Skin Nourishing Plant Butters

Many of our favorite nourishing skincare products use one or more plant butters to moisturize, soothe, and protect skin. They’re are derived from seed pods, nuts, and other parts of plants from around the world. Plant butters contain high levels of fatty acids that make them ideal for use in skincare products. Used to soothe, protect, and nourish skin, Plant butters are used on their own or incorporated into other beauty or skincare products.

It’s easy to find skincare and beauty products that use a variety of plant butters. However, learning about what benefits those butters provide can be more difficult. Different skin types need different care, and the same one may not provide the same benefits to everyone. We’ve gathered information on some of our favorite and most-used plant butters to help you understand the benefits of each kind of butter. Using that knowledge, you can pick the ones that are best for your skin:

1 |  Cocoa Butter

Because it’s one of the most commonly used plant butters, many people are already familiar with the benefits of Cocoa butter. It’s packed with Vitamin E, which makes it incredibly nourishing for the skin. It also contains naturally-occurring antioxidants. Products containing Cocoa butter are usually very easy to identify thanks to this plant butter’s light chocolatey scent. While cocoa butter is extremely nourishing and hydrating, it’s likely not ideal for acne-prone skin.

2 |  Mango Butter

Mango butter is not as widely known as Cocoa butter, but that may change as more people find out about its benefits! This plant butter comes from mango seeds, which are cold-pressed to extract the butter itself. Mango butter is loaded with oleic acid, which makes it effective on rough, cracked skin. It’s already being used in many nourishing skincare products, particularly those that help with cracked, dry skin. It’s also very popular in lip balms due to its light, fruity scent.

3 |  Shea Butter

Shea butter is widely-used, appearing in many skincare products. There are many good reasons for that. Not only is it packed with Vitamins A, E, and F, but it also contains collagen and provides sun protection. Shea butter can be mixed with other butters for use in a variety of skincare products. There are actually two different varieties of Shea butter. Both come from African shea tree seeds, but eastern Shea butter has a much softer, creamier texture.

4 |  Kokum Butter

If you’re a DIY skincare product developer, you may already be familiar with Kokum butter. This plant butter comes from the seeds of mangosteen trees, and is frequently used to thicken natural skincare products. Having a dry, flaky texture, it’s best mixed with another butter, making good use of its antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. With a very high melting point, it’s great for stabilizing products like deodorant or soap!

5 |  Hemp Butter

While Hemp seed oil has been a popular skincare ingredient for years, Hemp seed butter is a relatively new option. Unlike many of the other plant butters on this list, it’s usually a combination of Hemp seed oil and hydrogenated vegetable oil. This allows for better absorption of hemp seed oil’s nutrients, including amino acids and proteins that help rejuvenate, nourish, and protect the skin. It can also soothe irritation and works with both dry and oily skin.

6 |  Cupuacu Butter

For many readers, Cupuacu butter may be the least-known plant butter on this list. It’s only been used in North America for a few years, although it has a long history of use in skincare and beauty products in its native South America. This plant butter comes from the seed pods of the cupuacu tree, which is a close relative of cacao. It has similar properties as Cocoa butter, but an even stronger chocolate scent and more powerful moisturizing properties.

Plant Butters Soothe & Protect

These are some of our favorite plant butters, but we’ve barely scratched the surface. There are countless exotic and commonly-used plant butters that you can incorporate into your skincare routine to beautifully nourish, soothe, and protect your skin. Learn more about plant-based skincare, check out some of the best all-natural moisturizer ingredients. Be sure to check out our ultimate guide to the best body body butters too!