Government name
Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter
Goes by
Cocoa butter
On a soap label, after saponification: Sodium Cocoa Butterate
The verdict
Superhero
Superpower
It's naturally firm at room temperature, thanks to its stearic and palmitic acids.
Cocoa butter's government name is Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter. Theobroma means "food of the gods," which is a pretty good name for the plant that gives us chocolate.
Superhero or supervillain?
Superhero. Its superpower is being solid at room temperature, which comes from its stearic and palmitic acids.
What it does in my soap
Cocoa butter helps make a hard, long-lasting bar and adds a creamy, rich feel to the lather. In lotion bars and body butters, it gives structure and a smooth, moisturizing feel. Once it's been made into soap, it shows up on the label as sodium cocoa butterate.
Where you’ll find it
In 4 things I make.
- Shampoo Bar · Rosemary Lavender
- Shampoo Bar · Rosemary Mint
- Shampoo Bar · Tea Tree Lemongrass
- Magnesium Body Butter
Usually seen with coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil and sunflower oil.
Don’t judge an ingredient by its government name. Judge it by the science.
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