A Guide to Some of the Finest Butters in the World

Learn About Butters

Butters are some of the most luxurious ingredients in the word, and are becoming increasingly popular in bodycare and cosmetic products. However, it can be a bit daunting to know which butters are the best choice for your application and how to use them. Because of the inquiries that we have received from our customers, we have created this quick guide to teach you a little more about butters.

Butters have been utilized all around the world for centuries. They contain nutrients and healing properties which are easily absorbed by the skin, and are wonderful to use in skin care recipes for their abilities to nourish, rejuvenate, and moisturize the skin. Butters are incredibly universal, and may be incorporated into almost any lotion, balm, soap, salve, or other bodycare product.

Most butters are too hard to use alone, and must be integrated into a recipe or combined with a liquid oil in order to make them more pliable and easy to apply to the skin. The exception to this is Shea Butter, which can be scooped straight from the jar and applied to the skin. Other butters may be gently melted over a double boiler, combined with a liquid carrier oil, poured into containers, and then allowed to solidify at room temperature. This process will make any butter softer in consistency and easier to apply to the skin.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa Butter is a rich aromatic butter pressed from the seed kernels of the Cacao Tree, Theobroma Cacao. This sumptuous ingredient smells pleasantly like chocolate, and it can be added to lip balms, body butters, lotions, creams, salves, soaps, lotion bars, belly balms for expectant mothers, bath bombs, hair conditioner, or any other bodycare product. It melts at body temperature, and adds a rich, creamy, thick consistency and light chocolate aroma to products. Cocoa butter is a great emollient, adds flexibility to the skin, is soothing, contains natural antioxidants, helps the skin retain moisture, acts as a barrier for skin protection, and is commonly used for sunburns, scars, stretch marks, wrinkles, and for softening and soothing rough dry skin. This is one of our favorite butters, both for its therapeutic properties and for the intoxicating scent.

Kokum Butter

Kokum butter is a highly prized butter from the Indian Garcinia tree, Garcinia indica. It is naturally white, incredibly smooth, regenerates tired and worn skin cells, supports elasticity and flexibility of the skin wall, softens the skin, and helps to heal chapped or weathered hands, feet, and lips. This is a great ingredient to add to lotions, creams, body butters, belly balms, foot care products, and soaps. Because of its hard consistency, this butter is best used within a recipe or when melted in a double boiler and combined with a liquid carrier oil. Kokum butter is not as well known as some of the other butters, but it comes highly recommended to anyone that is interested in creating healing skincare products.

Mango Butter

Mango butter is pressed from the seed kernels of the Mango tree, Mangifera Indica. This is a highly treasured butter, and it makes an exceptional base ingredient for body care products and soap making recipes. Mango butter has emollient and moisturizing properties, and it is often used to prevent stretch marks, wrinkles, regenerate skin cells, restore skin elasticity, and for sun protection. This incredible ingredient may be used in lip balm, lotions, creams, belly butters, body butters, lotion bars, and soaps. It is also a great source of essential fatty acids and naturally contains antioxidants. Mango butter is one of the most universal butters, both because of its versatility and because of its incredible moisturizing properties.

Sal Butter

Sal butter comes from the Shorea tree of India, Shorea robusta, and has similar properties to Mango butter but differs slightly in scent and color. It is high in stearic and oleic acids, and is wonderful for the skin because of its high emolliency properties and exceptional oxidative stability. It moisturizes the skin, helps prevent wrinkles, and offers protection from the sun and other harsh elements. Sal butter has high oxidative and emulsion stability properties, making it a great choice for lotions and creams, and it may also be used in balms, body butters, soaps, and other bodycare products. It can be directly applied to the skin in its solid state, but is easiest to use when combined with liquid ingredients.

Shea Butter

Shea butter is derived from the vegetable fat of the African Karite Tree, Butyrospermum parkii, and is becoming increasingly popular in the natural bodycare industry for good reason. Shea Butter is an intense moisturizer for dry or dull skin, soothes, hydrates, balances the skin, assists with the prevention of wrinkles, contains essential fatty acids, helps protect the skin and hair from harsh elements, promotes skin renewal, increases circulation, accelerates wound healing, and is rich in Vitamins A, E, and F along with other vitamins and minerals. In addition, it is beneficial for the treatment of many different conditions, including stretch marks, itchy skin, rashes, Eczema, Dermatitis, sunburn, rough dry skin, insect bites, muscular aches and tension, chapped skin, and diaper rash. The butter is semi-soft and solid at room temperature, and readily absorbs into the skin immediately relieving dry irritated skin. This butter is perhaps the most well-known and respected of all the butters, and is highly recommended for anyone who wants to create a healing and beneficial skincare product.

Using Butters

Butters may be easily incorporated into almost any bodycare recipe, including (but not limited to): lotions, creams, body butter, lip balm, bath bombs, belly balm, salve, foot and hair care products, soaps, and hair conditioner. Here are some additional ways in which you can use butters:

Add a spoonful to bath water for a luxurious and healing experience. Especially helpful for those with dry or itchy skin, or sore muscles. Try adding Lavender or Chamomile essential oil as well, or an herbal infusion.
In massage, butters are beneficial for overexerted muscles or for dry skin. If the butter is too hard to use alone, warm the butter slightly over a double boiler, and add carrier oils and essential oils (if desired).
In soaps, butter has a conditioning effect and hardens soap bars. Try incorporating butters into your handmade soap recipes.
Massage butters into the scalp for dry scalp symptoms and to stimulate hair growth.
Use butters during pregnancy to keep the skin supple, and to prevent stretch marks. They may also be used after giving birth to reduce stretch marks.
Make whipped butters by warming butter with a carrier oil over a double boiler, allow it to solidify to a soft consistency at room temperature, and then whip the mixture in a food processor, blender, or with a stick blender.

To learn more about the butters offered by Mountain Rose Herbs click here

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease