This is a review of Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula, a moisturizing cream that has been formulated to soften and protect rough, dry skin. However, it is also billed as a product that helps to heal and to smooth and blend unattractive marks. Does this mean that it is effective in reducing the appearance of scars?
It could be. The lack of color of stretched and scarred skin is a result of damage to the melanin-producing cells. If Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula is effective in working on stretch marks and other unsightly marks on the skin, it should also work on scars. Or perhaps not.
Ingredients
- Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract,
- Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum),
- Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina),
- Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter,
- Dimethicone, Fragrance (Parfum),
- Tocopheryl Acetate,
- Beta Carotene (CI 40800),
- Zea Mays (Corn) Oil,
- Isopropyl Myristate,
- Benzyl Benzoate,
- Benzyl Cinnamate.
Cacao butter, obtained from the seeds of the cacao plant, is widely used in skin creams to heal dry and sensitive skin. Mineral oil is also widely used to soften the skin, but there are questions about its long-term efficacy as it actually cannot be absorbed by the skin. Its benefit, therefore, is largely cosmetic. Microcrystalline wax, which is produced by de-oiling petroleum, is largely used as a binder, emollient (to soften and sooth the skin) and viscosity agent, as is Isopropyl Myristate, another synthetic oil; and Benzyl Benzoate, which is composed of Isopropyl Alcohol (a propane derivative) and Myristic Acid (a naturally-occurring fatty acid).
Dimethicone is a silicon-based polymer that is a recognized skin conditioning agent while Tocopheryl acetate is a form of vitamin E, a natural skin-conditioning agent, and antioxidant. Zea Mays (Corn) Oil is also often found in skin care products as a skin conditioning product.
Although beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A, and we need vitamin A for healthy skin, the Beta Carotene (CI 40800) in this formulation is really nothing more than a colorant. Benzyl Cinnamate has been added to the product to make it smell nice.
Dosage
The manufacturer recommends that you use the product daily to achieve a soft and youthful appearance, as well as immediately after exposure to the sun and wind. There are no specific instructions about how regularly it should be applied to deal with scars or stretch marks.
Price
A 3.5oz (100g) tub is available from various online retailers for between $6.50 and $14.00 – so do shop around for the best deal. It is also available directly from the manufacturer, but surprisingly at a higher price than it can be obtained elsewhere.
Guarantee
Palmer’s offers a full refund on the purchase price if you are not satisfied. We were unable to find information regarding the procedure to claim a refund, or whether you have to do so within a specific time frame following your purchase.
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Review – Conclusion
There is no doubt that most of the ingredients in this product will help to make the skin look and feel smoother and softer. The use of natural cocoa butter and vitamin E will also actually penetrate the skin’s dryness and may help to restore natural moisture.
However, our research did not find evidence that the ingredients in this product would have any effect on scarring – apart from making the scarred skin smoother and softer.
A high proportion of the ingredients in Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula are synthetic. This includes silicon. We would, therefore, recommend that anyone with a silicon sensitivity use this product with caution.