Raw, organic cocoa butter (also known as Cacao butter) is an ideal skin care product because it contains a large number of antioxidants that act synergistically to present a massive offensive against the free radicals that destroy your skin cells and lead to premature aging.
According to Wikipedia, free radicals are closely associated with oxidative damage. Antioxidants are reducing agents, and limit oxidative damage to biological structures by passivating free radicals. Think of what happens to an apple that has been sliced open and remains exposed to the air for only a short bit of time. This is oxidative damage. Free radicals are also formed by exposure to pollutants such as pesticides, and particularly the various toxic components of tobacco smoke.
Free radicals destroy cells; including skin cells. As they begin to do their damage on your skin, your skin cells quickly begin to age. Your skin wrinkles and dries up, and you begin to appear years older than you are. This is where the benefits of antioxidants help protect your cells. Cocoa butter contains a large number of antioxidants, much larger than blueberries and many other super foods, which neutralize a wide range of free radicals and superoxides. Cocoa butter is loaded with Vitamin E; a strong antioxidant – the strongest of all the antioxidant vitamins in fact, and can easily neutralize oxidizing agents. Cocoa butter also contains high does of vitamins A and C.
It has been scientifically proven that cocoa butter will prevent skin degradation due to the harmful effects of the UV light in the rays of the sun – UV radiation generates free radicals that are very effective at destroying skin. Just look at the effect of sunburn! Cocoa butter is an excellent shield against these harmful UV rays.
Cocoa butter also contains a large number of highly bioavailable minerals that are more effective in their natural plant form than from a vitamin; calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper and iron. It also contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is involved in the formation of serotonin, the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter, and also dopamine and phenylethylamine, that are all great components to helping you feel great. Cocoa butter works to help you feel better from the inside out.
Without a doubt, there are few better skin care products than cocoa butter.
Here’s the recap of this beautiful ingredient:
- Highly effective against fight free radicals
- Loaded with bioavailable vitamins and minerals
- Helps increase hydration
- Decreases skin roughness and scaling
- Supports UV damage control from overexposure to the sun
- Improves blood flow and vessel function
- Forms a micro-thin barrier that seals in moisture while still allowing your skin to easily breathe.
