Cocoa butter comes from the seed kernels of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), native to the tropical forests of Central and South America and now cultivated across West Africa, which supplies the majority of the world's cocoa. The kernels are fermented, dried, roasted, and pressed to extract the fat. A process that yields one of the hardest and most stable of all plant-derived butters.
Why we use it
Cocoa butter is what gives our body butters their density and slow-melt behaviour. Where shea butter provides the base softness and absorbency, cocoa butter contributes structure. The combination of the two creates a texture that feels substantial on application but melts cleanly into skin without residue.
Its fatty acid profile is dominated by stearic and oleic acids, the same combination that makes it exceptionally stable on the skin's surface. It forms a light occlusive layer that holds moisture in without feeling heavy or greasy, particularly on dry areas like elbows, knees, and heels.
Two grades, two purposes
Like our shea butter, we source cocoa butter in two forms depending on the product.
In our scented body butters, lip balms and soaps, we use pure prime pressed crude cocoa butter, which is minimally processed, cream-coloured, and carrying the characteristic faint warmth of cacao. It retains more of the naturally occurring compounds from the bean and contributes a subtle depth to the base formula.
In our Unscented Body Butter and Unscented Lip Balm, we use ultra-refined deodorized cocoa butter, processed to a bright white with no detectable scent. As with our unscented shea, the priority is a genuinely neutral base, any trace of the cacao note would compromise the unscented promise.
The cacao tree
Cocoa butter is a co-product of chocolate manufacturing, extracted during the same pressing process that separates cocoa solids from cocoa fat. The cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) whose genus name translates roughly as "food of the gods", produces large pods directly from its trunk and branches. Each pod contains 20 to 50 seeds embedded in a sweet white pulp.
West Africa, particularly Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, produces around 70% of the world's cocoa supply. The supply chain is complex and well-documented for its challenges around labour practices, something the industry continues to work through. We source through suppliers with ethical sourcing commitments and avoid making certification claims we can't verify.
In our products
Cocoa butter makes up 20% of our body butter formula by weight, working alongside shea butter as the structural foundation of the blend. In soap, it contributes hardness and a conditioning, creamy lather. You'll also find it in our lip balms, where its firmer texture helps the formula hold its shape in the cardboard tube while still melting readily on contact.
