How to Melt Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter smooths and softens skin, so it's a common ingredient in many store-bought beauty products. If you have some pure cocoa butter, you may want to melt it down and turn it into a homemade treat of your own. With a few spoonfuls of cocoa butter, for example, you can make lip balm, body lotion and other salon-quality luxuries.

Microwave

Step 1

Put cocoa butter in a heat-safe glass mixing bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave; do not cover.

Step 2

Microwave the cocoa butter for 20 to 30 seconds.

Step 3

Stir the cocoa butter with a spoon. If the cocoa butter isn't fully melted, keep microwaving it at 10 second intervals until fully melted. Let the cocoa butter cool before using it.

Double Boiler

Step 1

Fill a pot or saucepan about halfway with lukewarm water, and set on the stove.

Step 2

Position a heat-proof mixing bowl within the rim of the pot or saucepan; the bowl should be large enough to fit snugly within the rim without touching the water. Turn the stove on to the lowest heat setting.

Step 3

Add the cocoa butter to the bowl. The cocoa butter will begin to melt as the bowl traps steam form the simmering water.

Step 4

Stir the cocoa butter with a spoon as it melts. Continue stirring until the cocoa butter is fully melted.

Step 5

Remove the pot from the heat and turn the stove off. Allow the cocoa butter to cool before touching it.

Things You'll Need

• Heat-safe glass mixing bowl

• Microwave

• Spoon

• Pot or saucepan

Tip

To make your own chocolate cocoa-butter lip gloss, combine 1 teaspoon cocoa butter with the oil from one vitamin E capsule. Add 1/4 teaspoon grated chocolate. Melt the ingredients together, then stir well. Allow to cool before applying.

Warning

Use caution when handling melted cocoa butter. It can burn you if it's hot.