Kokum Butter, Refined, 100 g

Kokum butter, refined, is a plant-based butter pressed from the seeds of the Garcinia indica tree, added to formulations as a firm-textured emollient. It softens the skin, helps retain moisture and at the same time adds body to creams, balms and body butters. In a formulation it therefore serves two purposes at once: it conditions the skin and holds the shape of the product.

It suits facial, body and hair care, lip balms and nail preparations. According to the manufacturer's data, it absorbs quickly and leaves no heavy greasy feel after application, making it suitable for lighter emulsions as well.

What kokum butter brings to a formulation

• Skin softening and protection – as an emollient it softens and smooths the skin and forms a thin layer on it that slows water evaporation. The manufacturer recommends it especially for dry, rough and cracked skin.
• Hydration and skin barrier support – the lipid layer helps the skin retain its own moisture, resulting in a smoother and more supple surface. The outcome depends on the dosage and the rest of the formulation.
• Fast absorption – according to the manufacturer's data, the butter absorbs into the skin quickly and leaves no greasy film.
• Hair care – the manufacturer states that in hair butters, conditioners and masks it softens dry and damaged hair and makes it easier to style.
• Product structure – the high content of stearic acid gives the butter its firmness, making it suitable wherever you need to reinforce consistency: in sticks, lip balms or solid body butters.

Use in a formulation

Kokum butter belongs in the oil phase. It dissolves in oils, not in water, so it only enters products with a water phase via emulsion. The melting point is in the range of 30 – 40 °C, meaning it gradually melts by body heat on the skin and spreads easily.

When making emulsions, the butter is melted together with the other oils, waxes and emulsifier; the recommended processing temperature is up to 80 °C. For anhydrous products, heating just above the melting point is sufficient, then liquid oils and other heat-tolerant ingredients are added.

Indicative dosage is 1 – 15 % in emulsions and creams. In body butters and balms the proportion can be higher; the upper limit is determined by the desired firmness and skin feel. In light facial creams, keep to the lower end of the range – at higher proportions the product will thicken and spread less easily.

Suitable for products such as

• Body butters and balms – the butter can make up the main part of the fat component and give the product its shape.
• Lip balms and lip sticks – firmness improves stick shape retention, and the emollient effect conditions chapped lips.
• Hand and foot creams – for dry and rough skin where a more substantial lipid component is appropriate.
• Facial creams and emulsions – at lower dosage as part of the oil phase for dry skin.
• Hair masks, conditioners and massage sticks – according to the manufacturer's data it softens dry and damaged hair; suitable for rinse-off and leave-on products alike.
• Nail and cuticle creams – the firm consistency stays on the small area and does not run.

Good to know

The fatty acid profile consists predominantly of stearic acid (38 – 53 %) and oleic acid (30 – 45 %), with smaller proportions of palmitic and linoleic acid. The low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, reflected in an iodine value of 33 – 55, means the butter has little tendency towards oxidation and will not impair the stability of the oil phase.

It is obtained by mechanical pressing, filtration and refining. It is palm-free, vegan and holds Kosher certification. Refined butter has a light colour and does not impart noticeable colouring to a formulation: at typical dosage levels it will not affect the shade of a cream; in anhydrous products at a higher proportion you will get a white to slightly yellowish mass.

As a purely fatty raw material, it does not require a preservative. A preservative is only needed once the butter is incorporated into a product with a water phase, where its selection is governed by the entire formulation.

Compatibility with common cosmetic raw materials is unrestricted. When combining with waxes and other solid butters, we recommend testing a small sample and leaving it to cure for 24 hours, as the consistency continues to change after it has fully set.

How it differs from shea and cocoa butter

Kokum butter is firmer than shea butter, which is soft, spreads easily and leaves a more pronounced protective film. In terms of consistency it is closer to cocoa butter, but has a neutral scent with no cocoa tone, so it will not introduce a cocoa aroma to the finished product. When you need to firm up a formulation while avoiding the scent of cocoa, kokum butter is a suitable substitute. When you want a rich, soft and easily spreadable product, shea butter is more appropriate, or you can combine both butters.

Frequently asked questions