It depends on what your body needs. Shea butter has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, but your skin might respond better to cocoa butter. Both are beneficial for skin, so it is best to test both on yourself to see which one works best for you. You can also combine both lotions, if you want to get the best of both of them.
People are familiar with the use of cocoa butter in chocolate and shea butter in skincare products. While both do a good job hydrating and moisturizing the skin, shea and cocoa fats are also used in cooking. In terms of healthfulness, shea has a slight advantage over cocoa butter in that it provides lower amounts of saturated fats and higher amounts of health promoting oleic and linoleic fatty acids. Shea also provides slightly more nutrients overall, including minerals, carotene, as well as vitamins A and E.
Coco butter is extracted from coco beans while shea butter comes from shea trees. Both shea butter and coco butter can be used interchangeably. Shea butter is a better choice for the issues like scars, acne, stretch marks. Coco butter is best for clogging pores, it quickly improves the appearance of skin. Shea butter is a potent skin lightener, moisturizer, removes scars, it can be perfect face mask, it is good for correcting discoloration and evening out skin tone. Considering all these points one can say that, shea butter is more healthier.
Both shea butter and cocoa butter are often recommended to put on topically, rather than orally. To eat both butters, we must be extra careful with the source we choose. For instance, the butters must be 100% unrefined and raw. However, both butters are more beneficial when we put them on our skin, instead of eating them. One is not healthier than the other because it all depends on what your skin needs and its condition. Cocoa butter is a classic moisturizer to help replenish the gradual loss of lipid barrier on our skin due to aging or environmental-related damages. Shea butter also has great moisturizing capabilities but on the other hand does have some anti-inflammatory effect as well due to its high level of vitamin E. Therefore if your skin is suffering from redness or inflammation, shea butter will be more suitable.
Cocoa butter has a higher content of this fat and less content phytosterols, a compound that resemble cholesterol in structure and may interfere with the intestinal absorption of dietary cholesterol and consequently help reduced cholesterol blood levels. Even though it seems that shea butter is healthier than cocoa butter, they are both a rich source of saturated fatty acids and they should be consumed in moderation as saturated fatty acids can be harmful to cardiovascular health when consumed in large amounts.
Both butters have health benefits and can be used for different situations. Shea butter is a source of vitamin A, vitamin E and essential fatty acids. It is recommended to use shea butter on the skin, hair, nails and cuticles whenever a deep hydration is desired. Shea butter can help prevent and improve skin problems, such as atopic dermatitis, stretch marks and premature aging, regenerating and strengthening its hydration and softness. Cocoa butter is a highly concentrated fat that melts at body temperature, and it is easily and quickly absorbed by the skin. Cocoa butter is more likely to be used in lotions and aromatherapy or massage treatments because of its aroma that can be relaxing and comforting.
