13 Moisturizing Cupuaçu-Butter Products to Try Now
It might be difficult to pronounce (for the record, it’s coo-pwah-soo), but it’s easy to see why cupuaçu butter is pretty much taking over the beauty world. The supermoisturizing ingredient makes lipsticks more hydrating, moisturizers more powerful, and conditioners more potent. Here, 13 ways to try it out for yourself.
By Stephanie Salztman
(Photo: Cannon Brown)
Cupuaçu butter, an ingredient made from a superfruit native to the Amazonian rain forest, is the kind of multitasker that makes dermatologists absolutely freak out (in a good way). “I love it. Love it,” says Doris Day, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. “It has phytosterols, which hydrate, and polyphenols, antioxidants that fight free radicals," she explains. But wait—that’s not all! (Yep, this is pretty much a late-night infomercial for the ingredient.) Cupuaçu butter is a type of moisturizer that isn’t overly occlusive, says Day, meaning it won’t clog pores or cause breakouts. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can even help provide some protection against sun damage (though Day cautions that you should always, always use sunscreen).
Nude Skincare Advanced Renewal Overnight Repair Mask
This thick, could-spread-it-on-toast-buttery sleep mask is so rich, it practically requires a spatula to apply it. The formula blends cupuaçu butter with moisturizing shea butter, amino-acid-rich milk proteins, and exfoliating lactic acid, so it softens skin in multiple ways. We love slathering it on over our usual serum and moisturizer whenever skin is feeling a little dry or dull, since cupuaçu butter helps support other ingredients’ interaction with the skin, Day says: “Almost anything you put under it will penetrate better.” And even though this mask feels like you’re frosting your face when you first apply it, rest assured that it does, in fact, soak in after a few minutes, so it won’t leave behind residue on your pillowcase.
Carol’s Daughter Cupuaçu Anti-Frizz Smoothing Hair Mask
Cupuaçu butter isn’t just a miracle worker for dry skin; it’s also a must-try ingredient for anyone with thick, frizzy, damaged hair. Carol’s Daughter makes an entire cupuaçu-butter-based line, but our favorite product is this mask, which smooths hair with hydrolyzed silk and calms frizz with cocoa butter, shea butter, jojoba oil, and coconut oil. (Disclaimer—just in case you couldn’t tell from that buttery, oily lineup—we don’t recommend it for fine hair textures.)
Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick
Added to lipstick, cupuaçu butter gives a smooth, creamy texture and tons of moisture. These silky, pigmented bullets come in eight (mostly pink-tinged) shades, go on opaque, and have a pretty sheen. And we can’t get enough of the faintly minty scent—or the supercute floral packaging.
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John Masters Organics Cacao & Cupuacu Hand & Body Butter
We won’t lie to you: If you’re looking for a lightweight, quick-absorbing hand cream that won’t inhibit your ability to turn a doorknob successfully, keep searching. But if what you need is a deeply moisturizing balm that melts into a thick oil as you apply it to heal even the most chapped skin, you’ll love this natural blend of cacao, cupuaçu, and shea butters. For some real coddling, slather on quarter-size dab on your hands, cover them with cotton gloves before bed, and then wake up to the softest hands ever.
Jouer Hydrating Lipstick
We’ve tried plenty of lipsticks that claim to be moisturizing, but usually what that means is that they’re only slightly less drying than their severely moisture-sapping counterparts. Not this one: The richly pigmented formula isn’t just pretty; it actually delivers long-lasting hydration you can feel even after the color fades (which takes quite a while).
Herbal Essences The Sleeker the Butter Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner
Best for anyone with thick, unruly hair, this moisturizing combo goes a long way toward calming frizz and smoothing flyaways. “I’d absolutely recommend using a cupuaçu-butter shampoo and conditioner,” says Day. We love the faint cocoa-y scent of this duo (and the way-affordable drugstore price tag: $3 each!).
Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser Reconstructing Butter
You’ve heard it a hundred times: There’s no way to “heal” split ends, other than snipping them off with a pair of scissors. So while the words “damage eraser” in this product’s name might be a little misleading, the pudding-thick formula does moisturize strands really, really well, which can help make damage less noticeable.
Lush None of Your Beeswax Lip Balm
Don’t be scared by the strangely crumbly texture: As you smear this over your lips, it melts into a smooth, spreadable balm. The blend of cupuaçu butter, murumuru butter, and carnauba wax softens and hydrates lips instantly without feeling heavy or waxy. We also love the vanilla-citrus scent—and the fact that it’s honey- and beeswax-free, making it completely vegan.
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Burt’s Bees Richly Replenishing Cocoa & Cupuaçu Body Lotion
Usually we find that intensely moisturizing lotions are thick, greasy, and slowly absorbed. But this formula is inexplicably lightweight, soaking in in just a few seconds. That doesn’t mean it skimps on moisture: The blend of cupuaçu butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, sunflower oil, and glycerin can tackle even the scaliest and flakiest elbows, knees, and feet.
Aveda Botanical Kinetics Intense Hydrating Soft Creme
Cupuaçu butter joins forces with glycerin, palm oil, and stearic acid in this silky cream to replenish skin’s moisture levels. And though it’s an effective moisturizer, it doesn’t feel heavy, so it layers well with other skin-care productsand under makeup.
Belif Moisturizing and Firming Eye Cream
"The eye area is really sensitive and gets really dry," says Day, who recommends dabbing on a serum, then layering a rich cream like this one on top. We like it best for nighttime use, since the slippery texture can make eye makeup wear away quickly.
Grown Alchemist Intensive Body Cream Rosa Damascena, Açaï & Pomegranate
Multiple editors are newly obsessed with Grown Alchemist, a natural brand from Australia—and this body cream is without question one of our favorites in the line. It has a lovely fruity floral scent that’s fresh, not overpowering, and a quick-absorbing consistency that doesn’t leave skin feeling slick. Though it’s available in a large pump-top bottle, we love stashing the smaller tube at our desk (it’s so pretty!) and applying it as a hand cream throughout the day.
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