How does chocolate benefit your skin? (2024)

As a treat, a gift, or something to console during your mood swings or bad days, chocolate is that comfort food that solves everything, maybe even your skin issues. Yes, chocolate masks can help you attain that flawless skin you always wanted. Do not be surprised; it is true!

But how does chocolate help your skin? Is it safe to apply it to your face? In this article, we discuss everything you need to know about using chocolate on your face. Keep reading!

How Does Chocolate Benefit Your Skin?

Chocolates - especially dark chocolates - have immense health benefits. And they give you healthy-looking, glowing, and flawless skin. Here’s how.

According to BM Chemistry, dark chocolate contains catechins, polyphenols, and flavanols. These organic compounds make it a powerful antioxidant. Dark chocolates are made from cacao seed extracts that are considered super fruits in terms of antioxidant capacity. Their study shows that dark cocoa chocolates contain more flavanols, polyphenols, and other antioxidants than any other fruits.

It protects your skin from sun damage. The flavanols present in chocolate – according to a study in the National Library of Medicine - not only protect your skin from harmful UV rays but also improve the hydration levels of your skin and boost blood flow.

Dark chocolate helps you fight stress. Stress is one of the main causes of collagen breakdown and wrinkles. A study conducted by the American Chemical Society has found that cocoa could help reduce the levels of stress hormones.

Cacao extracts can also help manage the symptoms of atopic dermatitis. A study conducted by researchers from Seoul National University and the University of Massachusetts found that the polyphenols found in cacao extracts could decrease inflammation and soothe other allergic symptoms related to the skin condition.

FAQ about chocolate in skincare

Q: Is chocolate beneficial for brightening skin?

A: Yes. Chocolate contains flavonoids that nourish the skin from within and reduce the appearance of blemishes to leave your complexion glowing and radiant. Facial masks containing chocolate help protect your skin from free radical damage and eliminate dead cells for clearer looking skin.

Q: Does chocolate cause acne?

A: No. There is no clear scientific evidence stating that chocolate causes acne. But anecdotal evidence suggests that there might be a link between the two.

Q: Is a chocolate facial good for sensitive skin?

A: Yes. Chocolate has antioxidant and anti-aging properties that help keep your sensitive skin healthy looking and glowing.

Q: Can I use a chocolate face mask daily?

A: No. It is advisable to use a chocolate face mask once or twice a week to reap maximum benefits.

How does chocolate benefit your skin? (2024)

FAQs

How does chocolate benefit your skin? ›

Dr. Anthony Rossi, a dermatologist in New York, says chocolate with a high cacao concentration has flavonoids, a type of compound also found in many fruits and vegetables. These flavonoids, he says, carry antioxidant potential, which helps protect skin from damage caused by the sun and free radicals.

What are the beauty benefits of chocolate? ›

Chocolate therefore helps to slow down the appearance of wrinkles and protect the skin against the damaging effects of UV rays. Chocolate's vegetable proteins make it the ideal food to deeply nourish and repair the skin. Hence the famous cocoa butter, slightly less known than shea butter, but just as nourishing.

Does chocolate make your skin glow? ›

Does eating dark chocolate make your skin glow? Yes, While dark chocolate contains antioxidants that may benefit skin health. But, still the impact on your skin's glow is influenced by various factors such as overall diet, hydration, and skincare.

Is it good to put chocolate on your face? ›

What's more, chocolate is beneficial for the skin too. Chocolate helps in getting glowing, bright, and healthy skin. Chocolate made from cocoa beans is loaded with catechins, flavanols, and polyphenols. These are some of the most powerful and effective antioxidants that help in increasing the blood flow to the skin.

What does chocolate do for your face? ›

A: Yes. Chocolate contains flavonoids that nourish the skin from within and reduce the appearance of blemishes to leave your complexion glowing and radiant. Facial masks containing chocolate help protect your skin from free radical damage and eliminate dead cells for clearer looking skin.

What happens to your body if you eat chocolate everyday? ›

Chocolate receives a lot of bad press because of its high fat and sugar content. Its consumption could be associated with acne, obesity, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and diabetes. Keep in mind that cocoa contains caffeine and related chemicals.

What does chocolate do for the female body? ›

Dark chocolate offers multiple potential health benefits for women. These include reduced risk of heart disease due to its high flavonoid content, mood enhancement through the release of endorphins, being a source of non-heme iron, beneficial for menstruating women, and protection against UV damage to the skin.

What is the healthiest chocolate? ›

The clear winner.

Dark chocolate is by far the healthiest form of the treat, containing the least sugar and, because of its cocoa content, higher levels of substances that protect the body's cells. If sugar is your number one concern, Allers recommends looking for higher percentages.

What are the healing properties of chocolate? ›

Increases heart health: The antioxidants in dark chocolate have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of clotting and increase blood circulation to the heart, thus lowering the risks of stroke, coronary heart disease and death from heart disease.

Is chocolate anti-aging? ›

But not all chocolate is equal when it comes to anti-aging -- it's dark chocolate that provides the greatest benefits. That's because the refining process involved in making other kinds of chocolate actually strips away most of the skin-benefitting antioxidant flavanols.

Which chocolate is best for skin? ›

Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that can protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals and environmental factors such as UV rays. This heavenly treat also has anti-inflammatory properties that can calm down irritated skin and enhance its overall appearance.

Does chocolate help hair growth? ›

We normally think of chocolate as an indulgence, but did you know it packs in powerful nutritional benefits for your hair? It's true! Enjoying dark chocolate (chocolate containing 70% cacao or higher) not only supports hair growth, it also combats some of the leading causes of hair loss.

What are the disadvantages of eating chocolate for skin? ›

Chocolate can cause several cutaneous allergic reactions such as urticaria, eczema, local or generalized pruritus, circumoral erythema, morbilliform, scarlatiniform eruptions, and redness of ears. Systemic symptoms such as severe headache, rhinorrhea, sneezing, wheezing, nausea, and cramps too can occur.

What brand of dark chocolate is the best? ›

  • Best Overall: TCHO Dark Duo, 75% Amazon. Buy on Amazon $5 Buy on Tcho.com $6. ...
  • Best Value: Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate (71% Cacao) Amazon. ...
  • Best Splurge: Amano Artisan Chocolate Dos Rios Dark Chocolate Bar 70% Amazon. ...
  • Best Allergen-Free: Pascha 85% Cacao Organic Vegan Dark Chocolate Bar. Amazon.
Mar 22, 2024

Does chocolate have side effects on skin? ›

Chocolate contains sugar, dairy, and fats that do contribute to acne production. Here is what consuming a large amount of these ingredients will do to your body: Sugar: Anything with added sweeteners like sugar will affect your skin negatively.

Does chocolate make you look younger? ›

Making dark chocolate your dessert of choice could have you looking younger in no time. Dark chocolate is loaded with age-fighting antioxidants, and researchers at Witten/Herdecke's Institute for Experimental Dermatology have even found that the flavanols in cocoa can help fight off skin-aging sun damage.

Is chocolate good for your skin and hair? ›

Dark chocolate is more than just a sweet snack packed with vitamins. Its value is two-fold in its capacity to benefit your body and those curls on your head. Its fatty acids are perfect for nourishing and moisturizing the hair strands, restoring shine and health, and making your curls softer and shinier.

Why do girls eat chocolate the most? ›

In women, according to numerous studies, cravings for chocolate seem to correspond to hormone changes (menstruation, pregnancy etc). Women also suffer a serotonin decrease in the week before menstruation that leads to a fall in other hormones in their systems this in turn leads to a craving for chocolate.

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