Plant butters are, very simply put, extracts from fruits such as seeds, kernels, beans or nuts that have a “fatty” base. Butter melts on contact with the skin and represents an emollient and hydrating component. You can use them on their own or as part of formulations for the production of creams, body lotions and other skin and hair care products.
About this article
The article was prepared for you by Martina Oboňová. She will guide you through what a plant butter actually is, what active substances butters carry and what those substances do in cosmetics. You will also learn what “technical” and quality-related information you should know about butters — consistency, colour and scent, absorption and correct storage — and how unrefined, refined and deodorised butters differ from one another.
So what actually is plant butter?
Very simply put, it is basically an extract from fruits such as seeds, kernels, beans or nuts that have a “fatty” base.
Butter melts on contact with the skin and represents an emollient and hydrating component. It can be used on its own or as part of formulations for the production of creams, body lotions and other skin and hair care products.
In addition to hydration and nourishment, they often contribute in your products to stability, viscosity, or even hardness.
Main benefits
- Softening and hydration
Butter melts on contact with the skin and represents an emollient and hydrating component.
- On its own or in formulations
Butters can be used on their own or as part of formulations for the production of creams, body lotions and other skin and hair care products.
- Stability, viscosity, hardness
In addition to hydration and nourishment, they often contribute in your products to stability, viscosity, or even hardness.
- A wealth of active substances
Most butters contain essential fatty acids, vitamins, proteins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, phytosterols and tocopherol.
- Choosing by skin type
A light butter with fast absorption suits oily skin and hair; a thick, deeply hydrating butter is for treating dry and damaged skin.
Properties of plant butters
What can butter contain?
Most butters contain, in various ratios and combinations, the following components, which at the same time determine the way or area of use of a given butter:
Essential fatty acids
- create and maintain the skin’s natural lipid barrier
- hydrate the skin, thus preventing premature ageing and maintaining its youthful appearance
- nourish cells and protect the skin by forming an antimicrobial barrier
- prevent or reduce transepidermal water loss
Vitamins
- prevent skin ageing, while at the same time improving the condition of the skin, minimising the occurrence of wrinkles and age or pigment spots
- protect against the adverse effects of UV radiation
- nourish hair and skin, and also act effectively against hair loss and dandruff formation
- reduce swelling, redness and sensitive reactions on the skin
Proteins
- repair and create new cells and tissues
- contribute to the immunity of hair and skin
Minerals
- protect skin and hair from external destructive influences
- regulate sebum production and moisture
- support the growth of stronger hair
- exfoliate the skin
Antioxidants
- improve blood circulation and metabolism
- improve the condition and health of the skin
- strengthen hair and prevent its loss
Polyphenols
- show photoprotective properties (they protect skin and hair from the degenerative action of UV radiation)
- have antioxidant effects
- prevent collagen breakdown, thereby restoring the elasticity of the skin
- increase the moisture level of the skin and hair
Phytosterols
- their main role is to maintain cell structure, thus helping the healing of various skin damage such as dermatitis, psoriasis, acne, burns, scars and wounds; they therefore have both regenerative and anti-inflammatory effects
Tocopherol
- has natural preservative properties
- has anti-inflammatory effects
- accelerates wound healing and tissue regeneration
Technical and quality-related information
Before we move on to the characteristics of butter extraction processes, there is certain “technical” and quality-related information you should know about butters.
Consistency
Not all plant butters have the solid consistency that we naturally associate with butter. That does not mean they are spoiled. For example, avocado butter at room temperature has the form of a paste. Something like hummus. By contrast, cocoa butter is so hard that you could grate it on a grater like Parmesan.
Their consistency can significantly influence the final product, and if you want to substitute ingredients in a proven recipe, it is necessary to keep this aspect in mind.
Colour and scent
Colour and scent are undoubtedly the first aspects we intuitively evaluate when choosing a butter. Butters are, however, either odourless or have only a very mild aroma, usually sweet, nutty or characteristic of the plant material from which they originate.
In terms of colour, they differ significantly depending on the natural colour of the nuts, seeds or kernels from which they are extracted. Shea butter has a natural ivory colour, avocado butter has delicate greenish tones, and vegan butters such as bacuri or kombo are even dark cocoa brown, while, paradoxically, cocoa butter is yellowish.
Absorption
It is similar with the absorption of butter into the skin. Not all butters leave a greasy effect and some of them need to be massaged in for several minutes in order to ensure their complete absorption.
There are butters that are light, soft and quickly absorbed into the skin, yet leave a smooth, silky surface (for example kokum, cupuaçu, cocoa butter). On the other hand, there are butters that leave a strong moisturising barrier on the skin. These are not recommended for hypersensitive, acne-prone skin.
A natural raw material, natural variations: For the above criteria, it is also important to realise that butters are the result of the extraction of purely natural raw materials, therefore their consistency, colour or scent may differ from batch to batch, of course only within a certain permitted range. For each butter on our e-shop, you will also find an attached certificate that contains the exact values measured for the given batch.
Which butter you choose for your formulation is of course a matter of personal preference, but it is important to clarify in advance the intention, that is, the final effect of the product.
For example, a light butter with fast absorption and no greasy residue would be an excellent choice for oily skin or hair, because it would penetrate quickly through the skin and hair without clogging pores. On the other hand, a thick, deeply hydrating butter has a better effect for treating dry and damaged skin or hair.
Recommendation
In order for butter to retain its original properties for as long as possible (within its stated shelf life), it must also be stored at home under the right conditions. These are a cool, dark place, and the butter must be kept in an airtight container.
Degrees of processing of butters
If you use butters for your personal needs or work with them in the production of skin care products, you are certainly familiar with these attributes:
- organic/BIO
- refined butter
- unrefined butter
- deodorised
Unrefined butter
It is obtained by extraction from fruits without the use of chemicals and preservatives. It can be extracted by a combination of traditional hand-made methods and mechanical pressing. In this case we can say that it is a raw butter. It is the highest quality level of processing, in which all original vitamins, substances and fatty acids remain contained in the butter.
The butter also retains its natural scent and, compared to other forms of processing, has a correspondingly shorter minimum shelf life, which, as we have already mentioned, can be maintained precisely by the recommended method of storage. After the minimum shelf life has elapsed (with proper storage), the process of change in physical properties is much faster than in the case of butters processed by chemical means.
Refined butter
It is usually prepared with hexane or other petroleum solvents, and it is usually preserved at the same time. To a large extent it loses its original nutritional values, its consistency and structure also change, as well as its colour and scent.
An excellent example for comparison is shea butter, where you can see the difference with the naked eye. Although nowadays interest in unrefined and organic versions of plant butters is growing significantly, refined butters also have their advantages. They are indeed less nourishing, but still contain valuable substances, only to a lesser extent; on the other hand, they have a longer shelf life, and even after it has expired, the butters can still be used without concern.
If you need to supplement the hydrating component of your product specifically in the form of refined shea butter, it will guarantee you an effective active ingredient, it will not colour your product and will not perfume it with an odour that may be undesirable for some, and thanks to its longer guarantee it will not shorten the shelf life of your final product.
Deodorised butter
In the case of cocoa butter, you may also come across the attribute deodorised. As it is a butter with a more pronounced scent, the demand for a less fragrant version has required such an adjustment. Unfortunately, in this case as well, the deodorisation process did not only remove the scent, but, due to heat treatment, also changed the colour and nutritional values. As with refined shea butter, deodorised cocoa butter has similar processing advantages.
Frequently asked questions about plant butters
Practical questions about consistency, colour and scent, absorption, degrees of processing and the storage of butters.
My butter is not solid — is it spoiled?
No. Not all plant butters have the solid consistency that we naturally associate with butter, and that does not mean they are spoiled. Avocado butter has the form of a paste at room temperature, while cocoa butter is so hard that you could grate it like Parmesan.
Why do the colour and scent of butter differ from batch to batch?
Butters are the result of the extraction of purely natural raw materials, therefore their consistency, colour or scent may differ from batch to batch — of course only within a certain permitted range. For each butter on our e-shop, you will also find an attached certificate with the values measured for the given batch.
What is the difference between unrefined and refined butter?
Unrefined butter is obtained by extraction without the use of chemicals and preservatives — it is the highest quality level of processing, in which all original vitamins, substances and fatty acids remain in the butter, but it has a shorter minimum shelf life. Refined butter is usually prepared with hexane or other petroleum solvents and to a large extent loses its original nutritional values; its consistency, structure, colour and scent also change — on the other hand, it has a longer shelf life.
What does deodorised butter mean?
You will come across the attribute deodorised above all with cocoa butter, which has a more pronounced scent — the demand for a less fragrant version has required such an adjustment. The deodorisation process, however, did not only remove the scent: due to heat treatment, the colour and nutritional values change as well. For processing it has similar advantages to refined shea butter.
Which butter should you choose for your skin type?
It is important to clarify the intention in advance, that is, the final effect of the product. A light butter with fast absorption and no greasy residue is an excellent choice for oily skin or hair, because it penetrates quickly without clogging pores. A thick, deeply hydrating butter has a better effect for treating dry and damaged skin or hair; butters that leave a strong moisturising barrier are not recommended for hypersensitive, acne-prone skin.
How should you store butters at home?
So that butter retains its original properties for as long as possible within its stated shelf life, store it in a cool, dark place and in an airtight container.
Shea, cocoa, avocado and other plant butters — unrefined, refined and deodorised — are all part of the Handymade range of raw materials.
