Avocado Oil

Persea americana

Avocado Oil is a nourishing oil for the skin and hair. Avocado Oil is said to be rich in essential and trace minerals and Vitamin A. Its properties and texture makes it especially suitable for use in hair care. Due to its aroma and thick, oily consistency, Avocado Oil is typically used at a low ratio (highly diluted) in blends and formulations.

Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage by Len Price recommends not to refrigerate Avocado Oil as certain important, fragile constituents of the oil may be affected. Len Price mentions that Avocado Oil contains approximately 19% saturated fat, 66% oleic acid (an omega-9 fatty acid), 12% linoleic acid (an omega-6 essential fatty acid), and less than 5% alpha linolenic acid (an omega-3 essential fatty acid). [Len Price with Ian Smith and Shirley Price, Carrier Oils for Aromatherapy & Massage (United Kingdom: Riverhead, 1999), 39-40.]

Botanical Name

Persea americana

Aroma

Sweet, Fatty and Nutty

Viscosity

Thick

Absorption/Feel

Leaves a Fatty, Almost Waxy Feel On the Skin.

Color

Deep Olive Green

Shelf Life

12 Months

Important Information

The information provided on AromaWeb is for educational purposes only. This data is not considered complete and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

General Safety Information

Use caution when trying any new ingredient, including carrier oils on the skin or in the hair. Those with nut allergies should consult their medical practitioner before coming into contact with nut oils, butters or other nut products. Do not take any oils internally without consultation from a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. Safety information can be found by visiting the Safety Information page. For very in-depth information on oil safety issues, read Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand.

Carrier Oil Book Suggestions

Click on a book's title to view details and read a full review for the book. Visit AromaWeb's Books area to find details about many other essential oil and aromatherapy books.