5 chocolate-based beauty products you can make yourself (or buy) for World Chocolate Day
As a wise man once said: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get."
Who doesn't love the taste of sweet, creamy, and melting chocolate? This aromatic and flavorful treat has a place in both sweet and savory dishes, even in beverages.
In honor of World Chocolate Day this July 7, PhilSTAR L!fe round up a few ways to satisfy your sweet tooth with some surprising ways to use chocolate besides eating it.
If you're feeling crafty, you can actually make these beauty treatment at home by following the handy recipes. But in case you want to skip to the good part, you can also find similar locally-made products you can easily buy online. Get ready for a sugar rush!
Chocolate sugar scrub
Recipe by Natalie Perry, from Perry’s Plate
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar (coarse, if possible)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup soft coconut oil (easily scoopable, but not melted)
Procedure:
- Mix together the sugar and cocoa in a medium sized bowl.
- Add the coconut oil and mix thoroughly with your hands until it's smooth and no lumps of coconut oil are visible (You can use a food processor if desired).
- Transfer to a lidded glass jar for storage. Store at room temperature. Scrub should last several months.
No time to make your own scrub? Your skin can now be moisturized, exfoliated, and amazingly soft with Honey Beauty’s Cacao Crush for only P616. Through this Antioxidant-rich chocolate body scrub, you will be irresistible because of your chocolatey scent and healthy skin. Add this body scrub to your cart through Honeybeauty.ph.
Cocoa Hair Mask for Voluminous Hair
Recipe from Nature Helps Me
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup of sour cream
Procedure:
- Take the ingredients, put them in a small bowl and mix well. Make sure the mixture is thick enough otherwise it will flow on your face.
- Apply the mask on your scalp and spread the remaining amount of mask on the whole length of your hair. Optionally you may wrap a hot towel over the top of the plastic shower cap to encourage the mask to penetrate more deeply into the strands.
- Leave hair mask on strands for 30 minutes, or longer if desired.
- Wash off with shampoo. For better results, you can apply this hair mask up to 3 times a week.
As cacao, a purer form of chocolate, helps reduce hair loss, it can get you your dream voluminous and glossy hair. Want to spice up your hair treatment? Try Keratin Cure’s Chocolate Max Deep Hair Mask. For P2,524 on Amazon, you can give your hair an instant hydration, softness, and shine with a chocolatey twist.
Chocolate Lip balm
Recipe by Tootalitygerlily from Food.com
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons cocoa butter (available in the pharmacy)
- 3-4 chocolate chips (may use white chocolate chips as an alternative)
- 1 vitamin E capsule
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (or cooking oil)
Procedure:
- Melt the cocoa butter in the microwave.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted.
- Microwave the mixture again for a few seconds.
- Add vitamin E and oil.
- Note: Vitamin E is a natural preservative.
- Stir very well, or the lip balm will turn out lumpy.
- Pour into your desired container.
Give your lips the softness they deserve while saving time with In Her Element's Cocoa Lip Balm for only P185. With its serious moisturizing power, your lips can get an intense lip repair as it features cocoa beans rich in antioxidants, minerals, and fatty acids. Plump your lips and pucker up when you get your lip balm at Inherelement.ph.
Melt and Pour Chocolate Soap Bar
Recipe by Amy French, from The Good Life with Amy French
Ingredients:
- Melt and Pour Soap Base (Check at your local soap supply stores and bulk shops to see if they stock melt and pour soap bases that are palm oil free and have no fragrance)
- 5 teaspoons cacao powder or any chocolate fragrance
Materials:
- Silicone mold
- Chopping board and kitchen knife (to cut the soap)
- Pot (to melt the soap)
- Stirrer (for the soap)
Procedure:
- Cut the soap base with a kitchen knife and chop into squares so it melts easily.
- Place the chopped soap into your mold to estimate the amount you will need to melt.
- Place the soap cubes into a pot and heat on the stove top while stirring continuously. Keep it at the lowest setting.
- Once the soap has begun to melt and is at least 50% liquid, it's time to add your cacao powder.
- Once the soap is completely melted and the cacao mixed through (this takes a few minutes), take it off the stove and give it 5 minutes to cool down a little.
- If you prefer adding fragrance or essential oils, add them now that the pot is out of the heat.
- Carefully pour the mixture into your desired molds.
- Leave it to cool completely for 45 minutes before popping out of the mold.
For people with sensitive skin, Arka Naturals’ anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-acne, and anti-aging Chocolate Natural Handcrafted Artisanal Soap will provide you a delightful bath experience. These luscious looking chocolate soaps are sure to delight your skin and senses. You can get their soap for P250 each through Ecoshoppe PH.
Hot Cocoa Candles
Recipe by Ann Le, from Ann Le’s Youtube Channel
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soy wax
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- Essential candle making oils (used buttercream and spearmint for a hot cocoa scent)
- 1 Brown crayon
Materials:
- Mugs or jars
- Popsicle sticks
- Candle wicks (you will need a double wick per candle for a stronger flame)
- Sprinkles
Procedure:
- Add one brown crayon chopped into small pieces to the shortening and pop it in the microwave in a microwave-safe container for 2 to 4 minutes.
- Stir the melted shortening well and add your essential oil if you have.
- Put the wick at the bottom center of your chosen candle container and pour the mixture.
- Once your candle solidifies, make your frosting by heating your soy wax for a minute or less.
- Once the soy wax forms a lump, pour it over your hardened candle, add sprinkles and you’re done.
Want a local chocolate-inspired candle? Check out this delectable Tsoknut Soy Candle of Simoy ng Haraya. With the Ber months coming, the fragrance of this candle is sure to put you in a merry mood. Made with 100 percent natural soy wax, the Tsoknut Soy Candle makes a great gift for friends or a treat for yourself. Each candle costs P799. Order through Simoyngharaya.com.