Kokum Butter for Skin: Benefits, Uses & Non-Comedogenic Face Moisturizer
Kokum Butter
Wild-harvested from the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, kokum butter has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries to restore skin elasticity and heal compromised barriers. Despite its therapeutic history, it remains largely unknown in modern skincare—overlooked in favor of more commercially scalable ingredients.
We preserve it unrefined to maintain its bioactive integrity.
What It Is
Kokum butter is pressed from the seeds of Garcinia indica, a tree native to India’s Western Ghats. The butter is solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin, absorbing completely without residue.
Its molecular structure—high in stearic acid (50-60%) and oleic acid (35-45%)—makes it uniquely suited for facial use. Unlike most botanical butters, kokum is non-comedogenic. It delivers deep moisture without clogging pores, a rare combination in plant-based skincare.
Traditional Use
In Ayurvedic practice, kokum butter has been applied to cracked skin, burns, and inflamed tissue. Its cooling properties and ability to restore elasticity made it particularly valued for damaged or sensitized skin.
Modern formulations rarely incorporate it. The ingredient requires wild-harvesting and careful processing to preserve efficacy—practices that don’t scale easily. As a result, kokum remains underutilized despite its functional superiority to more common butters.
Why We Use It
Kokum butter anchors our ORI Face Balm because it solves a formulation problem most brands ignore: how to deliver intensive moisture to the face without triggering congestion.
Non-comedogenic richness
Kokum butter delivers deep hydration without clogging pores—a critical quality for facial formulations. Its fatty acid profile allows it to penetrate skin effectively without creating occlusion, making it suitable for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone complexions. This balance of richness and breathability is what makes kokum essential in our anhydrous balms.
Barrier repair without weight
Stearic acid strengthens the skin’s lipid barrier. Oleic acid facilitates absorption. Together, they create a butter that feels lightweight despite being structurally dense—essential for anhydrous formulations where every ingredient must perform multiple functions.
Clean finish
Kokum absorbs completely. There is no film, no shine, no heaviness. This allows it to work in minimalist formulas where texture cannot be masked by emulsifiers or silicones.
Sourcing
Our kokum butter is wild-harvested by forest farmers in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. The seeds are gathered from trees growing naturally in the Western Ghats, then cold-pressed to extract the butter.
We source unrefined kokum to preserve its native phytosterol content and ensure the fatty acid profile remains intact. Refining removes color and odor but also strips bioactive compounds—a trade-off we don’t make.
Sustainable harvest practices protect the tree population. Wild-harvesting at this scale is slow and labor-intensive, which limits supply but maintains ecological balance.
In Our Formulation
Kokum butter appears in ORI Face Balm alongside nilotica shea butter, kpangnan butter, squalane, bakuchiol, and baobab oil.
The formulation is anhydrous—no water, no preservatives, no emulsifiers. Kokum’s lightweight texture balances the richness of kpangnan while its non-comedogenic properties ensure the balm can be used on the face without concern for pore congestion.
This is intentional minimalism. Six ingredients, each chosen for functional necessity and ethnobotanical integrity.
What to Expect
Kokum butter in isolation has a firm, waxy texture. On skin, it melts within seconds and absorbs without trace.
In our balm, it contributes:
- Moisture retention without occlusion
- Barrier repair through fatty acid supplementation
- A finish that feels like skin, not product
If you’re accustomed to lotions or creams, the solid texture may require adjustment. Anhydrous formulations demand a different application method—warm between fingers, press into skin, allow absorption. The result is hydration that lasts without reapplication.
Why It Matters
Kokum butter represents a broader principle: efficacy rooted in traditional knowledge, not marketing trends.
Ayurvedic medicine identified its value centuries before modern cosmetic chemistry could explain why it works. We incorporate it not because it’s novel, but because it’s effective—and because wild-harvested, unrefined ingredients align with our commitment to ethnobotanical integrity.
This is skincare as an extension of coherent living. What you apply to your skin should reflect the same rigor you apply to how you think, what you consume, and how you move through the world.
Further Reading
Waterless Skincare: A Mind Body Wellness Approach
Sustainability in Skincare: Why Ethical Sourcing Matters
Steps for a Skincare Routine: A Guide to Healthy Minimalist Skincare
Aminata Haadi
Slow luxury skincare. Ethnobotanical formulations. Conscious beauty.
