Cupuacu butter is becoming a popular ingredient in skin care products and after  learning more about it, we’ve decided to use it in some of our formulations, so we want to tell you more about it.  Also known as Cupuassu butter it is obtained from a fruit that grows in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest. It’s botanical name is Theobroma grandiflorun and is very closely related to cocoa. The pulp that surrounds the seed is used to produce juice, jam and ice-cream, while the seeds are pressed to remove the oily butter.

Cupuacu Butter for Skincare

There are a number of reasons that cupuacu butter makes a great ingredient in skin care. This exotic plant butter is a very rich emollient for the skin. It has a low melting point so it readily absorbs into the skin where it can help dry, flaky skin. It is high in phenolic compounds such as proanthocyanidins that protect the skin from oxidative damage. Cupuacu butter contains flavonoinds including theograndins. These antioxidants offer potential protection against oxidative stress associated with chronic diseases and premature aging. It is also high in phytosterols, especially beta-sitosterol.  These also act as anti-inflammatory agents.  People in the Amazon have used it to help sun-damaged skin. 

Chemical Make up of Cupuacu Butter

Cupuacu butter is primarily long chain fatty acids that form triglycerides. Oleic acid is the main fatty acid found in cupuacu butter at 30-43% followed by lauric acid at about 25%.  It helps maintain skin elasticity and hydration.

This butter is used to prevent dry skin, wrinkles, and restore flexibility and elasticity to the skin. Importantly, cupuacu butter has a high capacity for holding water. In fact, it can hold up to 4 times its weight in water making it great to help hydrate skin. Because of this it makes a good substitute for lanolin. It’s moisturizing properties can also help restore the skin barrier function. It also works well in hair products.

Read More

You can read more about cupuacu butter on Wikipedia.
or here: Fleck CA, Newman M. Advanced Skin Care – A Novel Ingredient. J Am Coll Clin Wound Spec. 2014;4(4):92-94. Published 2014 Mar 25. doi:10.1016/j.jccw.2014.02.002

We use cupuacu butter in out Allure Lip Conditioner and our Dream Lake Body Butter.