Chocolate mask is a cosmetic trend

If, after reading this title, you thought about using a bar of your favorite chocolate for the benefit of your beauty, then you can safely eat it: a chocolate mask is not made from a popular confectionery product.

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Benefits of Chocolate for Skin

Cocoa mass, cocoa butter and powder are products obtained from whole fermented, then dried, roasted and peeled cocoa beans. And chocolate is a confectionery product, in the production of which cocoa mass and cocoa butter must be used. Only in this case can chocolate be beneficial for the skin.

However, chocolate manufacturers replace expensive cocoa butter with coconut or palm oil, add cocoa powder. In addition, chocolate production cannot be done without emulsifiers, such as soy lecithin, and other components. And it is unlikely that the sweet sticky mass of melted chocolate is comparable in useful properties to the original natural products...

The main bitter nitrogen-containing alkaloid of cocoa beans is theobromine (by the way, it is also found in tea leaves). Despite its name, this compound does not contain bromine: Theobroma cacao is the name of the genus of the cocoa tree, translated as "food of the gods". Compared to caffeine, the effect of theobromine on the central nervous system is softer, but also invigorating and stimulating. The caffeine content in cocoa is negligible - 9 times less than theobromine.

Cocoa is considered a rich source of antioxidants such as procyanidins, polyphenolic flavonoids and catechins. Cocoa powder contains potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, copper, selenium and zinc. Moreover, there is almost three times more zinc in the powder than in chocolate. Vitamins E, K, B5, B6 and B9, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and choline have been found in cocoa powder.

Cocoa butter, which smells like chocolate and melts at a temperature of +32-35°C, includes saturated fatty acids - stearic, palmitic, myristic, arachidonic and lauric; monounsaturated fatty acids - oleic and palmitoleic, as well as polyunsaturated - linoleic and α-linoleic. The highest content is stearic (24-37%) and oleic (29-38%) fatty acids. As for theobromine, the oil, as chemists say, contains "trace amounts". But cocoa butter also contains antioxidants, as well as the above-mentioned micro- and macroelements.

The velvety texture, pleasant aroma, moisturizing and softening properties of cocoa butter have made it a popular ingredient in cosmetics. And the wonderful smell of chocolate is provided by more than 400 chemicals: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, ethers and esters, furans and pyrazines.

Chocolate Face Mask Recipes

Cosmetologists claim that almost all dark chocolate masks, which are prepared on the basis of antioxidant-rich cocoa powder and cocoa butter, help cleanse and moisturize the skin, improve its structure and make it smoother, tone and help fight aging. At the same time, homemade chocolate masks can be adapted to any skin type: if you have dry skin, add sour cream, yogurt, egg yolk or honey, if oily - lemon juice, if the skin is very dehydrated - olive or any other oil.

• Hot Chocolate Mask

To moisturize and soften dry skin, mix equal amounts of cocoa powder and olive oil. Heat the mixture in a water bath to +38-39°C and add another useful component - half as much cocoa butter. Apply to skin while warm, keep for a quarter of an hour, rinse with warm water. For normal skin, replace olive oil with honey.

• Chocolate mask with oatmeal

All you need to do is mix a tablespoon of cocoa powder and crushed oatmeal (or oatmeal) with two tablespoons of yogurt. Apply the whipped mixture to your skin. For maximum effect on normal skin, add a few drops of avocado essential oil and do this mask for 20 minutes every week.

• Chocolate mask with honey

Mix a tablespoon of cocoa powder, fresh orange juice and honey until it forms a paste (if the mixture is too runny, add a little more cocoa; if it is too thick, add orange juice).

With the anti-aging mask applied to your face, rest for about 20 minutes and then rinse with warm water. Use this remedy two to three times a month.

• Chocolate mask with clay

A mask made from cocoa powder with cosmetic or blue clay will perfectly cleanse oily skin and reduce enlarged pores.

Cocoa and clay are mixed in a 1:1 ratio and turned into a paste by adding one of the following liquid ingredients: chamomile, sage, plantain, warm milk or low-fat kefir. And if you have acne, it is recommended to drop a little St. John's wort oil into the mixture.

• White Chocolate Face Mask

White chocolate is a confectionery product made from cocoa butter, dry milk and sugar, plus additives. By the way, ready-made masks contain the same cocoa butter.

Therefore, a face mask with white chocolate can be prepared with cocoa butter, the beneficial properties for the skin were discussed above.

To moisturize, nourish and improve the turgor of aging skin, a mask is useful, which contains: 5 g of cocoa butter, a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of dry milk, a teaspoon of aloe juice and a few drops of one of the essential oils - peach, almond, shea, neroli or jojoba.

The oil mixture is heated in a steamer or water bath, and then juice and milk are added. Cool the mixture slightly and apply to the face and neck, cover well with a hot damp towel on top and hold until the towel cools down.

• Lush Mint Chocolate Mask

Cupcake face mask - a product of Lush Fresh Handmade Soaps and Natural Cosmetics (UK) - is commonly referred to as the Lush mint chocolate mask.

The mask is designed for combination and oily skin, with hyperfunction of the sebaceous glands of the epidermis, acne, comedones and enlarged pores. The list of components of the mask includes: Moroccan volcanic clay ghassoul (Ghassoul Mud), cocoa powder and cocoa butter, mint and sandalwood oil, flaxseed infusion, glycerin, talc and vanilla extract.

Reviews of the chocolate Cupcake face mask say that the consistency of the mask is too thick, so it is difficult to apply to the skin. However, after using this product, the skin becomes softer and cleaner, although comedones do not disappear.