The name Theobroma comes from Greek and means “food of the gods” — though calling it “a treat for everyone” might be more fitting these days.
Cacao fruits, and especially their seeds, are legendary as the key ingredient in chocolate — a flavor so complex it’s made up of over 1,200 compounds. Scientists still haven’t fully cracked the chemistry behind it, which just adds to the magic.
In skincare, cocoa butter is a well-loved, rich emollient known for its ability to deeply moisturize and soften dry or rough skin (think cracked hands or lips).
It’s firm at room temperature but melts into the skin on contact, delivering a mix of nourishing fatty acids like oleic, stearic, and palmitic acids. It’s also a natural source of antioxidant vitamin E and skin-loving polyphenols.
One lab study on human skin samples found that cocoa polyphenols (at just 0.5–0.75%) improved skin tone, boosted elasticity, and even supported collagen and hydration levels — with results comparable to a premium moisturizer from a big-name brand.
In short, if your skin is feeling dry or depleted, cocoa butter is a tried-and-true go-to.
You can find it in our stoe in Hemp CBD Balm no. 12
