Cocoa bean

Cocoa, the star of cosmetics

Long accused of being the cause of excess weight or acne, chocolate is now taking its revenge. A real nugget for our cosmetics, the cocoa bean has many virtues. Anti-ageing, anti-celluliteCocoa could have been a star if chocolate hadn't stolen its thunder. A nutritionist at the Royan thalassotherapy centre, Dr Bulidon offers chocolate body wraps, and for him, "the raw material of our treatments is cocoa!

We talk about chocolate skincare because the imaginative power is much stronger, "it's more buoyant" admits the doctor. A view shared by James Frerebau, co-founder of the Sensation Chocolat brand: "Chocolate is all about marketing, it has no cosmetic benefits for the skin. It's the richness of cocoa that benefits our skin".

Cocoa is a good anti-ageing agent. Extremely rich in polyphenols, "it has 50 times more than grape seed, which is already considered one of the heavyweights in terms of polyphenols", explains James Frerebau. Dr Bulidon points out that "cocoa is an antioxidant that has a strong effect on free radicals and therefore indirectly on cell ageing".

As well as slowing the appearance of the first signs of ageing, cocoa could also have an effect on our figure, and in particular on cellulite. "The cocoa bean shell contains caffeine, which tones the tissues and slows down the effects of skin relaxation," explains the co-founder of Sensation Chocolat.

More than just a marketing ploy, chocolate-based skincare products are enjoying growing success thanks to their anti-ageing and anti-cellulite properties, as well as their gourmet and relaxing appeal.

A chocolate mask, scrub or body wrap not only enhances our beauty, it also improves our well-being. The only requirement, according to James Frerebau, is that "cocoa butter must be one of the three main ingredients, otherwise there's no point... I advise consumers to buy natural skincare products, but not necessarily organic ones. If they are careful about preservatives such as methylparaben and propylparaben, organic is not a must".

And when it comes to the risk of allergies or acne, Dr Bulidon and James Frerebau are unanimous: "There is no risk of allergies with cocoa, even if you apply it to the skin. And there are no studies confirming the role of chocolate in the development of acne", explains the nutritionist.