~ Updated June 2022
Heard there are benefits of mango butter for your skin but not sure what they are and why? When you think of mangos, you probably think of the perfect tropical island getaway. What you may not know is that mangos, particularly mango butter, can also be the perfect thing for your skin.
Not familiar with mango butter? Keep reading to find out about all the amazing benefits of mango butter, and a few ways to use it that are perfect for your next spa day or your everyday beauty routine.
What is Mango Butter?
Mango butter is a type of body butter made from mango seed (a.k.a. the pit). It’s similar to shea and cocoa butter in that it’s light and moisturizing without being greasy.
Mangoes are easy to love–they’re a bright and sunny fruit, calling to mind tropical beach getaways. But mango butter is more than just a tropical escape. It actually has tons of health benefits for your skin.
Regular vs. Whipped Mango Butter
First, though, we should spend a moment on the two types of mango butter: regular and whipped.
Regular mango butter has the consistency of…well, butter. It’s soft and smooth and goes on your skin as easy as spreading softened butter on toast.
Whipped mango butter has a slightly different consistency. It’s lighter, fluffier, and usually includes at least one carrier oil, which is basically a vegetable oil made from the fatty part of various plants, like nuts, seeds, and pits.
Benefits of Mango Butter
Given the plant that mango butter comes from, it shouldn’t be any surprise that mango butter has some of the fruit’s best qualities. Let’s break it down in closer detail.
Nutrient-Dense
Mango has been called the “king of fruit”, and for good reason. Mangoes are rich in nutrients like:
- Vitamin A
- Calcium
- Vitamin C
- Folate
- Vitamin B6
- Iron
- Vitamin E
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
They’re also full of fiber and antioxidants, including phytochemicals like gallotannins and mangiferin. Those antioxidants mean that mangoes might help protect against certain cancers, and the high fiber content makes them good for your digestive tract.
Our 100% pure mango butter is made using a special steam-pressing and cold refinement method that preserves all the beneficial components of the natural butter.
Subtle Aroma
While mangoes taste delicious in pretty much everything, that doesn’t exactly mean that you want to spend all day smelling like a mango. Even if you do, there’s a time and a place for Eau de mango. But you still want the health benefits of mangoes every day.
Luckily, mango butter has a surprisingly subtle scent. Much more subtle, in fact, than the nutty scent of shea butter or the rich cocoa aroma of cocoa butter. This makes mango butter a fantastic everyday butter to get your daily health benefits with a gentle, fresh smell.
Great for All Skin Textures
Mango butter is non-comedogenic. Comedo is the least severe form of acne, which results from a pore clogged by dead skin cells, sebum, and bacteria. Since mango butter is non-comedogenic, it doesn’t clog pores, which means it’s still a great moisturizing option for people with acne-prone skin.
Light, Silky, and Surprisingly Rich Texture
Oh, and did we mention that mango butter feels amazing on your skin?
Like its close cousins, shea and cocoa butter, mango butter is a light, non-greasy butter that glides on skin smoothly and absorbs well into skin and hair. That said, pure mango butter like the product we sell is actually richer than you’re used to. In fact, it will feel more like a body oil than a lotion, especially when compared with processed kinds of butter that have fillers, additives, and water.
This will take some adjusting, especially if you’re new to all-natural kinds of butter. But once you fall in love with how soft your skin feels, you’ll never look back!
Stash-Friendly
You’re probably thinking that those preservatives have an important benefit: they keep your butter fresh. But you’d be surprised by how well our natural mango butter lasts. In fact, it can last up to a whole year fresh and stable and ready to make your skin feel brand new.
As long as you store it in an airtight container and keep it away from extreme heat and cold, moisture, and direct light, you can keep a stash of your favorite butter ready to go.
How to Use Mango Butter
The next question is if mango butter is so good for you, how do you use it?
Like the fruit, mango butter is delightfully versatile. It has numerous health benefits to try, it’s great for most skin types, and it has a subtler scent than shea or cocoa butter, making it a fantastic all-purpose butter.
Here are a few ideas for how you can use mango butter as part of your everyday all-natural beauty routine (and a few recipes to try too!)
1. Treat a Sunburn
Getting a sunburn isn’t really anyone’s idea of a good time. Unfortunately, it’s a major risk for skin cancer, which means that when a sunburn occurs, you need to treat it as soon as possible and as effectively as possible.
When used on its own, mango butter has a cooling effect that’s a lifesaver when dealing with sunburn. There’s also a case to be made that the many antioxidants and vitamins in mango butter help expedite the healing process.
When used in combination with other oils and kinds of butter, mango butter can go a long way toward keeping your sunburn comfortable, manageable, and on the path to healing.
Recipe for Sunburn Treatment
With that in mind, here’s a recipe that can help you recover from sunburn (and other types of burn as well).
You’ll need:
- 2 tbsp mango butter
- 2 tsp aloe vera gel
- 3 drops sea buckthorn oil
- 3 drops peppermint essential oil
Melt the mango butter in a double boiler. Then, add the aloe gel and mix well. Add the sea buckthorn and peppermint oils and mix well. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Then, whip with a hand mixer until creamy.
You can use the resulting cream on sunburns or damaged skin. It has a shelf life of about 18 months when stored in a dark, cool, dry location.
A word of caution, though: if you are dealing with a severe burn, you should always seek proper medical attention first. From there, you can talk to your doctor about using natural skin care products to heal your burn.
Alternately, if you just want to soothe your skin after a long day in the sun, we’d suggest this chamomile and aloe after-sun cream.
2. Soothe Frostbite
You might be surprised to learn that frostbite and burns are treated quite similarly–in fact, frostbite is usually looked at as a more severe form of a burn wound. The only real difference is that doctors are trying to rewarm frostbite and cool down burn wounds.
Severe frostbite injuries will require immediate major medical attention in a hospital. That said, when treating the lasting effects of frostbite at home, mango butter can help repair skin damage and soothe the pain in much the same manner as soothing a sunburn–for much the same reason.
If you’re dealing with frostbite, ask your doctor about how you could incorporate mango butter into your skin recovery process (in combination with the appropriate medicine, of course).
3. Protect Dry Skin
Dry skin is a problem many of us deal with. It’s an irritation at best and a real cause of pain at worst. But while most of us deal with dry skin and think little of it, moisturizing is vital for your skin’s health. It helps to protect tiny fissures in your skin and it replaces moisture and oils your skin loses. This helps protect your skin against future damage.
Unfortunately, our bodies stop making as much oil as we age. So, what’s a health-minded person to do? Try Mango butter, it is great at moisturizing the skin, as it’s highly absorbent and full of nutrients your skin needs to stay healthy. It also helps restore your skin’s proper oil balance (without causing breakouts).
4. Soothe Conditions Like Eczema and Psoriasis
For some of us, dry and scaly skin is an even bigger problem.
Eczema is a common condition in which the skin develops dry, sensitive areas which may develop into rough, leathery patches, inflamed areas, or dark patches. The common feature, though, is itchiness.
Psoriasis is a skin disorder in which skin cells multiply far faster than normal, which makes skin build up into bumpy red patches covered in white scales.
If you live with either of these conditions, you’re likely familiar with the daily irritation–and, at times, the embarrassment–that comes with dealing with your skin. Unfortunately, these conditions aren’t always responsive to regular store-bought lotions and creams.
This is where mango butter can help. It has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe dry patches while also providing skin with essential nutrients it needs in order to heal.
5. Reduce Fine Lines
We said earlier that our skin produces less oil as we age. This is part of why we develop fine lines as we age, on top of our skin losing elasticity as we grow older.
Mango butter has a significant amount of fatty acid and mineral content, the exact ingredients your skin needs to slow the appearance of fine lines. Of particular value is mango butter’s high concentration of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for cell growth.
It’s also deeply moisturizing without being greasy, which helps your skin maintain a healthy oil balance like the skin of someone much younger.
6. Battle Acne
You might be surprised to hear that a body butter is good for treating acne. But keep in mind what we said earlier–mango butter is non-comedogenic, which means it can provide moisture and healthy oil content without clogging your pores.
In fact, it can actually help soothe existing acne because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Once you wash your face, apply mango butter using a small makeup brush. Don’t touch your face once you’ve applied it to avoid introducing new bacteria and oil.
In fact, many people apply mango butter right before bed. If you do take this route, make sure to let it soak in first so you can keep your pillowcase clean.
7. Calm Itching Bug Bites
Another one of the benefits of mango butter is its anti-inflammatory qualities that make it great for helping heal minor wounds, dry skin, and skin conditions like eczema. It also makes it a good choice for soothing bug bites.
One of the worst things you can do for a healing bug bite is scratch it, as you’ll irritate the skin surrounding the bug bite as well. Instead of scratching, apply mango butter to the bug bite. It has a cooling effect that will soothe the itchy sensation and help you avoid scratching. The high nutrient content will also help promote healing.
If you’re dealing with a potentially poisonous bite, like a black widow or a brown recluse, you should seek medical attention. However, if you’re dealing with a basic mosquito bite, mango butter is good for soothing itchy skin.
8. Reduce the Appearance of Scars
Finally, you can use mango butter to help reduce the appearance of scars.
Obviously, it’s best if you treat healing wounds early to minimize the potential for scarring. That said, you can use mango butter in combination with other healing kinds of butter like shea and cocoa to help promote healing and lessen the scar tissue.
Looking for Your New Favorite Butter?
If you’re looking for your new favorite body butter, now that you know the amazing benefits of mango butter, we think it is a good place to start.
If you’re looking to stock up on your body butter, oils, and other key ingredients, take a look at our shop to see what strikes your fancy. We’ve got several mango butter options, including our mango butter mini if you’re working on a small batch or you can buy in bulk and save if working on a bigger project!