Cupuaçu Butter For Hair

From improving texture to hydration - you’ll be charmed by the hair care benefits of this butter.

Reviewed by Alicia Igess, Hairstylist

Alicia Igess is an accomplished and award-winning stylist with over two decades of experience in hair design. She is the owner and founder of Urban Tangles, a hair and makeup studio focusing on makeovers. She, along with her team, has exper... more

Written by Arshiya Syeda, BA (Literature & Psychology), PG Diploma Experience: 7 years

Arshiya Syeda is a senior editor at StyleCraze with 7 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articl... more

Edited by Anjali Sayee, BTech Experience: 7 years

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy ... more

Fact-checked by Swathi E, MA (English Literature) Experience: 3 years

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• Feb 8, 2024

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It is extremely beneficial to use cupuaçu butter for hair as it adds moisture and revitalizes the strands. Traditionally, it has been used to solve dry hair problems. It is lightweight, which means using cupuaçu butter makes your dry hair softer without weighing it down.

Keep reading this article to discover other hair benefits of cupuaçu butter.

In This Article

What Is Cupuaçu Butter?

Cupuaçu butter is a natural butter extracted from the cupuaçu tree native to the Amazon rainforests of northern Brazil. The fruit bears seeds that produce unrefined cupuaçu butter.

This butter is also known as Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter. It is known for its excellent emollient properties that hydrate your hair and skin (1). The butter is used as an ingredient in hair conditioners, creams, and other skin and hair products.

Cupuaçu butter has a plethora of benefits for its users. Keep reading to know more about them.

Benefits Of Cupuaçu Butter For Your Hair

1. Hydrates Dry Hair

Alicia Igess, a hairstylist, says, “A good moisturizing treatment will help keep the frizz down in your hair and repel moisture in the air.” Cupuaçu butter can absorb up to 450% of water (1). This moisture can be transferred to your dry hair to make it healthier and less frizzy. The butter also contains linoleic, myristic, lauric, and oleic acids that further help hydrate dry hair.

Did You Know?

Cupuaçu butter is an effective plant-based alternative to lanolin as it has a high water retention capacity. 1 kg of cupuaçu butter can hold 4.4 kg of water.

2. Offers Sun Protection

Cupuaçu butter is known to absorb harmful UVA and UVB radiation (1).

3. Improves Hair Texture

Cupuaçu butter is known to improve hair texture with its smoothening properties. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it penetrates hair deeply and reduces brittleness and dryness.

Marie, a DIY skincare vlogger, shares her experience with Cupuaçu butter. She says, “What I do with this mask is apply it, clip my hair up with a big claw hair clip, and leave it for a few hours. Then I like watching a movie, doing dishes, eating dinner, whatever. Then I’ll take a shower before I go to bed, and I should notice that when I woke up in the morning, my hair was just so voluptuous, shiny, and gorgeous (i).”

4. Enhances Hair Growth

Cupuaçu butter contains antioxidants and fatty acids that reduce free radical damage and boost hair elasticity. It makes your hair more resistant to breakage and improves its growth.

5. Does Not Weigh Your Hair Down

Most leave-in hair products weigh the hair down and make it look limp and greasy. But Cupuaçu butter for your hair feels light as it gets completely absorbed into the hair shafts.

6. Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Cupuaçu butter is a great option for those with a sensitive scalp. Using hair products with chemicals can inflame the scalp. But cupuaçu butter on the scalp or hair has an anti-inflammatory effect. The butter may also help soothe irritated skin (1).

Another popular ingredient in the skin and hair care industry is shea butter. But how does it compare to cupuaçu butter?

Cupuaçu Vs. Shea Butter

Cupuaçu butter seems to have slightly better properties than shea butter.

The water absorption capacity of cupuaçu butter is 450%, which is supposedly a lot higher than that of shea butter.

Cupuaçu butter seems to offer better protection from UVA and UVB rays.

Cupuaçu butter absorbs into the hair shafts better than shea butter and keeps hair moisturized for longer (1).

Cupuaçu butter was found to make hair less greasy and heavier. On the other hand, shea butter may weigh your hair down and make it look limp.

Cupuaçu butter does not turn grainy like shea butter. It is also smoother and easier to apply.

Did You Know?

Cupucau is related to the cocoa tree and grows approximately 20 meters high. Its fruit is the national fruit of Brazil.

Using natural Cupuaçu butter has many more benefits for hair. But where can you find it?

Where To Buy Cupuaçu Butter?

You can easily buy cupuaçu butter from multiple online stores or offline supermarkets. Hair care products with cupuaçu butter are available without a prescription.

To recap, cupuaçu butter is a natural butter known for its excellent emollient properties. It is a common ingredient in many hair care products, especially conditioners. Using cupuaçu butter for hair care is very beneficial as it hydrates the tresses, provides UV protection, and improves hair texture and hair elasticity. It contains fatty acids and antioxidants that prevent free radical damage, thus reducing hair breakage and promoting hair growth. This butter has a light texture that does not weigh down your hair. It has anti-inflammatory benefits that soothe the scalp. It is a little more advantageous compared to shea butter. Clearly, adding this butter to your hair care products is going to greatly improve your hair health, appearance, and texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can cupuaçu butter damage your hair?

No, there are no side effects to using cupuaçu butter on your hair. However, you should perform a patch test to check for allergic reactions. If you have oily hair or a greasy scalp, this butter will make your hair more greasy and weigh it down.

Is cupuaçu butter good for high-porosity hair?

Since it is a good moisturizer and contains fatty acids, cupuaçu butter is better for low-porosity hair that dries out easily.

What does cupuaçu butter smell like?

Cupuaçu butter has a nutty-chocolatey fragrance.

Key Takeaways

Cupuaçu butter is a common ingredient in many hair care products due to its emollient properties.
It can moisturize dry hair, prevent frizz, and provide UV protection.
It also stimulates hair growth and has anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe irritated skin.
Compared to shea butter, it gets absorbed into the hair more quickly while staying light and non-greasy.

Check out this video to learn about the various benefits that cupuacu butter provides for your skin and hair. Get a better understanding of its smell and texture as well.

Personal Experience: Source

StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.

(i) DIY Bum-Bum Inspired Conditioning Hair Mask / Cupuaçu & Murumuru butters! / Humblebee & Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKZP-sjE1iw

References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.