Avocado

The rich, nourishing components in Avocado make this warm weather fruit a favorite in the skin care industry.  Avocado’s contain a wealth of monounsaturared fat, Vitamins B, E, and K, and 60% more potassium than bananas.  Avocados are often used in vegetarian cuisine due to their high fat and fiber content, creamy texture, and rich flavor.  The healthful benefits of Avocado are also found in Avocado Oil and Avocado Butter.

This popular Carrier Oil is often cold pressed to preserve its wide range of beneficial components.  Conventional Avocado Oils often yield a clear, golden oil with little to no aroma.  Organic Avocado Oil, on the other hand can range from golden to dark green in color.  The oil can even have a slight, fatty/nutty aroma.  Either variety of Avocado Oil will provide intensive moisturizing properties to skin and hair care formulas.  These oils can be slightly heavy and viscous.  In most formulations Avocado Oil is added at relatively small percentages.  In massage oils it is especially important to dilute Avocado Oil with a thinner, less greasy Carrier Oil.  Avocado Oil pairs quite well with Sweet Almond Oil, Hazelnut Oil, or Peach Kernel Oil.

Another great way to incorporate the benefits of Avocados into skin care formulations is to include Avocado Butter.  This soft, creamy butter is similar in texture to Sweet Almond Butter or Macadamia Nut Butter.  Like many other exotic Vegetable Butters, Avocado Butter is actually a hydrogenated Avocado Oil.  This process yields a smooth, spreadable Avocado Oil that can be used as is or incorporated into countless skin care formulations.  Avocado Butter is especially beneficial in the creation of intensive balms, and healing salves.  It can also be blended with other oils and butters to create moisturizing body butters, or added to emulsions to create cream, and lotions.  Since Avocado Butter tends to be rather heavy and greasy, it is usually added to formulation at 5 – 20%.