SKIN BENEFITS OF A COCOA-BASED FACIAL SCRUB WITH ENCAPSULATED COCOA POD HUSK POWDER
Authors: Azila Abdul Karim* and Nur Azilah Abdullah
Journal Issue: Malaysian Cocoa Journal, Volume 17 2025
Keywords: Cocoa facial scrub, cocoa pod husk powder, efficacy, skin, Visioscan
Published On: 5/11/2025
Abstract
Formulation of facial scrub based on cocoa butter liquid soap (CBLS) was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM). The factors were Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (SMCT), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (SCGL) and Cocoamidopropyl betaine (COBET), with level of 3g-10g, 3g-7g and 5g-10g, respectively. The amount of CBLS was kept constant. The dependent variables are pH and pHCA, which were significantly affected by the factors as follows. The pH was affected by COBET amount, where increasing the level of COBET will reduce the pH of the facial scrub. Another dependent variable, pHCA, was significantly affected by all the factors. Low pHCA was obtained with high levels of SCG, and low amounts of COBET and SMCT. However, at a high level of COBET, the SMCT and SCGL needed was less to obtain low pHCA. The model for pH was represented by pH = 8.0055 - 0.0259*COBET, while the model for pHCA was pHCA = 6.6824 + 0.0384*SMCT - 0.1368*SCGL - 0.1079*COBET + 0.0228*SCGL*COBET. The optimum pH was obtained at pH 7.70 and pHCA 5.65 with SMCT 0.6137, SGCL 1.6364 and COBET 11.7045. The model was validated with pH 7.645+0.066 and pHCA 5.665+0.028. The optimized facial scrub formula was tested for its stability using LUMIFuge, and the rheological properties were obtained from a rheometer. Cocoa pod husk powder encapsulated in a mixture of seaweed and carrageenan powder, was incorporated into the final facial scrub formula. The final product was monitored for 6 months to confirm the stability of the encapsulated cocoa pod husk powder in the formula. The efficacy of this product was tested by 13 volunteers aged 30-40 years old, 6 women and 7 men, for 4 weeks’ duration. Measurement using Visioscan was carried out, on the initial and interval of one week of usage, for skin roughness, hydration and wrinkles reduction. The results showed positive improvement on the parameter measured.