There are a number of things to think about when selecting coconut body butter, a body care product which is designed to be used as an intensive moisturizer for the skin. This product may or may not be coconut scented, depending on the ingredients, and it can provide varying degrees of moisture and skin protection, again depending on what it contains. As a general rule, it is designed to be applied after bathing, when the pores are open and the skin will absorb a moisturizing product more readily.
The first thing to evaluate when deciding on a coconut body butter to purchase is the ingredients list. The product should contain coconut products such as coconut oil as the first ingredients, but it usually contains a blend of oils. Cacao butter is a popular blending material, as are shea butter, kukui oil, and mango butter. Other oils and generic oils may not be as beneficial.
Some coconut body butters are designed as creams, which makes them easier to spread. A cream will remain soft and spreadable at any temperature, and is made by whipping oils. True body butters may become stiff and hard at cold temperatures, and they can be prone to separation in the cold. Both creams and butters can be excellent moisturizers, but creams can be easier to handle and less greasy.
Additional ingredients are something else to think about with coconut body butter. Stabilizers are usually added to prevent the oils from going rancid, and these can include natural stabilizers such as grapeseed extract, along with artificial stabilizers. If a coconut body butter contains a lot of ingredients which are hard to pronounce, it can be a sign that it doesn't have as many natural oils, and may not be as beneficial.
Scent can be an issue as well. The natural oils used to make coconut body butters usually have fairly mild scents. If it has a strong coconut odor, this may be artificial or the result of adding purified coconut extract. Other scents may be added as well, such as mango or pineapple. For people who are sensitive to scents, it is a good idea to check the sample, if one is available, and if one is not, to read the list closely for ingredients which list “extract” or “scent” in their names.
Cost is a factor for many buyers. High quality coconut body butter tends to be expensive, because it contains pricey ingredients. One way to deal with the cost issue is to buy in bulk, and transfer body butter as needed to a smaller container. Buying small containers will usually result in paying more in the long term.
