Chocolate and Cocoa Powder add color, aroma, and skin soothing and softening properties. Cocoa beans, or cacoa beans, are fermented seeds of the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, which is native to the the equatorial region of the world from Central and South America to Africa and Indonesia. Most people use the term “cacao” to refer to the tree and the raw, unrefined bean, and use the term “cocoa” for the bean after it’s been roasted. The beans grow in football-shaped pods on the trunk of the tree and from larger branches. The average cacao tree produces 30-40 cacao pods a year.
Cacao beans have have been recognized as far back as the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations for their healing and medicinal properties. At one time cocoa was so valuable it was used as a currency by native tribes of Central and South America.
Eating dark chocolate, a superfood, has some benefits for our health and it also has amazing benefits for our skin when used topically. Chocolate facials are often available at salons and some skin care products that have chocolate as a main component. People pay good money to have their bodies coated with real chocolate.
Dark chocolate is the best for skin care since it is rich in cocoa. The high cocoa content ensures that it is rich in flavonoids.
Skin-softening dark chocolate is full of vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin E, and several B vitamins, as well as magnesium, calcium, and iron. When used on the skin, all of these nutrients help nourish the skin. Chocolate contains antioxidants, which inhibit the free radicals that otherwise break down normal cell reproduction.
Many people use green tea-based cosmetic products, for their antioxidant qualities, but dark chocolate has four times as many antioxidants as green tea. It also contains a well-known cellulite fighter - natural Caffeine! Caffeine may help temporarily plump and smooth the skin.
Cocoa powder offers gentle exfoliation which helps improving blood flow to the skin and makes the skin glowing. It is particularly good for those with acne prone skin.
Bathing in chocolate is almost as much fun as eating it. Chocolate has been associated with romance since the age of the Aztecs.
Using Fair Trade Certified™ Organic Chocolate and Cocoa supports quality products that improve lives, protect the environment, and support small farmer co-ops that use sustainable farming methods. Fair Trade helps consumers support products that come from farms that have been certified to provide fair wages and safe working conditions.
