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What Are Cocoa Butter Sticks?

Felicia Dye
Felicia Dye

Cocoa butter sticks are tubes that contain the fatty substance from cocoa beans. They are generally used for beauty purposes, such as application to scars or to chapped skin. The sticks may also be used for general moisturizing purposes. They come in a variety of sizes and may be pure or have other ingredients blended in.

The solid fat derived from cocoa beans is known as cocoa butter. Although it is edible, it is also commonly used beauty purposes. When this is the case, it may be packaged in tubes.

Cocoa butter is made of the solid fat collected from cocoa beans.
Cocoa butter is made of the solid fat collected from cocoa beans.

Cocoa butter sticks come in a variety of sizes. Some may be as small as a tube of lip moisturizer. There are several reasons why the substance is packaged this way. To begin with, this vegetable fat is often recommended for beauty conditions, such as scars and stretch marks. When used for these purposes, it may be suggested that the cocoa butter be applied several times per day. Having it in a tube allows for easy transport and convenient application.

Cocoa butter sticks may be used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
Cocoa butter sticks may be used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Using sticks of cocoa butter also allows a person to be able to apply the substance without having to touch it. Cocoa butter tends to transform from a solid to an oil when it is applied due an individual's body temperature. When this happens, it becomes greasy, which may be undesirable in situations where a person is working with documents or tools that require a tight grip. The availability of varying sizes of cocoa butter sticks also encourages use on various parts of the body. A tube that is small enough for the lips may be frustrating if the substance needs to be applied to the legs, for example.

Moisturizing cocoa butter can be used to help alleviate dry or chapped lips.
Moisturizing cocoa butter can be used to help alleviate dry or chapped lips.

Usually a cocoa butter stick will have a replaceable cap. The substance may be advanced by a wind-up mechanism at the bottom of the tube or by a hole that allows a user to insert her finger and push it up. Although they are easy to carry, store, and facilitate convenient application, cocoa butter sticks present a minor drawback. When the amount of cocoa butter in them is compared to cocoa butter packaged by other means, it may be more expensive.

In addition to value, when purchasing a cocoa butter stick a person should be sure that she gets the product that she is looking for. Sometimes cocoa butter can be blended with other substances, such as aloe. Products that are totally cocoa bean fat should have wording on their packages indicating that it is 100-percent cocoa butter, pure cocoa butter, or something to that effect.

Discussion Comments

julies

I use a cocoa butter lotion that I bought at a craft sale. This is poured into an empty deodorant stick container.

At first glance you would think it is a stick of deodorant, but it is a lotion in solid form that contains cocoa butter.

This is great for putting on my heels and bottom of my feet. I don't have to mess with a liquid lotion and it seems to keep my feet softer. My body temperature easily softens this and it absorbs right into my skin without feeling greasy.

There are also a lot of shea butter benefits. This solid lotion I use has a combination of shea butter and cocoa butter which is one reason I think it works so well.

myharley

I love using beauty products that contain shea butter and cocoa butter. They have some of the most natural, moisturizing ingredients you can find.

I have used cocoa butter for acne scars on my face and feel like it has diminished some of the scars. Cocoa butter is supposed to be really beneficial to help heal scars and burns.

It also feels so good when it is rubbed on my skin. I can feel it penetrating and think the oil is going deep to repair some of the damage that has been done.

I like to apply this at night after I have removed my makeup. This gives it a chance to work through the night without being covered up with other products on my face.

It can also be a little bit greasy which is another reason I like to use it at night.

John57

@bagley79 - I never thought about making my own cocoa butter sticks before. I don't go anywhere without some kind of lip balm in my pocket, and find that I have to apply it many times throughout the day.

I will have to check the label on my lip balm and see if it contains any cocoa butter or not. If not, I will either find some that does, or maybe I will start making my own as well.

I have used cocoa butter on stretch marks but don't know if it has made much of a difference. I have never really found any kind of cream or lotion that has helped with these.

bagley79

I make my own cocoa butter sticks that are made with cocoa butter, beeswax and a few drops of vitamin E. I have also added honey before, but usually prefer to make them without the honey.

These are so easy and inexpensive when you make them yourself. I order my supplies from an online company that sells beauty supplies, including the tubes to store it in.

All I do is melt the ingredients in the microwave and pour it into the tubes. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

Sometimes I will add different essential oils if I want some extra flavor. I have found this to be much better than anything I have bought at the store.

I don't have to reapply it nearly as often, and my lips stay soft and smooth all year long.

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    • Cocoa butter is made of the solid fat collected from cocoa beans.
      By: Jiri Hera
      Cocoa butter is made of the solid fat collected from cocoa beans.
    • Cocoa butter sticks may be used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
      By: Leo Lintang
      Cocoa butter sticks may be used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
    • Moisturizing cocoa butter can be used to help alleviate dry or chapped lips.
      By: alex83ch
      Moisturizing cocoa butter can be used to help alleviate dry or chapped lips.