What Does Murumuru Butter Do for Skin and Hair, and Is It Better than Cocoa or Shea Butter? (2023)

• Murumuru Butter History
  • Murumuru butter history
• What Is
  • What is murumuru butter good for?
• Other Butters
  • Murumuru butter vs. other butters
• Talk to Your Doctor
  • Other considerations

Murumuru butter history

Many individuals search for the perfect quick fixes to hair and skin problems, and when they do, they stumble upon oils and butter that can ostensibly be used to treat common hair and skin problems and promote healthy looks. One butter that everyone seems to be discussing in recent years is called murumuru butter.

However, what is murumuru butter, and what benefits does it actually have? Is it better than shea and cocoa butter?

Murumuru butter is extracted from murumuru palm tree nuts and is white or yellow in appearance. Murumuru palm trees can be found in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Murumuru is frequently used in beauty products, such as lotions, body butter, leave-in conditioners, and lip balms. The Ashaninka used murumuru butter as a moisturizer and medication.

Murumuru butter contains 48% lauric acid, 26% myristic acid, and 13% oleic acid.

Murumuru butter has been used in beauty and skin products around the world. In the 1990s, Ashaninka Indians observed native plants, hopeful to use their knowledge of them to potentially create healing agents.

A company known as Tawaya also went on to produce a soap made from murumuru butter. The soap was distributed in 2005, but in 2019, the company was found to have made unlawful use of the knowledge of the Ashaninka people and was ordered to pay a hefty fine.

What is murumuru butter good for?

Murumuru has extraordinary benefits for the skin and hair, but it also has other benefits that shouldn’t be ignored. These benefits include

• Affordability:Murumuru butter is more affordable than other skincare and hair care items, especially when compared to other drugstore products.
• Natural and organic: Murumuru butter is extracted from murumuru seeds, which means it’s 100% organic and natural.
• Wound healing properties: When mixed with buriti oil in a crystalline form, significant effects on the epithelial regeneration has been observed, meaning that the formulation of buriti oil and murumuru butter has wound healing properties.

Murumuru butter skin and hair benefits

Murumuru butter contains fatty acids and sodium salt. These properties make it a popular choice for skincare products, including eye makeup, lipstick, and skin cleansing products.

When mixed with Acai berry extract and Inca Inchi oil, murumuru butter can improve hair shine.

Murumuru butter vs. other butters

There are several other types of butter that you can use in your daily skin and hair care routines. Two of the most notable ones are cocoa butter and shea butter. What are the differences between these three kinds of butter, though, and which butter is the best?

Is murumuru butter better than shea butter?

Shea butter has various benefits, but many of them are similar to those of murumuru butter. For example, shea butter has plenty of benefits that may make it more tolerable to those with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis. It's also great to apply on cracked heels.

Raw shea butter is extremely beneficial, too. It can potentially:

• Moisturize dry skin
• Help fight against wrinkles
• Protect skin from environmental factors and irritants
• Soften and heal skin
• Help with stretch marks

But is murumuru butter better than shea butter? There's no right or wrong answer here for most people, so it is up to personal preference based on specific situations.

Is murumuru butter better than cocoa butter?

Like shea butter, cocoa butter has several benefits and uses, and some are similar to those of murumuru butter. Which one is better will ultimately depend on personal preference and specific situations.

Cocoa butter can be used on both your skin and hair. It contains saturated plant fats, though, so it may cause cholesterol levels to increase if you eat it.

Its benefits, meanwhile, mean that cocoa butter may:

• Help alleviate dry, flaky, and rough skin
• Provide your skin with a protective barrier
• Accommodate more sensitive skin

Murumuru butter side effects

Murumuru butter is generally safe to use. However, those with nut allergies should be mindful when using murumuru butter. Use a small portion on an isolated area of your skin before using it all over.

Additionally, bear in mind that murumuru butter contains a high level of thrombogenicity (TI), with a 6.69 value, and atherogenicity (AI), with a value of 14.60. This makes murumuru butter a high risk for cardiovascular disease.

You may also want to consult with your doctor if you have any concerns regarding murumuru butter and its side effects.

Other considerations

No matter which of these butters you choose, you can’t go wrong. Each has its unique benefits, though all similarly work to keep your skin and hair looking as healthy as ever. Of course, whichever butter you use, you must consider risk factors, such as allergies and any side effects associated with cosmetic usage. You may wish to speak with your doctor.

SOURCES:

BlackDoctor.org: "5 Miraculous Benefits of Shea Butter."

Cosmetics Info: "Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter."

Fair Tale Ghana: "Raw Shea butter benefits for your skin!"

FoodData Central: "Chocolate, dark, 70-85% cacao solids."

MDPI: "Assessment of the Nutritional Quality of Plant Lipids Using Atherogenicity and Thrombogenicity Indices."

New Phytologist Foundation: "Biodiversity and patents: Overview of plants and fungi covered by patents."

SpringerLink: "Wound Healing Activity of Topical Formulations Containing Mauritia flexuosa Oil."