For The Love Of Chocolate By Debbie B At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

One of the biggest new items in the skin care world is the introduction of dark chocolate skin treatments. Chocolate manicures and pedicures are quite commonplace in many salons.

Who would have dreamed that using chocolate as a skin moisturizer could ever be so popular? Chocolate used to be called “junk food”. As a matter of fact, we used to blame chocolate for a whole host of facial epidermal problems, the best known of course, being acne.

But how quickly things change! Chocolate treatments can be found in boutiques in almost every corner of the globe. Scientific reports now consider dark chocolate to be a health food because of it’s powerful anti-oxidant properties, and something called flavanols, which among other things are said to offer “extraordinary cardiovascular protection.”

Cosmetics manufacturers are now adding chocolate as an ingredient into their skin care products formulas. The chocolate has extraordinary skin softening and moisturizing properties. Chocolate skin treatments have become the latest rage. Chocolate is also used to smooth out wrinkles due to its anti-oxidant high moisture content, thanks in large part to the wonders of cocoa butter.

Most chocolate treatments contain cocoa butter, but it is also used extensively in the formulation of many beauty products.

The anti-oxidant properties in cocoa are said to also prevent free radicals from damaging the skin’s elastin and collagen, which aids in the prevention of wrinkles.

Researchers and doctors have found that the anti-oxidant properties in cocoa is comparable to green tea. Dark chocolate, in particular, has a very high anti-oxidant content. Chocolate is considered dark if it has 35% percent cocoa or more.

What makes a chocolate skin moisturizer? The top 3 ingredients listed on the label will be the most important. Cocoa should be one of those first three ingredients.

However, for cocoa to be effective as an anti-oxidant, it would need to be absorbed and penetrate the dermis which is the lower layer of skin. Many doctors think that cocoa molecules are too big and some doubt that it can penetrate that far.

In spite of all the excitement and hype, further study is still being done. But, while all the benefits of chocolate skin treatments are still unclear, why not enjoy the “forbidden fruit” factor of smothering yourself in the luxury of wonderful dark chocolate?

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=166510&ca=Food+and+Drinks

Important Notice DISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.