Kokum might be one of the most beneficial plants you’ve never heard of. A key ingredient in our newly-launched Nourishing Lip Balm, this underutilized plant has some amazing benefits for your skin. Let’s dig into what makes kokum so special.
What is Kokum Butter
Starting from the beginning, what is a kokum and where is it from in the first place? Kokum is a tropical evergreen tree indigenous to India’s southwest coast where it goes by names including Murgal, Amlabija, and Brindao. Otherwise, however, it’s not widely seen in other places in the world, which is why you’ve likely never seen it on an ingredient label before.
Both the plan’s fruits and leaves share its benefits and are cultivated for use. In terms of similar plants, it’s closest relative is the mango.
Locals have used kokum for years, especially for it’s cooling properties in the hot Indian weather. kokum can be used as a cooking ingredient and is often made into a sherbet. Who doesn’t want some of that?
Image from yummyfoodrecipes.in
Kokum butter benefits
As mentioned above, locals have used kokum as a way to help cool down. This is backed by science, as both kokum rind has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties and in India is used to make herbal remedies. This includes the treatment of skin ailments like burns and chafs. It’s even possible to make a drinkable syrup to treat sunstroke.
In addition, as it does have anti-inflammatory properties, when digested kokum is used to treat digestive problems. It’s a natural antacid, which may be more familiar to you as a way to treat heartburn, indigestion, and general stomach problems. These properties are mainly derived from kokum’s Garcinol.
There are also antioxidant (from Garcinol Cyanidin-3-glucoside) and antibacterial benefits that encourage wound healing, including everything from some simple chapped skin to sores.
Image from Pixabay
Why Kokum butter in a lip balm?
Kokum butter is great in a lip balm for two reasons:
First, there are those great health benefits. In a lip balm kokum utilizes its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, soothing your hard-working lips while helping them repair. It’s especially great for people whose lips seem to be constantly chapped.
Second, kokum butter is made from the seeds of the fruit and carries many of the same health benefits. Kokum butter acts as a thickener and can be a replacement for cocoa butter (to get in the weeds a little with the chemistry, this is due to its uniform triglyceride composition). It works well mixed together with other active ingredients in our lip balm: mango butter, coconut oil, and sesame seed oil.