Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter: an FDA-recognized skin protectant at 50 to 100 percent, what the label may claim, and how it differs from shea butter and from cocoa as a food.
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Overview and identity
Cocoa butter is the fat of the cocoa bean. It is different from cocoa powder (a food) and from shea butter. FDA's skin-protectant rule lists cocoa butter as an over-the-counter active ingredient at 50 to 100 percent of the product. [1]What FDA's rule allows the label to say
A cocoa butter skin protectant may state it "temporarily protects minor cuts, scrapes and burns," and "temporarily protects and helps relieve chafed, chapped or cracked skin" and lips. [1] The rule's warnings for these products include "for external use only," do not use on deep or puncture wounds, animal bites or serious burns, and stop use and ask a doctor if the condition worsens or lasts more than 7 days. [1]What this does and does not mean
This is a statement about a regulated product category and its permitted label claims, not evidence from trials that cocoa butter heals skin. We did not find a clinical trial or review we could read, so we make no further claims. Shea butter is not in the FDA skin-protectant list, so this regulatory status does not apply to it.Safety
Do not use on deep or puncture wounds, animal bites or serious burns. [1] Cocoa butter in skin products is not a food ingredient to swallow for health.Frequently asked questions
Is cocoa butter good for dry skin?
FDA recognizes cocoa butter at 50 to 100 percent as a skin protectant for chapped or cracked skin, but we found no trial evidence to read. [1]
References
- U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Part 347: Skin protectant drug products for over-the-counter human use, sections 347.10 (active ingredients) and 347.50 (labeling). Retrieved from the electronic CFR 2026-10-22.
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