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What are the Different Types of Body Butter Lotion?

Sheryl Butterfield
Sheryl Butterfield
Sheryl Butterfield
Sheryl Butterfield

Body butter lotion contains rich, hydrating natural butters to protect skin. These butters make up the base of different types of body butter lotion. The butters are originally extracted from seeds and nuts around the world. Through cold-press methods or grinding the seeds or nut kernels, the extracted mixture releases beneficial fatty acids and oils. These are mixed with other ingredients to form homemade or commercial moisturizers.

All-natural butters lend themselves to being whipped into smooth and creamy textures, making them perfect for body butter lotion. Hydration occurs when the mixture establishes a barrier on the skin's surface. This barrier protects skin from harsh, drying elements, such as heating, air conditioning, sun, and wind.

People with eczema may use body butter to soften the skin.
People with eczema may use body butter to soften the skin.

Popular body butter lotions most often use Shea, mango, coconut and almond butter as a main component. Shea butter is a fat culled from the African savannah's karite nut trees. Shea butter lotions are used not only for hydrating but may heal sores and burns or diminish scars and stretch marks. Shea butter has a high level of fatty acid. Unrefined, pure Shea butter is available at vitamin and health stores. To enhance texture and odor, however, many Shea butter lotions are refined. In fact, some body butter lotion contains only small amounts of Shea butter.

Some rich, hydrating lotions contain natural butters to protect the skin.
Some rich, hydrating lotions contain natural butters to protect the skin.

Unlike Shea, mango butter has a pleasant sweet smell. The tropical evergreen mango tree produces fruit and mango butter comes from extraction of the fruit's kernel. With a soft consistency and high level of oxidants, mango butter is often added to sunburn healing or itch-relief lotions. Body butter lotions with mango butter are sometimes recommended by dermatologists treating patients for blemishes or wrinkles.

Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.
Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.

Another popular type of body butter lotion is made with cocoa butter, not to be confused with coconut butter. Cocoa butter comes from the cacao seed, and is the fat that makes chocolate smooth. For centuries, cocoa butter has been used as a skin moisturizer. It is added to many body butter lotions today because its cocoa mass polyphenol inhibits irritating skin conditions and it is easily absorbed by skin.

Cocoa butter is made from the cacao seed.
Cocoa butter is made from the cacao seed.

Coconut body butter lotions contain coconut oil, the liquid form of coconut butter. It is edible, coming from the meat inside a coconut, and acts as a natural moisturizer once produced into an oil. Coconut butter can be used in its pure form as a lotion. Its high saturated fat content may help with its long shelf life.

Body butter lotions are often the preferred treatments for skin problems such as eczema. Many medications used to treat these types of conditions contain steroids. For allergy sufferers and consumers who do not desire contact with steroids, natural butters make sense.

Sheryl Butterfield
Sheryl Butterfield

Sheryl is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colorado. She specializes in articles about environmental issues, renewable energy, and parenting teenagers.

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Sheryl Butterfield
Sheryl Butterfield

Sheryl is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colorado. She specializes in articles about environmental issues, renewable energy, and parenting teenagers.

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Discussion Comments

Talentryto

@heavanet- I love coconut body butter lotion for areas of my body that get very dry. It is great for elbows, knees, hands, and feet because its rich consistency is super moisturizing. Once you put it on, the moisturizing effects of this lotion seems to last for hours.

Though it is good for a lot of things, I do not recommend using coconut butter lotion for your face. Since it contains the extremely rich oils of the coconut, it has the tendency to cause outbreaks of pimples on delicate facial skin.

Ocelot60

@heavanet- I love almond butter lotion. Not only is it rich and creamy, but the smell can't be beat. It reminds me of a lotion that my mother use to use as a child, so it works great, smells fantastic, and also brings back good memories.

Heavanet

Wish so many different types of body butter lotions to choose from, it is hard to choose the best one. Does anyone have any favorites that they would like to share?

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    • People with eczema may use body butter to soften the skin.
      By: quayside
      People with eczema may use body butter to soften the skin.
    • Some rich, hydrating lotions contain natural butters to protect the skin.
      By: Africa Studio
      Some rich, hydrating lotions contain natural butters to protect the skin.
    • Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.
      By: alexmisu
      Coconut oil is a popular oil to use in body butter.
    • Cocoa butter is made from the cacao seed.
      By: Printemps
      Cocoa butter is made from the cacao seed.