Ingredient Library
Cacao
Theobroma cacao
Cacao is an antioxidant-rich bean whose butter and extract nourish, soften, and help defend skin against daily stress. Rich and comforting, it suits dull, dry, and stressed skin.
A natural history
Cacao comes from the seeds of Theobroma cacao, a name that means food of the gods. Native to the rainforests of the Americas, it was cultivated and revered by the Maya and the Aztec, who whisked the beans into a sacred drink and prized them so highly the beans were used as money. Beyond the cup, the bean is rich in protective plant compounds, and it is this antioxidant cacao extract, not the butter, that we use here.
What it does for your skin
Cacao is dense in polyphenols, chiefly the flavanols epicatechin and catechin, antioxidants that help neutralize the free radicals behind visible aging. In a 24-week randomized, controlled trial, regular cocoa-flavanol intake improved skin elasticity and softened the look of wrinkles in photo-aged skin.[1] In a formula, that antioxidant activity helps defend the complexion against daily environmental stress while keeping skin calm and comfortable.
References
[1] Yoon HS, et al. Cocoa flavanol supplementation influences skin conditions of photo-aged women: a 24-week double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. J Nutr. 2016;146(1):46-50. doi:10.3945/jn.115.217711
Found in these formulas
Questions, answered
Yes. Cacao is rich in flavanol antioxidants that help defend skin against daily environmental stress, and in a controlled trial cocoa flavanols improved skin elasticity and softened the look of wrinkles.
It supplies protective polyphenols (epicatechin and catechin) that help neutralize the free radicals behind visible aging, while keeping skin calm and comfortable.
No. We use antioxidant cacao extract from the bean, not the butter, prized for its polyphenols rather than its richness.
You'll find antioxidant cacao in our Manuka Honey Mud Mask.