I make a lot of my health and beauty products, so body butters like cocoa butter and shea butter are staples in my home. But there are other body butters that have their own set of benefits for hair and skin. Mango butter is my new favorite body butter to experiment with. It’s moisturizing, soothing, and luxurious! And yes, it really does come from a mango!

Sound exotic? Let’s find out…

What Is Mango Butter?

Mango butter is a butter extracted from the mango seed (pit). It’s similar to cocoa butter or shea butter in that it’s often used in body care products as an emollient base. It’s moisturizing without being greasy and has a very mild odor (which makes it easy to scent with essential oils!).

Mango has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. It was thought to have rejuvenating properties and that it could strengthen the heart, boost brain activity, and increase the body’s immunity.

Mango Butter Benefits for Hair and Skin

Mango is very popular in skincare, haircare, and cosmetics. Here are some of its benefits:

Nutrients

Mango butter is rich in nutrients that replenish hair and skin health and make them soft and smooth. This butter contains:

• Vitamin A
• Lots of vitamin C
• Vitamin E

Mango butter also contains other antioxidants as well as essential fatty acids. These essential fatty acids include:

• palmitic acid
• arachidic acid
• linoleic acid
• oleic acid
• stearic acid

All of these nutrients make mango butter such a great moisturizer for hair and skin. Just as nutrients help the body on the inside, nutrients like the ones present in mango butter help boost hair and skin health when used externally.

Emollient & Moisturizing

One of the most obvious benefits of this body butter is that it helps hydrate the skin. A 2008 study concluded that mango butter is an excellent emollient that rebuilds the natural skin barrier. It goes on to say that mango butter “actively replenishes moisture for better skin protection thereby leaving the skin silky, smooth and hydrated.”

Because it’s so moisturizing, many people use it for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis as well as to reduce the appearance of scars, fine lines, and stretch marks. As mentioned earlier, the nutrients in mango butter are one reason that it is so soothing and moisturizing for the skin and hair.

Anti-inflammatory & Antimicrobial

The above 2008 study notes that mango butter has anti-inflammatory properties. It also mentioned mango butter has antimicrobial properties and can stop the reproduction of bacteria. These properties give mango butter the ability to soothe and repair damaged skin and hair. It may also help with skin and scalp issues such as eczema or dandruff because of these properties.

Non-Comedogenic

Mango butter also doesn’t clog pores, making it a great body butter for all skin types. In contrast, cocoa butter is known to clog pores. So, if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, using mango butter in your skincare products is a great idea. I love how rich mango butter is without being greasy. It’s also great for kids’ skin!

Uses of Mango Butter

Because of mango butter’s many benefits for the skin and hair, it can be used in many ways. Here are some of my favorite ways to use mango butter:

• Sunburn – Mango butter can be very soothing for a sunburn, so I keep it around for this use. I’ve used it this way and love how soothing it is!
• Frostbite – While frostbite needs to be cared for by medical professionals, after returning home, mango butter can be soothing for the skin.
• In lotions and body butters – Mango butter is amazing for soothing and moisturizing dry skin, so I like to add it to homemade lotions and other moisturizers when I have it. I’ve even used it to make lotion bars like this one.
• Eczema relief – These can also be helpful for eczema, psoriasis, or other skin conditions that require deep moisturizing. I add it to this eczema relief lotion bar.
• Men’s lotion – I add mango butter to this men’s lotion recipe since it has a mild aroma.
• Acne – Mango butter is a great moisturizer for acne-prone skin since it won’t clog pores and has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
• Anti-itch balms – Mango can help soothe itchy skin so it’s a great addition to a bug bite balm or lotion.
• Lip balm – Use mango butter in place of shea butter or cocoa butter in lip balm recipes. Mango butter is very moisturizing, so it’s perfect for sunburnt or chapped lips.
• Scars – Use pure mango butter or a butter containing mango butter on scars to help improve the look of the scar. I’ve noticed that this helps with fresh scars that aren’t fading as quickly as I’d like.
• Fine lines – Many people find that mango butter helps improve fine lines on the face.
• Stretch marks – Mango butter may also be helpful for stretch marks from pregnancy or otherwise. Just rub some mango butter onto the skin daily.
• Hair – use mango butter to smooth frizzy hair. Mango butter can also help with dandruff and other skin or scalp issues.
• Face moisturizer – This recipe is a great face moisturizer using mango butter.

Mango butter is such a great moisturizer, I often add it to products I’m making at home. But I have also used it on its own which works really well too.

Is Mango Butter Edible?

Mango butter is edible! It can be used to replace cocoa butter in recipes (including in homemade chocolate). However, don’t eat just any mango butter. It must be a food-grade mango butter (many that are meant for skin care are not food-grade).

Is Mango Butter Better than Other Butters?

Mango butter and shea butter are similar in composition and are both great moisturizers. They can often be used interchangeably in recipes. Cocoa butter is also similar though it is more likely to clog pores. I like mango butter because it is firm (not quite as firm as cocoa butter) and has very little aroma.

Where to Get Mango Butter?

I get quality mango butter for skincare and haircare use at a local natural store or online. Make sure you find a pure mango butter that hasn’t been cut with other ingredients. I like to get mine from the same company I trust with my essential oils.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Walker, an internal medicine physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor or work with a doctor at SteadyMD.

Have you tried mango body butter? What do you like about it?

This article was originally published by wellnessmama.com. Read the original article here.