Review: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Body Oil

Although I applied sunblock on a recent beach trip, I still got sunburned after one hour under the noontime sun. Sunburn is never fun. I dread the stinging and hate to think of the damage the sun has caused to my skin.

I badly needed a heavy-duty moisturizer to help my skin heal and regain moisture, but didn't want anything too thick or heavy since it's summer and already so humid. This light body oil seemed like the perfect solution while I was looking at shelves of moisturizers at the supermarket. I have been using Palmer's body butter for years but hadn't tried this.


I was worried that it might be heavy, but it isn't, at all. I love the formula because it absorbs immediately into the skin without any slick or greasy feeling whatsoever, like other body oils. Skin feels very silky and not at all slimy after use. The healthy-looking, sexy sheen it leaves stays on even after a shower, well into the next day!

I started using it four days after sun exposure. Unfortunately, my shoulders started to peel a week after sun exposure : ( So I suppose the oil could not help prevent the peeling, but to me, it helped a lot with regaining moisture. I don't know how much the oil helped, but peeling did not hurt as it usually does.

On the bottle, it says "Lightly scented, fast absorbing, leaves skin silky soft." Two big checks for the last two items, but I would not agree with that first claim. I don't have an ultra-sensitive nose, but to me, this has a pretty strong, sort of chocolatey scent. The smell seems to fade away quickly after application, though.

When you first open the bottle, you have to unscrew the cap and remove the seal across the top. My tip is to punch a small hole instead of removing the entire seal, so that you don't dispense too much product at once; easy to do with liquids like this.

I use it after showering and towel-drying, as I would use lotion. If you have a bath tub (which not many people in the Philippines do), you can also pour a few capfuls of this into your bath.

I got this 250ml bottle at Rustan's Supermarket in Ayala for around P450. I recommend it if you are looking for a good lightweight moisturizer that doesn't leave that sticky feel, but be warned of the scent if you are sensitive to fragrances.