Image Source: Craftology Essentials
INCI Name: Persea
gratissima (Avocado) Oil
Source: Flesh
of the fruit
Types: Refined / Unrefined
Color: Deep
olive green
Aroma: Sweet,
fatty and nutty in aroma
Viscosity: Thick
Absorption: Slow
Comedogenic Rating: 2
Shelf Life: 1
year (if stored in cool, dry place and away from direct sunlight)
SAP Value (for soap making): 177
- 198 (mg KOH), NaOH = 0.134 (g, oz or lb), KOH = 0.188 (g, oz or lb)
Ideal for which skin type: dry
and mature
Fatty Acid Profile (in %):
Oleic Acid
|
55
|
Linoleic Acid
|
12
|
Palmitic Acid
|
18
|
Palmitoleic Acid
|
9
|
Others
|
6
|
Table Source: https://shop.skinchakra.eu/en/Cosmetic-Lab/Plant-oils-butters-and-waxes/Avocado-oil-organic-virgin.html
Avocado
oil is extracted from the flesh of the avocado fruit (Persea gratissima). The fruit itself contains about 30% oil that
can be produced by mechanical pressing, followed by centrifugal extraction to
separate the oils. There are two types of avocado oil: refined and unrefined.
Unrefined avocado oil is dark green
in color, thanks to its high chlorophyll content. It also has a strong fatty
and nutty aroma similar to the scent of the avocado fruit. Meanwhile, refined avocado oil is light yellow in
color and has little to no scent at all. Between the two types, refined avocado
oil is less expensive and has longer shelf life but has less nutrients.
Avocado
oil is high in oleic acid (omega-9 fatty acid) which contributes to its thicker
and heavier consistency. These properties make avocado oil extra occlusive
which helps seal in moisture into the skin. Due to this, we can say that
avocado oil is ideal for people with dry, dehydrated skin as the oil can
penetrate deeply into the skin to soften and moisturize it. It is also
recommended for people with mature (aging) skin. Avocado oil is an effective
anti-aging ingredient due to its rich content of vitamins A, D and E. Vitamins
A and E are both antioxidant which can protect the skin from free-radical
damages. These vitamins also help reduce the appearance of scars, fine lines
and wrinkles by promoting skin cell regeneration. Moreover, the
anti-inflammatory properties of avocado oil make it suitable for treating skin
inflammations like rashes and eczema. Avocado oil also has a comedogenic rating
of 2 (moderately low) which means that it has a low chance of clogging your
pores.
Aside
from moisturizing the skin, avocado oil is also equally great in treating dry,
damaged hair. It can penetrate into the hair strands and scalp to nourish them
from within.
Because
of the strong aroma and thick consistency of the avocado oil, it is typically blended
with other carrier oils at 5 – 10% of the total formulation. Also, if you don’t
want your cosmetic product to look green, then you need to use the refined
version of avocado oil.
References:
Avocado
Oil. Retrieved from https://www.aromaweb.com/vegetableoils/avocadooil.asp
Avocado
Oil. Retrieved from https://www.anandaapothecary.com/avocado-oil
Saponification Chart. Retrieved from https://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/resources/sapon.asp
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