composition, it has moisturizing and skin healing properties. You can use it to treat dryness, regenerate skin cells, and heal ulcers, fissures etc.

Where to buy good quality butters in India?

Well, my favourite place to shop for raw ingredients to make DIYs is Blend It Raw Apothecary. They sell good quality organic ingredients at affordable prices. Or else you can go for Anaha , Bliss of Earth or Nature’s Tattva (Discount code: RUTUD10)

P.S. If you are not up for a DIY you can buy readymade body butter blends from these 5 brands.

How to make DIY whipped body butter.

1. Pick a butter of your choice (or two) and melt it using the double boiler method. Once melted, add an equal amount of oil (again whatever suits your needs coconut, almond, olive etc.)
2. Mix it thoroughly and let it cool down ( I pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes to speed up the process). You can also add any essential oils if you like at this stage.
3. Once it is semi-solid, whip it up until it turns fluffy.
4. Store it in a clean, airtight jar ready to use.

Always make sure you are using organic, unrefined butters to get the best out of them. Have you incorporated plant butters in your skincare routine yet? Don’t forget to share your favourite products/recipes in the comments below.

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