Body butter basics: rich body butters are more than just a treat for the senses. Smooth them on to save your skin as well

Natural Health, Nov, 2004 by Megan O'Connell

The best decadent pleasures are those that temper guilt with built-in benefits--think massages for stress relief, red wine for heart health, and Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream for ... well, maybe that one's a stretch. However, there is a cream that comes guilt-free--namely, creamy all-natural body butters, which have sinfully rich ingredients working overtime to soothe your skin.

"Shea butter and cocoa butter are known occlusives that hydrate by forming a protective barrier over the skin to prevent moisture loss in dry, winter environments," says Philadelphia dermatologist Susan C. Taylor, M.D. The same goes for butters and oils extracted from the mango seed and the Hawaiian kukui nut. Once these are whipped up with other nourishing ingredients, they become the perfect cold-weather remedy for dry, rough skin.

What makes body butters so hydrating? The secret lies in the emollient seed and nut oils that form the base of each blend. These oils are extracted by first grinding or cold-pressing the seeds or the kernel of the nuts, and then cooking the remaining mixture until the fat and oils are released. (One caution for those with allergies: If eating nuts or mangos is problematic for you, steer clear of skin-care products with high concentrations of their oils.)

Here, then, are the best of the butters: kukui, cocoa, shea, and mango.

kukui nut

The kukui tree is Hawaii's state tree. Its nuts have been used for centuries--in fact, the oil extracted from the kukui nut's kernel was originally used to light primitive lamps. Today it's added to body butter because of its high concentration of essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, and E.

Butters to try: Alba Hawaiian Kukui Nut Body Cream ($11.95; albaorganics.com), with soothing organic aloe vera extract and kukui- and macadamia-nut oils; and Lather Kukui Nut Whipped Body Creme ($22; latherup.com), a light-weight, easily absorbed cream containing hydrating soy and honey.

Cocoa

Grinding the seeds theobroma cacao plant (more commonly known as cocoa beans) releases cocoa butter. It's a key ingredients in the making of chocolate bars, which could explain the addictive quality of these body balms. Cocoa butter is loaded with antioxidants and countless nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and iron.

Butters to try: Origins Cocoa Therapy Deeply Nourishing Body Butter ($27.50; origins.com), which fortifies your skin's moisture barrier with cocoa-derived nutrients and vitamins A, B, C, and E; and Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Jar ($4; at drugstores), a deeply penetrating yet nongreasy moisturizer with vitamin E.

shea nut

Shea butter is made from the fruit of the shea (karite) tree, which is 100 percent organic; the trees, indigenous to West Central Africa, grow wild without the use of chemical pesticides. Evidence also suggests that shea butter, which contains cinnamic-acid esters, may provide some UVB protection along with its skin-smoothing benefits.

Butters to try: L'Occitane Ultra Rich Body Cream ($32; loccitane.com) with a whopping 25 percent shea butter, plus marshmallow, honey, and sweet-almond extract; and Avon Planet Spa African Shea Butter Whipped Body Balm ($11.50; avon.com), a thick-yet-silky cream with a delicate aroma of real butter whipped with sugar.

mango

Known as the "apple of the tropics," the mango is an Asian native that thrives in Southern California. The fruit of the tree, which has a waxy, smooth skin and sweet flavor, contains seeds that are cold-pressed to produce mango butter, which is rich in beta carotene and vitamins A and E.

Butters to try: The Body Shop Mango Body Butter ($16 thebodyshop.com), a superthick body cream that melts right into extra-dry skin; and Jason Natural Cosmetics Mango Butter ($7; jason-natural.com), a balmlike butter with vitamin E as well as kukui-nut oil.