What is it? |
Kokum butter is a very firm plant-derived butter from the seeds of the Garcinia Indica fruit. It is primarily comprised of stearic and oleic fatty acids. |
INCI |
Garcinia Indica Seed Butter |
Appearance |
Solid off-white butter |
Usage rate |
Up to 100% |
Texture |
Very solid—firmer than shea and mango butters, but not fully brittle like cocoa or tucuma. While brittle butters will snap, kokum is more inclined to crumble. |
Scent |
The refined version has no noticeable scent. |
Absorbency Speed |
Fast to average |
Approximate Melting Point |
37–40°C (98.6–104°F) |
Solubility |
Oil |
Why do we use it in formulations? |
Used in large amounts kokum butter can form the backbone of thick body butters, and help harden/stabilize body butter bars, shampoo bars, and other solid products. In lower concentrations it is a beautiful non-greasy emollient. |
Do you need it? |
No |
Refined or unrefined? |
I’ve only worked with refined, and I like it. |
Strengths |
Kokum butter is a beautiful emollient with a non-greasy skin feel that also offers thickening/hardening to our products. |
Weaknesses |
It can be harder to find than more common butters like cocoa and shea. |
Alternatives & Substitutions |
Cocoa butter or tucuma butter would be my top choices, though if you have cupuacu or mango butters you could also try 90% cocoa/tucuma and 10% cupuacu/mango. |
How to Work with It |
Include it in the oil phase of your formulations; you will likely need to melt it to work with it unless you live somewhere quite warm. |
Storage & Shelf Life |
Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, kokum butter should last at least two years. |
Tips, Tricks, and Quirks |
Because kokum butter melts just above body temperature it is a good choice for body butters—blending with softer oils will slightly lower the melting point, giving you a product that melts on skin contact. |
Recommended starter amount |
100g (3.5oz) |
Where to Buy it |
Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon. |