12 Amazing Benefits of Body Butter for Dry Skin
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We’ve all heard of body butter. Just like lotions, body butter is a beauty product that can help moisturize and protect your skin.
However, referring to body butter as a regular lotion is a disservice to the product. Body butter is a thicker, denser version of the creams and lotions you usually find in the drugstore skincare aisle.
So what does body butter do? Is body butter good for your skin?
Body butter is a beauty product used to help combat and heal dry or sensitive skin. Simultaneously, it also helps to nourish and protect your skin.
There are several different kinds of body butter. They are a perfect choice if you are looking for a reliable skin moisturizer and an alternative to the more processed, chemical-filled lotions made of synthetic ingredients.
Want to try body butter but are unsure what kind to choose or how it can benefit your skin? We’ll break it down for you!
Discover the different types of body butter, how to use it, and how it can help give you glowing, healthy skin.
Table of Contents
Kinds of Body Butter
Body butters are thick emollients that combine fat extracts, natural plant-based essential oils, and fragrances.
Unlike lotions, which tend to have a higher water content that makes them more liquid in consistency, body butter is thicker and creamier.
Experts agree that natural and organic body butter is a good product for dry, sensitive, and cracked skin. They contain high amounts of natural ingredients derived from different sources. that are rich in nutritious vitamins too.
Here are the different types of natural butters:
Shea Butter
Shea butter comes from the mushy nut seeds of the African shea tree. It contains a wide range of fatty acids like linolenic acid, oleic acid, and other acids that nourish the skin.
Moreover, shea butter is an anti-inflammatory that helps combat skin redness and irritation. It is the most commonly used body butter to make your skin soft, silky, and healthy.
Cocoa Butter
Just like shea butter, cocoa butter is another one of the most popular types of body butter. It’s made from cacao plant seeds (yes, the same as chocolate!) and has a host of various benefits.
This thick butter can help clear skin impurities, nourish your skin, and even battle dandruff.
Coconut Butter
Coconut butter comes from the meat of fresh coconuts. The coconut fruit flesh is cold-pressed to create coconut oil that becomes solid at room temperature.
Coconut butter contains magnesium, potassium, vitamins, and fatty acids. Alongside hydration, it’s often used for anti-aging and skin brightening.
Mango Butter
Mango butter is made from the seeds of mangoes. This butter is enriched with the fruit’s vitamins like C and A and contains antioxidants.
Because this butter takes longer to absorb into the skin, it’s an excellent choice for people with very dry skin. It also helps minimize dark spots and brighten skin.
Almond Butter
Almond butter comes from almond nuts and contains omega 6 and vitamin E. These ingredients make almond butter a good choice to boost skin elasticity, help reduce wrinkles and stretch marks, and treat dry or flaky skin.
Kokum Butter
Kokum butter has organic fatty acids, along with antioxidants. It is lightweight and derived from the seeds of the sour kokum fruit.
This butter is ideal for skin prone to acne. It can also be used to help with conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and more.
Olive Butter
Olive butter is created from olives and is often sold on its own. However, some olive butter products are infused with coconut oil or shea butter to thicken them and create a creamy finish.
Olive butter is highly moisturizing and can feel heavy upon initial application. However, it’s quickly absorbed by the skin and doesn’t leave a sticky finish.
Avocado Butter
Avocado butter is known to be anti-inflammatory and contains antioxidants. This makes it an ideal choice to heal dry skin and soothe irritations.
Just like kokum butter, it is also suitable for skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis.
Macadamia Butter
Alongside the nutrients and vitamins, macadamia butter also contains flavonoids that are great for protecting the skin from damage and dryness.
What Do You Do With Body Butter?
Body butter’s primary purpose is to hydrate your skin, but there are also many different ways to use it to get glowing skin and improve elasticity.
Here are some of our favorite uses for body butter:
- Full body moisturizer
- Hand and foot cream
- Treatment for dry patches
- Hair revitalizer
- Lip care
- Aftershave moisturizer
- Stretch mark and wrinkle reducer
Some are even mild enough that you can use a bit of body butter on your face too. Just be sure to check for any potential irritation before regular use.
The Benefits of Body Butter for Skin
Now that you know the different kinds and uses of hydrating body butter, let’s look at the many butter benefits for the skin. Body butter can be an effective tool in your skincare regimen when used regularly.
Here are the top 12 benefits of regularly using body butters:
- Keep skin hydrated and soft
The main benefit of body butter is moisturizing skin and boosting hydration. Body butter ensures your skin stays hydrated, plump, and elastic.
- Ensure skin is soft and supple
Alongside penetrating the layers of your skin and delivering hydration to the deeper skin tissues, body butter ensures your skin’s surface remains smooth and supple.
- Create a defensive barrier on the skin’s surface
Because of its thicker texture, body butter takes longer to absorb than regular lotion. This slower absorption allows it to create a defensive hydration barrier on your skin’s surface to lock in moisture.
- Reduce wrinkles, scars, and stretch marks
Because body butters are high in natural oils and fatty acids, they help enhance your skin’s elasticity while reducing wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars.
- Combat eczema or other skin issues
The nutrients and vitamins in body butter can help soothe aggravated skin, making them helpful against eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. The best butters for this purpose include shea, kokum, and cocoa butter.
- Sunscreen partner
Body butters like shea butter and cocoa butter provide added sun protection and can be used in tandem with your regular sunscreen to help keep skin smooth and protected while outdoors and exposed to UV rays.
- Promote hair growth and health
The benefits of body butter don’t stop at the skin. Natural body butters contain vitamin E and are wonderful for stressed, dry, or unhealthy hair too.
Many hair products like masks and conditioners use body butter in their products because of this.
A small amount of body butter massaged into the tips of your hair can make your tresses shiny, sweet-smelling, and healthy.
- Anti-aging
Thanks to the antioxidants in body butter, regular use of body butter will improve skin cell collagen production. This helps fade fine lines and wrinkles and keep skin youthful and supple.
- Treating and diminishing dry patches
Body butters can help reduce dry patches on your skin and treat uneven pigmentation and rough spots. Mango butter is excellent for patchy, dry, or flaky skin.
- Protecting lips
As we mentioned, the uses of body butter as a natural emollient go beyond the skin. It also functions as an excellent natural alternative for treating chapped or dry lips, promoting healing by filling in the cracks and restoring plump and healthy lips.
- Treatment for hands and feet
Body butters are also effective as pampering lotions for your hands and feet.
Aside from benefiting hair and lips, the ingredients in natural body butters are ideal cuticle savers for your hands. And their ability to battle dry and flaking skin makes them ideal for ensuring your heels remain soft and smooth.
- Makeup Remover
Body butter can also help you remove stubborn makeup. Just apply a little on a cotton pad and use it to help dissolve makeup before washing your face. It even works on difficult mascara.Â
How to Apply Body Butter
With so many benefits of butter for the skin, it’s essential to use it properly to ensure you are utilizing it fully.
When applying your chosen butter, follow these simple steps.
- Take a shower
Body butter is most effective on clean and moist skin, like other body creams and oils. So before applying it to your skin, take a bath. When finished, pat the skin dry but leave it slightly damp to help in product absorption.
- Generously apply product
While your skin is damp, rub body butter between your palms, and then massage the butter onto your skin using wide strokes.
Just be sure not to push all the product into your skin too vigorously. Allow a little to remain on the skin’s surface.
- Target problem areas
If you have dry patches on your elbows, knees, or heels, apply a little more butter to ensure these body parts get enough hydration. And be sure to keep a little for your palms as they are often overlooked.
- Let your skin soak it in
After applying the body butter, give it time to soak into your skin. Don’t throw a robe on just yet, or you might inadvertently wipe the product off.
Give your skin some time to absorb the butter while you dry your hair or brush your teeth.
- Get dried and dressed
After you’ve given your skin some time to absorb the product, you can get dressed as usual. If you are using body butter in tandem with sunscreen, apply the sunscreen after putting on the body butter, and you’re good to go.
Commonly Asked Questions About Body Butter Benefits
There is no doubt that body butter can help you ensure your skin is feeling smooth and supple. We answer some of your top questions about this natural beauty product.
How often should I apply body butter?
It depends on skin type. If your skin is dry or flaky, it’s okay to use body butter daily. If your skin is normal or oily, you can use it every two to three days or even just once a week on dry and problematic areas.
Does body butter lighten skin?
Some body butters are good for lightening skin. Shea butter specifically makes your skin look lighter with regular continued use.
What is body butter good for?
Body butter will help you target dry skin and rough patches, leaving your skin feeling silky smooth and looking healthier.
Is body butter better than moisturizer?
In general, most body butters are thicker and richer than body creams. This makes them an ideal choice for skin that needs more intense nourishment.
Additionally, butters are often made with natural ingredients making them less refined than most skin moisturizers on the market.
Is homemade body butter good?
If you find good ingredients, you can make a good homemade butter that suits your specific needs. Just look at the different types of butter, like cocoa or mango butter, to decide which is best for you.
Is body butter good for your face?
Because it helps soothe and nourish skin, you can use body butter on your face if your skin is very dry. It’s not recommended to use if your skin is oily.
Some butters contain comedogenic oils, which can sometimes clog the pores on your face.
Can I use body butter on my hair?
Yes. All-natural body butters can be used to keep hair soft and smooth. Some types, like cocoa butter, can even battle dandruff.
Your chosen butter can be added to hair masks or even massaged into the roots and tips of the hair. Just rinse it off gently with warm water.
Be Sure to Add Body Butter to Your Beauty Routine
Body butters are very effective and versatile products you can use on your skin, hair, lips, hands, feet, and even on your face.
Most body butters work the same, but some may be more effective against specific problems. It’s beneficial to decide what you need it for the most when selecting which body butter to use.
Grab a tub of body butter today to experience how this multipurpose beauty product can boost your skincare routine and keep your skin supple, smooth, soft, and healthy.
What’s your favorite skin moisturizer and why? Let us know in the comments.
