Coconut Butter vs Coconut Oil - Decoding The Differences

Ah the beautiful summer vibe that coconuts remind of. From refreshing pina coladas to smoothies and even coconut lip balms and mists, come summer and you will find them everywhere. 

With so many coconut products out there, it can sometimes create confusion as to which one to choose for your next skincare formula or soap making recipe. Two of such popular extracts include coconut butter and coconut oil. Today, we set out on a journey to explore the key differences between the two. This article is our attempt to help you decide whether to choose coconut butter or coconut oil for your next skincare recipe. 

What Is Coconut Oil?

Scientifically speaking, coconut oil is the pure lipids of cocus nucifera. It primarily contains essential fatty acids that nourish the endodermis and epidermis. Apart from being a staple in tropical cuisine, coconut oil finds its applications in body oils, hair oils, serums, body lotions, hot process as well as cold process soap recipes. 

That’s not it, many cultures swear by the healing and cooling properties of coconut oil. This makes it one of the most loved oils across the globe. 

The Making Of Coconut Oil - Breaking Down The Process

To extract coconut oil, natural coconut meat is extracted and grinded. Later, manufacturers extract oil out of this paste using different techniques like cold pressing, expeller pressing or heat based extraction. In some cases, the distillers deodorize the oil to get rid of the strong coconuty aroma (I mean why would you but okay)

Learn more about expeller pressed vs cold pressed oils and discover their differences. 

What Are The Types Of Coconut Oil?

Depending on raw material, extraction and refinement, several popular types of coconut oil are:

• Cold pressed Coconut Oil
• Fractionated Coconut Oil
• Virgin Coconut Oil
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Deodorized Coconut Oil
• Refined Coconut Oil

What Is Coconut Butter?

Coconut butter is a more thick, viscous, buttery (like obviously) paste of coconut meat. It is often stabilized for industrial applications. It contains more than just lipids of coconut. Formulators use coconut butter to make lip balms, body butters, body candles, and other nourishing skin care products. Coconut butter’s thick texture make it truly versatile to add to even salves similar products. Perfumers can mix coconut butter with natural essential oils and absolutes to make organic solid perfumes. 

That’s not it, there is also food grade coconut butter. Adding a dollop of it in any smoothie recipe immediately fills it with healthy fats and delicious coconut flavor. 

The Making Of Coconut Butter - Breaking Down The Process

It is quite easy to make coconut butter and unlike making coconut oil, it doesn’t require any additional tools. In fact, you can easily make coconut butter at home with a few easy ingredients. 

All you need to do is take dried coconut meat or flakes and put them in a grinder. Keep grinding till you achieve smooth buttery consistency. Store it in an air-tight container. 

You might wonder how the cosmetic grade coconut butter is different from the one you make at home? Manufactures of skincare ingredients follow a similar process but they later test it for yeast, mould and heavy metals. This ensures you get a premium quality raw material to make skincare products. In some cases, manufacturers add stabilizers to it for a longer shelf life. 

What Is the Difference Between Coconut Butter vs Coconut Oil?

Coconut butter is different from coconut oil in terms of appearance, composition, extraction and applications. Here’s a list of complete differences between the two:

Extraction Process

Both coconut butter and oil are made from coconut meat. However, mostly dried coconut is used for making coconut butter, whereas coconut oil is of better quality when made from fresh coconut. To make coconut butter, all you need to do is grind the meat into a smooth paste. On the contrary, coconut oil is extracted from this paste. Various different techniques are used for this extraction resulting in different types of coconut oils. 

Appearance and Texture

Coconut oil is mostly liquid at room temperature with a translucent color. It has a pourable consistency and might get thick as the temperature drops. 

Coconut butter, on the other hand, has a thicker, butter-like consistency and might get tighter in cooler climates. 

Applications

Coconut oil is more versatile than coconut butter. Formulators and skincare makers use it to make hair oils, body oils, handmade soaps, conditioners, face oils, serums, etc. As a richer extract, coconut butter is your companion for all things balms. From body lotions to body butters and the new trend, body candles, coconut butter is the perfect addition to all things beauty. 

Storage

Since coconut oil is just lipids, it lasts much longer than coconut butter. Coconut oil also easily melts whereas coconut butter remains thick at even higher temperatures. 

Coconut Butter vs Coconut Oil: Which is Right for You?

Now that you have understood the differences between the two, you might want to know which one to pick for your next formula. Our verdict is, both. Select coconut oil if you want to dilute essential oils, add a carrier oil to diffusers or perfumes, make more liquid products like massage oils or want to add essential fatty acids to any formula. 

Au contraire, select coconut butter if you are thinking of making more thick skincare products or looking to make existing formula thicker. Think of lip balms, hair masks, conditioners, etc. 

Concluding Thoughts

Coconut butter is different from coconut oil in terms of its extraction process, appearance, uses and nutrient profile. On one hand, coconut butter is made from the dried coconut meat without any further refinement, coconut oil is made from fresh meat and is additionally refined. Coconut butter is thick, more dense and makes any formula creamier. Coconut oil is thin, pourable (mostly) and adds typical oil like properties. Aromatherapy enthusiasts use coconut oil to dilute essential oils for countless applications. Consider your desired result in the skincare formula while selecting the right fit for you. 

Skincare makers and soap makers can take advantage of Aromachology’s e-store where you can find a vast collection of both coconut oil and coconut butter for all your applications. Get wholesale essential oils, butters, waxes, bulk carrier oils and more under one roof when you shop from Aromachology. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is coconut butter the same as coconut oil?

No, coconut butter is thicker and creamier than coconut oil. The later is usually made from the former. They are both different in terms of how they look and what they have to offer for skin and hair health. 

Is coconut butter good for your skin?

Yes, coconut butter is a creamy extract that nourishes the skin and penetrates deep inside. It is a simple paste that makes skin smoother, silkier and well moisturized. 

How much coconut oil to replace butter? 

Coconut oil is much thinner than coconut butter so take into account the texture difference. You can replace 100 gms of coconut butter with approximately 60 gms of coconut oil in most cases.