Your frying pan’s best friend may also be a great friend for your skin — avocado oil is filled with skin-supporting vitamins and nutrients to help leave your skin glowing and confident.

It is so much more than just a toast-topping or a smooth dip — avocado has truly earned its way into our collective hearts with its abundance of supportive nutrients. Chock-full of vitamins and minerals, avocado is the vibrant green fruit that has helped change the way we look at (healthy) fats, as well as our overall wellness.

It may come as no surprise, then, that avocados are just as beneficial for your skin as they are for the rest of your body. Applied topically, avocado oil delivers all of the benefits of the fruit straight to the areas you want it most, with all the added benefit that comes from an oil: hydrating, moisturizing, and even anti-microbial. 

At Iremia, we believe that nature provides us with an abundance of ways to support our skin health, and avocado oil is an amazing example of how a few well-chosen, versatile ingredients can help keep our skincare minimal and stress-free.

What is avocado oil and what does it do for your skin? Let’s give our toasters a small break and see just how friendly avocado is for our skin. 

What is avocado oil?

Avocado oil is mechanically pulled from an avocado, similarly to cold-pressed olive oil extraction, and is made from avocado flesh (the soft green inside) rather than the avocado pit. Avocado flesh is comprised of about 30% oil, and the extracted oil is green due to its high levels of chlorophyll and carotenoids.

While avocado oil can be harvested from September through to April, the oil content increases as the fruit ripen, meaning the best time to extract would be later in the season. And making sure your avocado oil is organic, unrefined, and cold-pressed is important, as it ensures you’re receiving the maximum nutritional benefit from the oil. 

Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E, avocado oil also is full of antioxidants and has a high concentration of monounsaturated fat. It is made up of more than 60% of monounsaturated fatty acids (similar to olive oil): this is the “healthy” fat that helps to maintain water levels in your skin, as well as keep your skin healthy.

With all the skin-supporting nutrients found in avocado oil, it’s no wonder that it’s becoming a popular skincare product, and you can increasingly find it in many masks, creams, and moisturizers (including in our Protective Cream).

What are the skin benefits of avocado oil?

Moisturizes and soothes

Avocado oil is an emollient and has occlusive properties, meaning that it seals in water to keep your skin hydrated and soothed. Oils in skincare (like avocado oil) also restore the skin’s lipid barrier and regulate sebum production (the oil your skin naturally produces).

Alongside the monounsaturated fatty acids, avocado oil has a high fatty acid profile which contains linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and vitamin E, which are believed to help strengthen the skin’s barrier. Linoleic acid in particular (a component of sebum, and also found in sea buckthorn oil) is especially helpful at preventing skin from losing moisture.

In addition to fatty acids and vitamin E, avocado oil also contains potassium, lecithin, and other nutrients that moisturize the skin, as well asprotect the skin from damaging UV rays andincrease collagen metabolism. 

Anti-inflammatory

Full of anti-inflammatory antioxidants and vitamins, avocado oil is an amazing choice for anyone who has eczema, acne, seborrheic dermatitis, or psoriasis as it may help heal dry, irritated, and flaky skin.

Research shows that avocado oil has anti-inflammatory effects which can help to reduce redness and inflammation from acne and other skin conditions. For those with acne, another study found that a topical skin cream consisting of avocado oil had positive antimicrobial effects.

One study found that avocado oil mixed in vitamin B-12 cream could ease psoriasis symptoms, and suggest that this cream could be used as a long-term topical psoriasis treatment.

Supports skin healing

Finally, avocado oil has shown incredible results in skin and wound healing through its ability to boost collagen metabolism and reduce inflammation.

Research has shown that the essential fatty acids and oleic acid in avocado oil can promote collagen synthesis (aka creating new connective tissue), while also helping to reduce inflammation to promote better healing.

Another study demonstrated that vitamin E, beta carotene, vitamin D, and (of course) the essential fatty acids in avocado oil help support healing and soothe the skin. What can’t this miracle fruit do?

Avocado oil at Iremia

The Protective Cream

At Iremia Skincare, we use avocado oil in our Protective Cream — created to hydrate, increase elasticity, and nourish your skin, it’s an incredible hydrator for dry and sensitive skin. 

This nourishing moisturizer deeply hydrates with natural antioxidants while it conditions your skin. Alongside avocado oil, the combination of cocoa butter, beeswax, palmarosa oil and Rosa damascena flower oil supports your skin barrier function while protecting against environmental aggressors. ⁠

The Protective Cream supports your skin and improves even the most sensitive complexions, leaving it soft and subtle. Suitable for very dry skin, mature skin types, and dry climates… Save your dry skin, once and for all!

The Restorative Facial Oil

You can also find avocado oil in our Restorative Facial Oil — made with love to revitalize, restore, and balance your skin’s natural glow. 

Our award-winning and CertClean certified Restorative Facial Oil combines 11 plant-based oils, including avocado oil, to deliver luminous and healthy skin in a quick-absorbing formula that doesn’t clog your pores. Every drop is designed to calm and nourish while providing omega-3 fatty acids and repairing your skin’s natural barrier. The only oil your beauty routine will ever need!

Summary

Avocado oil is a versatile and soothing skincare ingredient that will help keep your skin glowing, healthy and strong. Loaded with vitamins and antioxidants that provide a multitude of health benefits, avocado oil is a moisturizing, soothing, and anti-inflammatory solution to help you support your thirstiest and most sensitive skin.

As always, enjoy the ritual of using your natural skincare knowing that you’re making healthy and simple choices for radiant, glowing skin.