December 13th is National Cocoa Day! And what a perfect time of year to celebrate Cocoa. The warmth and delicious smells from hot cocoa are always a favorite around the holiday season.

Cocoa trees, it’s believed, first grew in South America, and today, cocoa trees can be found throughout the world. Like wine, cocoa varies on taste depending on where it comes from , therefore, you may just notice different flavors in certain favorite chocolates from time to time. And, take the time to appreciate that delicious cup of cocoa or chocolate bar because it takes about 300 to 600 cocoa beans to make two pounds of chocolate!

Cocoa & Your Curls

So what about cocoa and curls? Cocoa butter is the substance that is obtained from cocoa beans, it’s a by product of chocolate – and curlies know that cocoa butter is a must for cold weather, frizz and soft skin too!

What will you use cocoa butter for? Use it as a deep conditioning treatment once or twice a week, depending on your hair type. You’ll notice how much softer and easier to manage your hair will become. Cocoa butter won’t weigh your hair down and it will help to moisturize your hair and scalp. You can also use it as a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment.

Try it!

Put some cocoa butter (found online or in health food stores”> in a cup and melt it in your microwave until it’s a liquid. Apply the oil/liquid to your hair for about 15-20 minutes then shampoo.

You can use cocoa butter as a pomade to help style your hair and keep frizz away as well. Just rub a small amount of cocoa butter in your palms, and smooth over your hair. You can mix a bit of coconut oil or an essential oil with it to give it a scent as well.

For brunettes who want to add some sheen and a tint of color depth to their hair, a cocoa hair mask may be something to try out too:

Mix a cup of pure aloe gel, 1/2 cup of pure cocoa powder and 1/4 cup of honey, 1 tblspn of favorite conditioner (Suave coconut is a good one to try”>. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and you’re left with a great smelling treatment for brunettes.

There are also a number of products on the market that feature cocoa butter blends for your hair and skin. Darcy’s Botanicals, Cocoa Curl, Shea Moisture and Dr. Bronner’s are just a few.