Annmarie Skin Care: What’s Murumuru Butter and How Do You Use It?

The natural beauty world is associated with a lot of familiar ingredients such as essential oils, aloe, and plant extracts, but is murumuru butter on your radar? Astrocaryum murumuru (its scientific name) is a fat that’s derived from the nuts of the murumuru palm tree, which can be found in and around the Amazon rainforest in Brazil—research suggests that there are more than 2.4 billion trees in the area.

Unlike other nut butters, this one is odorless and is particularly desirable because it doesn’t become rancid easily. These attributes also make murumuru butter a great choice for beauty products.

all about murumuru butter

But murumuru butter is not a newly discovered ingredient. It actually made its first appearance in the United States and Europe during the 1940s and 50s when it was used as a key ingredient in vegetable creams and soaps. Today, you can find murumuru butter in a variety of soaps, skin care (it doesn’t clog pores) and hair care products.

The butter is chock-full of beneficial fatty acids including oleic, myristic (approximately 27%, and lauric approximately 46%) acids. Myristic acid has high antioxidant properties while lauric is touted as a fatty acid that boasts an impressive antibacterial and anti-inflammatory action.

for skin and hair use

Studies show that because of this powerful combination of ingredients, murumuru butter is effective in helping to soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles, cleanse, alleviate temporary redness or discomfort, and protect from environmental stressors. But the benefits don’t just stop for the skin alone.

4 Key Benefits of Murumuru Butter for Hair

It’s also great when used as a treatment for dry, frizzy, or brittle hair—even an oily scalp because it works to balance and keep pesky dandruff flakes at bay. Let’s talk more about murumuru butter and your tresses.

Deeply Nourishes and Hydrates

Murumuru butter penetrates deeply into each hair strand and follicle—even more than shea butter—making it an attractive ingredient for those with thick, coarse, and/or curly hair. Even the scalp receives a moisture boost.

Imparts Shine Sans Grease

Many other oils and butters leave behind a heavy, greasy residue, which makes it next to impossible for those with thinner hair to use (read: limp locks.) Murumuru, however, is lightweight and won’t leave a film behind. Instead, you’ll be treated to silky, shiny tresses.

Reconstructs and Strengthens

Along with providing an intense moisture boost, murumuru butter actually helps to restore hair health, thus improving strength, flexibility, and guarding against damage such as split ends and breakage.

Softens and Smoothes

Extremely emollient, murumuru softens while sealing in moisture, which helps to keep hair healthy, soft, and full of shine despite frequent shampooing and styling.

How to Use Murumuru Butter On Your Hair

Thanks to the growing popularity of this superhero nut butter, you can find murumuru butter in copious haircare products on the market. However, the key is getting a natural (and ideally, certified organic) formula that’s void of chemicals and fillers.

Otherwise, what’s the point of using such a wonderful ingredient? Here are a couple of unrefined, DIY alternatives.

Basic

One option is to simply purchase a jar of natural, organic, unrefined murumuru butter and apply it to your tresses in lieu of your regular conditioner after shampooing. You only need a small amount (about a half a walnut—a bit more or less depending on the length of your hair) to do the trick, just make sure your mane is damp—not soaking wet—so it can absorb properly.

Providing you didn’t use too much product, you can keep it on as a leave-in conditioner treatment. You can even opt to sleep with a towel on your head and rinse out in the morning.

Intense

While murumuru butter can certainly stand up on its own, mixing it with other oils and butters can be beneficial for those with extremely damaged, thirsty locks. Again, if your hair is super-fine, you’re going to want to opt for the basic route as to not weigh it down. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

5 g murumuru butter
5 g tacuma butter
35 g raw mango butter
20 ml argan oil
1 tbsp marula oil
1 heaping tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 drops vitamin e

Directions:

In a double boiler or microwave, gradually melt the three butters, making sure to regularly stir the mixture.
Mix in the three oils.
Once melted, pour the mixture into a clean glass measuring cup and add vitamin e.
Keep in the fridge until semi-solid—about 30 minutes.
Using an electric hand mixer, whisk for about 3 minutes, or until creamy.
Scoop into jar and store at room temperature. Be sure to use a clean scoop/spoon in lieu of your fingers to prevent bacteria from forming.

Annmarie Skin Care

Thursday, November 21, 2019

What’s Murumuru Butter and How Do You Use It?