Cocoa Butter - tanTALK

Team Paradise · 05-15-2003, 08:51 AM

We had a new client stop in to see our salon, and try our beds. During the conversation about her tanning history, she told us that she has never used anything but pure cocoa butter when she tans. She told us that she orders it from Walmart Pharmacy and it comes in a stick form. Supposedly on the label it says PURE cocoa butter with no other ingredients listed.
I realize that this product's primary therapeutic use is for dry skin, but would like some information about using it as a tanning lotion. Can anyone give us further information about this and/or suggestions?
Always learning.....Thanks!!

BooBop · 05-15-2003, 12:20 PM

I have contacted Eric Dann of Formulated to come and give us his view on this subject.

Team Paradise · 05-15-2003, 01:31 PM

Thanks Mitzi....hopefully I"ll know what to tell the client and give out correct information!

Team Paradise · 05-21-2003, 05:43 AM

bump..........Hello

BooBop · 05-21-2003, 06:03 AM

Yeah, I will see if I can get his attention via email.

Formulated Solutions · 05-21-2003, 09:39 AM

Mitzi,

Thank you for the email, I was travelling and am just getting back into the office today. To answer the question about using pure cocoa butter as a tanning lotion, and how to explain why this may not be the best option for them.

The way that I would approach the situation is to explain them about some of the other advantages they are going to be missing out on by using only Cocoa Butter. Cocoa Butter is lipid rich fatty oil derived from seeds of the cocoa plant. When used in on the skin it is referred to as an occlusive conditioner, which means that it is really doing is putting a layer of oil on the skin helping to prevent water loss from the skin itself.

Most indoor tanning lotions contain some form of occlusive skin conditioner (some even use cocoa butter), however, they also contain any number of other ingredient that are specifically designed to be used when tanning.

The easy analogy would be flour is the main ingredient in baking a cake, but with out adding eggs, milk and vanilla, it does not cook very well.

Tanning lotions contain many other ingredients including, humectants that deliver additional needed moisture to the skin, antioxidants to maintain healthy skin, have tyrosine, which is the building block of melanin to name a few.

A lotion is a complex system, and not just one or two named ingredients, how it functions as a system, is not always as easy as what the components are that comprise the product.

So is cocoa butter, necessarily the worst thing to use when tanning, probably not, it is certainly better than using nothing at all. Will this person see the same results and benefits using that product as they would be using a product specifically formulated for indoor tanning. Absolutely not, they are going to have much better results using a tanning lotion designed for tanning.

BooBop · 05-21-2003, 10:10 AM

Thanks Eric! I always enjoy your analogies This is good information to pass along.

Team Paradise · 05-21-2003, 12:48 PM

Thanks Mitzi and Eric for your help! We have a book that we made that we keep in our lobby with all kinds of useful information for our tanners to read while they're waiting. We call it "Tanning for Dummies". Everyone gets a kick out of the title but you'd be amazed at how many people actually pick it up and read it. The more we can educate about Smart Tanning the better! The cocoa butter information will be included.
Thanks again!

BooBop · 05-21-2003, 07:35 PM

Great Idea! I just print stuff and make many copies. Maybe this Book for Tanning Dummies is the answer.....

PJ · 05-21-2003, 11:29 PM

[ This Message was edited by: PJ on 2003-05-21 23:46 ]

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Alternative to Cal Tan Cocoa?	meg1123	Tanning Lotion Buzz	1	07-13-2004 03:03 PM
California Tan's Butter...	Tropical Image	Tanning Lotion Buzz	18	01-16-2003 05:30 PM
Emerald Bays Cocoa Butter	Meltdbutta	Tanning Lotion Buzz	6	08-30-2002 09:46 PM
Why don\'t we see cocoa butter in more tanning lotions?	Chippp	Skin Care	2	04-13-2002 10:52 PM
COCOA BUTTER by Emerald Bay	Meltdbutta	Tanning Lotion Buzz	3	04-13-2002 02:48 PM

05-15-2003, 08:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
Team Paradise Join Date: May 4 2003 Posts: 71 Rep Power: 0	We had a new client stop in to see our salon, and try our beds. During the conversation about her tanning history, she told us that she has never used anything but pure cocoa butter when she tans. She told us that she orders it from Walmart Pharmacy and it comes in a stick form. Supposedly on the label it says PURE cocoa butter with no other ingredients listed. I realize that this product's primary therapeutic use is for dry skin, but would like some information about using it as a tanning lotion. Can anyone give us further information about this and/or suggestions? Always learning.....Thanks!!

05-15-2003, 12:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	I have contacted Eric Dann of Formulated to come and give us his view on this subject.

05-15-2003, 01:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
Team Paradise Join Date: May 4 2003 Posts: 71 Rep Power: 0	Thanks Mitzi....hopefully I"ll know what to tell the client and give out correct information!

05-21-2003, 05:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
Team Paradise Join Date: May 4 2003 Posts: 71 Rep Power: 0	bump..........Hello

05-21-2003, 06:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	Yeah, I will see if I can get his attention via email.

05-21-2003, 09:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Formulated Solutions Join Date: Oct 8 2001 Posts: 150 Rep Power: 23	Mitzi, Thank you for the email, I was travelling and am just getting back into the office today. To answer the question about using pure cocoa butter as a tanning lotion, and how to explain why this may not be the best option for them. The way that I would approach the situation is to explain them about some of the other advantages they are going to be missing out on by using only Cocoa Butter. Cocoa Butter is lipid rich fatty oil derived from seeds of the cocoa plant. When used in on the skin it is referred to as an occlusive conditioner, which means that it is really doing is putting a layer of oil on the skin helping to prevent water loss from the skin itself. Most indoor tanning lotions contain some form of occlusive skin conditioner (some even use cocoa butter), however, they also contain any number of other ingredient that are specifically designed to be used when tanning. The easy analogy would be flour is the main ingredient in baking a cake, but with out adding eggs, milk and vanilla, it does not cook very well. Tanning lotions contain many other ingredients including, humectants that deliver additional needed moisture to the skin, antioxidants to maintain healthy skin, have tyrosine, which is the building block of melanin to name a few. A lotion is a complex system, and not just one or two named ingredients, how it functions as a system, is not always as easy as what the components are that comprise the product. So is cocoa butter, necessarily the worst thing to use when tanning, probably not, it is certainly better than using nothing at all. Will this person see the same results and benefits using that product as they would be using a product specifically formulated for indoor tanning. Absolutely not, they are going to have much better results using a tanning lotion designed for tanning.

05-21-2003, 10:10 AM	#7 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	Thanks Eric! I always enjoy your analogies This is good information to pass along.

05-21-2003, 12:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
Team Paradise Join Date: May 4 2003 Posts: 71 Rep Power: 0	Thanks Mitzi and Eric for your help! We have a book that we made that we keep in our lobby with all kinds of useful information for our tanners to read while they're waiting. We call it "Tanning for Dummies". Everyone gets a kick out of the title but you'd be amazed at how many people actually pick it up and read it. The more we can educate about Smart Tanning the better! The cocoa butter information will be included. Thanks again!

05-21-2003, 07:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
BooBop I love Derf!! Join Date: Apr 5 2001 Age: 66 Posts: 7,766 Rep Power: 28	Great Idea! I just print stuff and make many copies. Maybe this Book for Tanning Dummies is the answer.....

05-21-2003, 11:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
PJ Join Date: Jun 30 2001 Posts: 26 Rep Power: 0	[ This Message was edited by: PJ on 2003-05-21 23:46 ]

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)