Hair and body butter has been used to moisturize hair and skin for decades.

Cocoa and shea butter are currently top sellers, but the newly popular product known as murumuru butter may soon take the lead.

Murumuru butter is made by extracting the rich, white-yellow fat from the seeds of Astrocaryum murumuru, a palm tree indigenous to the Amazon rainforest (1, 2).

This natural butter is not only commonly used to soften skin and hair but also (along with other Amazon fats and oils) being explored as a cooking alternative to coconut oil and cocoa butter (1, 2).

Here are 6 skin and hair benefits of murumuru butter

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1. Natural skin moisturizer

Murumuru butter is an excellent emollient known for its moisturizing properties.

Healthy skin has a lipid-rich skin barrier that seals in moisture, while dry skin typically has lower fat levels. Therefore, creams and lotions rich in fats can improve your skin’s hydration by sealing in water (3, 4, 5).

Murumuru butter has a fatty acid profile similar to that of cocoa butter and is rich in medium- and long-chain fatty acids, such as lauric acid and myristic acid, which may help restore your skin’s moisture barrier (1, 6, 7).

For the best results, apply murumuru butter immediately after showering when your skin absorbs water best (7).

You can also find murumuru butter lip balms that keep your lips hydrated.

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Due to its high fat content, murumuru butter helps hydrate your skin by sealing in moisture.

2. Decreases frizzy hair

Thanks to its moisturizing properties, murumuru butter has become a popular haircare treatment.

A lack of moisture can cause frizzy hair. The hair shaft contains an outer layer known as the cuticle. When hair is dry, the cuticle is rough and swells, causing a frizzy appearance (8, 9).

Murumuru butter has a high lauric acid content, a fatty acid shown to penetrate the hair’s shaft. This allows for better moisture retention and sealing of the cuticle, resulting in softer, more hydrated hair (10).

Moreover, the butter naturally protects against sun damage, heat, and other harmful compounds (10).

Simply apply murumuru butter to your hair for 2–3 minutes in the shower, or use it as an overnight leave-in hair mask.

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Murumuru butter is high in fats, such as lauric acid, which penetrate the hair shaft to keep it hydrated and reduce frizz.

3. Won’t clog your pores

If you find coconut oil too heavy for your skin, murumuru butter may be a good alternative.

Compared with other moisturizing oils like cocoa butter and coconut oil, it’s less comedogenic. This means it’s less likely to clog your pores and cause acne breakouts, or comedones (11, 12).

It may also help soothe your skin and replenish its natural moisture barrier without causing breakouts, a common issue for acne-prone skin (12).

However, if you have oily skin, murumuru butter may be too heavy — especially on your face, as this area contains more oil-producing sebaceous glands and is more sensitive to breakouts, compared with your hands, elbows, and feet (13).

Therefore, oil-based products like murumuru butter may be better suited for tougher, drier areas (13, 14).

If you aren’t sure what your skin type is, speak with a dermatologist or healthcare professional.

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Murumuru butter is less likely to clog your pores compared with alternatives like cocoa butter, helping prevent breakouts. However, if your skin is acne-prone, it may still be too heavy to use on your face.

4. May reduce the appearance of wrinkles

Applying murumuru butter to your skin may support a youthful appearance, as it hydrates with healthy fats and nutrients.

Keeping your skin hydrated supports a healthy skin membrane and may slow the progression of fine lines and wrinkles. Moreover, it can help reduce the appearance of lines by keeping your skin plump and full (15).

This natural butter is also rich in vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin and antioxidant responsible for healthy skin, hair, and eyes. Vitamin A is known for its anti-aging effects on the skin, such as increasing cell turnover and protecting from ultraviolet (UV) damage (2, 16, 17, 18).

However, there’s no clinical data on murumuru butter’s anti-aging effects, so more research is needed.

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By keeping your skin hydrated and nourished, murumuru butter may help decrease signs of aging, such as wrinkles and fine lines.

4. Promotes shiny hair

Shine is a sign of healthy hair.

To achieve a healthy hair shine, it’s important to keep your hair hydrated and free of damage and breakage. Light does not reflect off damaged hair well, resulting in a dull appearance (9, 10).

Given its impressive hydrating abilities, applying murumuru butter or other fat-rich conditioners can seal moisture into the hair shaft, bringing out its natural sheen (9, 10).

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To prevent lack-luster hair, use a fat-rich conditioner like murumuru butter that keeps your hair hydrated and preserves its natural shine.

5. May help with eczema

Eczema is a skin condition characterized by dry, irritated skin. Those with the condition are more likely to have lower levels of fatty acids and ceramides in the skin (19, 20, 21).

Using murumuru butter may improve eczema symptoms by hydrating the skin and restoring its natural moisture barrier (21, 22).

Though no clinical research has been done on murumuru butter and eczema, coconut oil has been shown to improve eczema symptoms by moisturizing the skin. Considering murumuru butter has a similar molecular makeup, it may provide similar benefits (23, 24).

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Dry skin conditions, including eczema, are linked to lower fat levels in the skin. Applying a fat-rich cream like murumuru butter may help replenish the skin’s moisture barrier and decrease dryness and irritation.

6. Good for sensitive skin

With 50–60% of men and 60–70% of women experiencing some degree of sensitive skin, many people are looking for relief (25, 26).

Those with sensitive skin typically have lower levels of lipids in the skin membrane. This can result in tightness, pain, and increased penetration of irritants like fragrances and alcohols, both of which are found in many skin care products (26, 27).

Using a gentle, fat-rich cream with minimal ingredients like murumuru butter can help restore the skin barrier without causing further irritation. Just make sure to read the ingredient label to ensure the product contains no added ingredients known to irritate your skin (27).

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Many people report having sensitive skin, with symptoms that worsen when it’s exposed to certain ingredients typically found in skin care products. Murumuru butter may be a good alternative.

Where to buy murumuru butter

Murumuru butter is widely sold online and in stores in the form of hair conditioners, lip balms, and skin lotions.

Though you can buy pure butter, most products contain a combination of ingredients like shea butter, rose water, alcohols, and fragrances.

Therefore, if you have sensitive skin, be sure to read the label carefully and stick to the pure version.

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You can find murumuru butter in stores and online in the form of conditioners, lip treatments, and creams. It can be purchased pure or mixed with other ingredients.

The bottom line

Murumuru butter comes from the Amazonian plant known as Astrocaryum murumuru. Although it’s lesser known than other types of palm butter, it is gaining attention for its role in healthy skin and hair.

It may improve skin and hair hydration and reduce hair frizziness, and it’s gentle enough for those with sensitive skin. That said, more research is needed to better support these promising claims.

If you’re looking to try murumuru butter, you can purchase it online or in stores.

Shop for murumuru products online.