Glossary
A firm, dense butter extracted from the seeds of the kokum tree (Garcinia indica), native to the Western Ghats region of India. Non-comedogenic and quick-absorbing, kokum butter provides intense moisture without clogging pores or leaving a greasy residue.
Kokum butter sits in a unique position among natural skincare butters. Shea butter is rich and slow-absorbing. Cocoa butter is firm and aromatic. Kokum butter splits the difference: it provides deep moisture with a noticeably lighter feel on the skin. It absorbs quickly, leaves no greasy film, and has virtually no scent, making it ideal for facial products where heavy, fragrant butters can feel overwhelming.
The lightness comes from its fatty acid composition. Kokum butter is high in stearic acid (approximately 55%) and oleic acid (approximately 40%), with very low levels of the heavier palmitic acid that makes cocoa butter feel thick. This profile gives kokum butter a smooth, dry-touch finish that skin absorbs in minutes rather than hours.
One of the biggest challenges in facial skincare formulation is finding ingredients rich enough to provide real moisture without clogging pores. Many natural butters (like cocoa butter, rated 4/5 on the comedogenic scale) are too heavy for facial application. Kokum butter has a comedogenic rating of 0 to 1, making it one of the safest rich butters for face use.
This is why we chose kokum butter as a key ingredient in our Silken Glow Facial Balm. It delivers the substantive moisture of a butter while behaving like a lightweight oil on the skin surface. Combined with argan oil and sea buckthorn oil, it creates a facial product that genuinely nourishes without causing breakouts.
The kokum tree is native to the tropical rainforests of India's Western Ghats. The fruit is harvested, the seeds extracted and dried, and the butter is obtained through a combination of crushing and solvent-free mechanical pressing. Kokum butter production provides income to rural communities in Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala, and sustainable harvesting practices help preserve the kokum tree populations in their native habitat.
Kokum butter is lighter, absorbs faster, has almost no scent, and has a lower comedogenic rating than shea butter. Shea butter is richer, slower to absorb, has a nutty aroma, and provides more intense emolliency. Kokum is better suited for facial products; shea excels in body products.
Yes. Kokum butter's non-comedogenic rating and quick absorption make it one of the best natural butters for oily or combination skin. It provides moisture without adding heaviness or triggering excess sebum production.
Yes. Kokum butter can be applied directly to skin as a standalone moisturizer. However, it performs best when blended with other ingredients. In our Facial Balm, it is combined with argan oil, mango butter, and sea buckthorn oil for a complete skincare profile.
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