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There are a number of great moisturising butter out there that can do wonders for your skin. However, there is a reason why Amazon’s native folks cherish tucuma butter. This little gem offers multiple benefits in its pure form—from improving the skin’s elasticity to hydrating and reducing the appearance of stretch marks. So how does it work?
Tucuma butter is a smooth, yellowish butter extracted from the fruit kernels of Astrocaryum Vulgare. Abundant in saturated fatty acids, tocopherols and sterols, tucuma butter may work wonders in your daily beauty routine by moisturising, restoring skin’s elasticity, and elevating dry, damaged and dehydrated skin.
Scroll down to find out more about tucuma’s origin, composition, skin and hair benefits, and how you can benefit from its nurturing touch.
Table of Contents
- About Tucuma
- Tucuma Butter Composition
- Tucuma Butter For Skin
- It can help restore your skin’s natural moisture levels
- It’s hydrating – it can help to regenerate dehydrated skin
- It may help to restore elasticity to your skin
- It may help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks
- Calms itchy scalp
- It’s a great hair conditioner
- It can help to reduce signs of ageing
- Top 5 Uses of Tucuma Butter
- Conclusion
- F&Q
- Resources:
About Tucuma
Tucuma, known as Astrocaryum Vulgare, is a palm tree native to the Amazon region of South America. Found in moist tropical lowlands, Astrocaryum Vulgare is common in rainforests and disturbed sites. It can vigorously regenerate itself after being cut down or after a fire. The palm bears a slightly sweet fruit that plays an integral part in the diet of local communities and animals.
Astrocaryum Vulgare offers a variety of medicinal, dietary and industrial uses. For example, fruit flesh is a common therapeutic remedy to treat cough, breathe freshener, and calm colicky babies. The root is beneficial in the treatment of furunculosis and syphilis. The palm tree fibre is essential in the production of mats, baskets and ropes. Oils extracted from the fruit kernels are utilised in soap making, lotions, moisturisers and other cosmetic products.
Tucuma Butter Composition
QUICK FACTS
INCI: Astrocaryum Tucuma Seed Butter
Common extraction method: Cold-pressed from the kernels of Astrocaryum Vulgare, a palm tree native to the Amazon region.
Appearance: Smooth light yellowish butter.
Fragrance: Sweet, aroma is similar to walnut or coffee.
Absorption rate: Fast, melts on the contact with the skin.
Recommended usage: 100%
Substitute: Murumuru or virgin cocoa butter would be a good alternative.
Storage: Store in a cool dry container, away from the sunlight.
Each carrier oil varies in its composition and the benefits it offers. Let’s look at the notable compounds found in watermelon seed oil and what they can do for your skin.
- Fatty acids: Lauric, myristic and oleic fatty acids are the primary fatty acids found in tucuma seed butter. Lauric acid is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and moisturising effects. Myristic acid is a beneficial emollient with a moisturising and regenerating effect on the skin. Oleic acid is anti-inflammatory and prevents moisture loss.
- Vitamins: pro-vitamin A and a-tocopherol are the main vitamins found in the tucuma butter. A-tocopherol (vitamin E) is an antioxidant that can help absorb UV radiation and prevent damage to the skin induced by free radicals. Moreover, it has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. Tucuma, just like murumuru butter, is rich in pro-vitamin A, an antioxidant prised for its anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and protective effect.
- Other bioactive compounds: β-Sitosterol is a plant sterol ester known for its anti-inflammatory effect.
Interesting fact: Tucuma butter, also known as a vegetable silicone, functions as an emulsifier and emollient. Silicone-based ingredients help to smooth and soften the skin while delivering a glossy feel.
Tucuma Butter For Skin
This tropical treat can help to soften, smooth and tighten your skin, leaving it hydrated and soft to touch. If you are thinking of giving tucuma butter a go-in, scroll down to learn more about this must-have ingredient.
It can help restore your skin’s natural moisture levels
Abundant in lauric and myristic acid, tucuma butter is an excellent emollient with a deeply moisturising effect. Moreover, it has an occlusive effect, providing the skin with a protective layer that keeps moisture. In effect, keeping your skin soft and supple.
It’s hydrating – it can help to regenerate dehydrated skin
If your skin feels itchy, flaky and dry most of the time, your skin barrier might be disrupted, allowing water to escape. A combination of nutrients found in tucuma butter can help to restore the skin’s natural moisture levels and regenerate dry skin.
It may help to restore elasticity to your skin
Elastic fibres give skin the ability to stretch and return to its original shape, giving it a youthful and smooth appearance. With age, our skin gradually loses its elasticity due to the reduced production of these fibres. The topical application of tucuma butter can help to improve the elasticity of your skin by promoting collagen and elastin production. The results are visibly plumper, firmer and smoother skin.
It may help to reduce the appearance of stretch marks
When skin stretches too fast, the skin just can’t keep up. Whether it’s due to pregnancy, rapid weight gain or weight loss. But thankfully, tucuma butter is here to save the day! The presence of lauric acid in tucuma butter means that it has a profoundly moisturising effect which might help reduce the appearance of stretch marks on your skin.
Calms itchy scalp
Itchy scalp, but no more! Tucuma butter is here to rescue your scalp from the itch. But why? Tucuma butter is a natural emollient. In other words, they can work wonders on your itchy, scratching scalp by moisturising and regenerating the skin.
It’s a great hair conditioner
The fatty acids in the tucuma butter may hydrate the hair cuticle, helping to rebuild the structural lipids, and restore the elasticity and softness of the hair, making it strong and lush. When applied to hair, tucuma butter can improve your hair’s flexibility and increase shine, especially if your hair is curly or wavy.
It can help to reduce signs of ageing
Collagen and elastin fibres form the supporting structure of the skin. While collagen gives skin its firmness, elastin keeps skin tight. Both of these fibres are plentiful in young skin but diminish with age. A combination of pro-vitamin A and fatty acids in Tucuma butter may help turn on the fibroblast cells and boost the production of these fibres, improving skin elasticity, hydration, tone, and texture. The results are visibly plumper, firmer and smoother skin.
Top 5 Uses of Tucuma Butter
Are you looking for a great moisturiser? If so, tucuma butter (“#CommissionsEarned”) should be in your stash! This supercharged natural ingredient can smooth and soften your dry skin and frizzy hair. Unsure of how to use it?
Here are five ways you can use tucuma butter for your skin and hair.
1. Use it as a stand-alone moisturiser
Tucuma is a natural moisturiser you can use all year round. Your skin might feel irritated, overly dry, and even chapped in the winter. Brake off a small amount of the butter, rub it between your palms to soften it and massage it into your skin. The butter will melt and absorb readily, leaving your skin smooth and moisturised. In summer, after a long day under the sun, rub a small amount of tucuma butter onto your skin to hydrate and replenish lost moisture.
2. Soothe chapped lips
Do you constantly reach for your lip balm? If so, you might want to try tucuma butter! The soothing effect of tucuma butter can provide extra relief to chapped lips. A little dab during the day will keep your lips smooth and soft.
3. Soften your hands with a tucuma hand mask
Although tucuma butter isn’t a common ingredient, it can do wonders for your hands by restoring dry skin as well as smooth rough cuticles. If your hands desperately need pampering, try mixing a small amount of tucuma butter with brown sugar and a little bit of honey.
Apply the mixture to your hands and rub them together. Sugar in the mask is a natural exfoliator that will help to remove dead skin cells. Keep it on for about 10-15 minutes and wash off. You can reapply more tucuma butter to your hands for extra moisturisation.
4. Use it as a body scrub
Body scrubs make your skin look, feel, and smell great. They promote circulation, draw out impurities, remove dead cells, and smooth and soften rough skin.
To make a quick DIY body scrub:
- Mix a cup of brown sugar with 1/2 a cup of tucuma butter.
- Rub the mixture in circular motions into your skin and rinse with warm water.
- Apply a moisturiser such as tucuma butter while your skin is still damp.
5. Try it in hair masks
Another great use of tucuma butter is as a hair mask. Not only is it an excellent moisturiser, but tucuma butter can help restore your hair elasticity, control frizz and define curls. Moreover, the nutrients in tucuma butter can help to protect your hair against UV damage. If your hair needs some tender loving care, combine tucuma with shea butter, pracaxi and castor oil. It’s a perfect deep conditioner! Your hair will feel soft, smooth and pretty easy to detangle!
Tip: You can try using tucuma butter as a makeup remover.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to navigate the current skincare craze, want to switch over to natural products, or just want to incorporate natural ingredients into your beauty regime, tucuma butter should be on your beauty wish list! Not only it is an excellent moisturiser, but it has multiple cosmetic uses that can work wonders for your skin and hair.
So, what are you waiting for? Add some tucuma butter to your daily beauty routine today!
F&Q
What type of hair tucuma butter suit best?
If your hair is dry, tends to get frizzy, tangles easily, or is prone to breakage, tucuma butter is for you. High porosity hair struggles to retain moisture. Due to its deeply moisturising effect and occlusive property, tucuma butter can help to prevent moisture from escaping, making it a valuable conditioning agent. It is a lightweight butter that absorbs quickly and won’t weigh your hair down.
How to choose the best quality of tucuma butter?
Just like with any other natural ingredient, you must do your research. Here are some questions you should ask: What does the butter smell like? What is its composition? Has it been refined? What is the price? What is the brand’s reputation? Comments are a great source of information about the customers’ overall satisfaction with the product.
Where to buy tucuma butter?
You can find tucuma butter online and in various skincare stores. If you are looking for high-quality tucuma butter, then you might want to check out Cosmetic Butters, “#CommissionsEarned”.
