Definition

Avocado oil is a fixed, non-volatile oil obtained by mechanical extraction from the dehydrated pulp of the Persea americana fruit. It is a highly unsaponifiable vegetable oil rich in monounsaturated lipids, vitamins, and phytosterols, widely used in dermocosmetic, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical formulations for its barrier-restoring, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant actions.

Unlike many carrier oils derived from seeds, avocado oil is uniquely extracted from the mesocarp (pulp) of the fruit, yielding a viscous lipid matrix with significant skin bioavailability and penetration enhancement effects.

1. Chemical structure and physical properties

Avocado oil is not a pure compound but a lipid mixture, mainly composed of triglycerides of long-chain fatty acids and a notable fraction of unsaponifiables.

Major components (approximate % ranges):

• Oleic acid (C18:1): 55–70%

• Palmitic acid (C16:0): 10–25%

• Linoleic acid (C18:2): 10–15%

• Palmitoleic acid (C16:1): 3–10%

• Stearic acid (C18:0): 0.5–2%

Unsaponifiable matter (0.5–2%)

• Phytosterols: β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol

• Tocopherols: α-, β-, γ-forms (vitamin E)

• Squalene: up to 0.7%

• Carotenoids: lutein, zeaxanthin (especially in unrefined oil)

Physical properties

• Appearance: viscous liquid

• Color: green (virgin) to yellow (refined)

• Odor: grassy, nutty (virgin); neutral (refined)

• Density: 0.910–0.920 g/cm³

• Refractive index: 1.468–1.472

• Saponification value: 180–200

• Peroxide value (fresh): <10 meq O₂/kg

• Smoke point: ~250 °C (refined), ~190 °C (unrefined)

2. Main bioactive constituents

In addition to its triglyceride base, avocado oil contains a bioactive unsaponifiable fraction that contributes to its cosmetic and dermatological benefits:

• Phytosterols: anti-inflammatory and barrier-repair activity

• Squalene: skin-compatible lipid with antioxidant and moisturizing properties

• Tocopherols: protect lipids from peroxidation; support skin regeneration

• Carotenoids: natural colorants with UV-absorbing and free-radical scavenging effects

3. Production and refinement

Extraction process

• Mechanical cold pressing of the pulp, followed by filtration

• Industrial-scale production may include enzymatic maceration or centrifugal separation

• No hexane or chemical solvents required for virgin grade

Refinement steps (optional)

• Degumming (phospholipids removal)

• Neutralization (free fatty acids)

• Bleaching (adsorbent clays)

• Deodorization (vacuum steam stripping)

Virgin avocado oil retains higher unsaponifiables, but is more sensitive to oxidation. Refined oil is more stable and odorless, but with lower antioxidant content.

4. Functional and sensorial profile

5. Cosmetic and dermatological applications

Avocado oil supports percutaneous absorption and delivers nutrients and lipids essential for skin function. Its use is suitable in:

• Facial and body moisturizers for dry, chapped, or mature skin

• Anti-aging products: supports collagen synthesis and fibroblast viability

• Baby care and barrier creams

• Lip balms and eye contour formulas

• Hair care: prevents breakage, nourishes scalp, adds shine

• Therapeutic preparations: eczema, psoriasis, atopic skin (when unrefined)

• Massage oils: excellent glide and compatibility with essential oils

6. Safety and regulatory status

• Toxicological profile: non-toxic, non-mutagenic, non-sensitizing

• Allergenicity: very low; suitable for sensitive skin

• Complies with:

  • EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 – unrestricted

  • US FDA – GRAS for topical and edible use

  • IFRA – no restrictions or concentration limits

  • ECOCERT / COSMOS – permitted in natural and organic cosmetics

Labeling: INCI name must appear as Persea Gratissima Oil

Shelf life depends on refinement and storage:

• Virgin oil: ~6–9 months

• Refined oil: ~18–24 months in cool, dark conditions

7. Conclusion

Avocado oil is a multi-functional lipidic excipient and active cosmetic ingredient. Its exceptional profile of monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and bioactive unsaponifiables makes it a valuable addition to dermocosmetic and hair care formulations.

Its combination of skin compatibility, emolliency, and penetration-enhancing effects allows formulators to use it both as a functional base oil and as a carrier for actives in advanced cosmetic emulsions.

Comparison: avocado oil vs jojoba oil vs olive oil

Summary

• Avocado oil is excellent for dry, mature, or inflamed skin, with deep penetration and rich in lipids and protective compounds.

• Jojoba oil is best for oily, acne-prone, or combination skin, as it mimics human sebum and is non-comedogenic.

• Olive oil is a versatile, antioxidant-rich ingredient, ideal for nourishing skin but heavier and potentially comedogenic for sensitive or oily types.

References__________________________________________________________________________

Flores M, Saravia C, Vergara CE, Avila F, Valdés H, Ortiz-Viedma J. Avocado Oil: Characteristics, Properties, and Applications. Molecules. 2019 Jun 10;24(11):2172. doi: 10.3390/molecules24112172. 

Abstract. Avocado oil has generated growing interest among consumers due to its nutritional and technological characteristics, which is evidenced by an increase in the number of scientific articles that have been published on it. The purpose of the present research was to discuss the extraction methods, chemical composition, and various applications of avocado oil in the food and medicine industries. Our research was carried out through a systematic search in scientific databases. Even though there are no international regulations concerning the quality of avocado oil, some authors refer to the parameters used for olive oil, as stated by the Codex Alimentarius or the International Olive Oil Council. They indicate that the quality of avocado oil will depend on the quality and maturity of the fruit and the extraction technique in relation to temperature, solvents, and conservation. While the avocado fruit has been widely studied, there is a lack of knowledge about avocado oil and the potential health effects of consuming it. On the basis of the available data, avocado oil has established itself as an oil that has a very good nutritional value at low and high temperatures, with multiple technological applications that can be exploited for the benefit of its producers.

Torres-Isidro O, González-Montoya M, Vargas-Vargas MA, Florian-Rodriguez U, García-Berumen CI, Montoya-Pérez R, Saavedra-Molina A, Calderón-Cortés E, Rodríguez-Orozco AR, Cortés-Rojo C. Anti-Aging Potential of Avocado Oil via Its Antioxidant Effects. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2025 Feb 12;18(2):246. doi: 10.3390/ph18020246. 

Abstract. Aging is a process characterized by tissue degeneration, increased susceptibility to chronic degenerative diseases, infections, and the appearance of neoplasms, which leads to disability and a reduction in the length and quality of life. This phenomenon is the result of the convergence of multiple processes, including mitochondrial dysfunction, fibrosis, inflammation, dysregulation of cell death processes, and immunosenescence. These processes have as their point of convergence an increase in the production of ROS. Avocado oil (Persea americana Mill.) contains a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including oleic acid, phytosterols, chlorophylls, xanthones, xanthines, and carotenoids. These bioactive compounds have the capacity to modulate the excessive production of ROS, thereby reducing the progression of age-related diseases and extending lifespan in experimental models of aging. In addition, several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of avocado oil in mitigating age-related diseases, including hypertension; insulin resistance; diabetes; non-alcoholic liver disease; and degenerative processes such as hearing loss, cognitive decline, neurodegeneration, and impaired wound healing. In light of these findings, it is hypothesized that avocado oil is a promising agent capable of promoting healthspan in later stages of life owing to its direct antioxidant actions and the activation of pathways that enhance endogenous antioxidant levels.

Pham TNM, Jeong SY, Kim DH, Park YH, Lee JS, Lee KW, Moon IS, Choung SY, Kim SH, Kang TH, Jeong KW. Protective Mechanisms of Avocado Oil Extract Against Ototoxicity. Nutrients. 2020 Mar 29;12(4):947. doi: 10.3390/nu12040947. 

Abstract. Despite the excellent antimicrobial activity of aminoglycoside antibiotics, permanent inner ear damage associated with the use of these drugs has resulted in the need to develop strategies to address the ototoxic risk given their widespread use. In a previous study, we showed that avocado oil protects ear hair cells from damage caused by neomycin. However, the detailed mechanism by which this protection occurs is still unclear. Here, we investigated the auditory cell-protective mechanism of enhanced functional avocado oil extract (DKB122). RNA sequencing followed by pathway analysis revealed that DKB122 has the potential to enhance the expression of detoxification and antioxidant genes associated with glutathione metabolism (Hmox4, Gsta4, Mgst1, and Abcc3) in HEI-OC1 cells. Additionally, DKB122 effectively decreased ROS levels, resulting in the inhibition of apoptosis in HEI-OC1 cells. The expression of the inflammatory genes that encode chemokines and interleukins was also downregulated by DKB122 treatment. Consistent with these results, DKB122 significantly inhibited p65 nuclear migration induced by TNF-α or LPS in HEI-OC1 cells and THP-1 cells and the expression of inflammatory chemokine and interleukin genes induced by TNF-α was significantly reduced. Moreover, DKB122 treatment increased LC3-II and decreased p62 in HEI-OC1 cells, suggesting that DKB122 increases autophagic flux. These results suggest that DKB122 has otoprotective effects attributable to its antioxidant activity, induction of antioxidant gene expression, anti-inflammatory activity, and autophagy activation.

da Silva VAP, Abboud RS, Contreiras EC, Boaventura GT, Chagas MA. Avocado Oil (Persea americana) Reduces Epithelial Proliferation on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. J Am Nutr Assoc. 2023 Nov-Dec;42(8):783-789. doi: 10.1080/27697061.2023.2179552. 

Abstract. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of avocado oil on the histoarchitecture of the prostate of normal rats and on rats with induced benign prostatic hyperplasia using computerized histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry. Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into four groups: the control group (CG), the avocado oil group (AOG) fed with avocado oil-based diet, the induced group (IG), and the avocado oil testosterone-induced group (AOIG). Prostate hyperplasia was induced by subcutaneous implantation of silicone pellets, filled with testosterone, to promote androgen stimulation. After 12 weeks, the rats were euthanized, and their prostates were removed. The material was prepared for paraffin processing and stained using hematoxylin-eosin and immunostaining for p63 nuclear antigen. Results: The mean epithelial thickness obtained from AOIG (19.44 ± 2.62 µm) was significantly reduced compared to that from IG (27.02 ± 4.1 µm). The average alveolar area in AOIG was 0.100 ± 0.03, which was greater than that of CG. The immunostaining for p63 in basal cells in AOIG was 17.77% ± 2.72 of the total area, a result greater than that in AOG (12.13% ± 2.04) and CG (12.01 ± 2.05). Collagen remodeling was observed with thicker fibers predominating in CG and AOG over thinner fibers in IG and AOIG. Conclusion: The results suggest that avocado oil has a protective effect on the prostatic epithelium of Wistar rats subjected to long-term induced prostate hyperplasia.

Dreher ML, Davenport AJ. Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(7):738-50. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2011.556759. 

Abstract. Hass avocados, the most common commercial avocado cultivars in the world, contain a variety of essential nutrients and important phytochemicals. Although the official avocado serving is one-fifth of a fruit (30 g), according to NHANES analysis the average consumption is one-half an avocado (68 g), which provides a nutrient and phytochemical dense food consisting of the following: dietary fiber (4.6 g), total sugar (0.2 g), potassium (345 mg), sodium (5.5 mg), magnesium (19.5 mg), vitamin A (43 μg), vitamin C (6.0 mg), vitamin E (1.3 mg), vitamin K1 (14 μg), folate (60 mg), vitamin B-6 (0.2 mg), niacin (1.3 mg), pantothenic acid (1.0 mg), riboflavin (0.1 mg), choline (10 mg), lutein/zeaxanthin (185 μg), phytosterols (57 mg), and high-monounsaturated fatty acids (6.7 g) and 114 kcals or 1.7 kcal/g. The avocado oil consists of 71% monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), 13% polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and 16% saturated fatty acids (SFA), which helps to promote healthy blood lipid profiles and enhance the bioavailability of fat soluble vitamins and phytochemicals from the avocado or other fruits and vegetables, naturally low in fat, which are consumed with avocados. There are eight preliminary clinical studies showing that avocado consumption helps support cardiovascular health. Exploratory studies suggest that avocados may support weight management and healthy aging.

Márquez-Ramírez CA, Olmos-Orizaba BE, García-Berumen CI, Calderón-Cortés E, Montoya-Pérez R, Saavedra-Molina A, Rodríguez-Orozco AR, Cortés-Rojo C. Avocado Oil Prevents Kidney Injury and Normalizes Renal Vasodilation after Adrenergic Stimulation in Hypertensive Rats: Probable Role of Improvement in Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress. Life (Basel). 2021 Oct 21;11(11):1122. doi: 10.3390/life11111122. 

Abstract. Hypertension impairs the function of the kidney and its vasculature. Adrenergic activation is involved in these processes by promoting oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, the targeting of mitochondrial function and mitochondrial oxidative stress may be an approach to alleviate hypertensive kidney damage. Avocado oil, a source of oleic acid and antioxidants, improves mitochondrial dysfunction, decreases mitochondrial oxidative stress, and enhances vascular function in hypertensive rats. However, whether avocado oil improves the function of renal vasculature during the adrenergic stimulation, and if this is related to improvement in renal damage and enhancement of mitochondrial activity is unknown. Thus, the effects of avocado oil on renal vascular responses to adrenergic stimulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and renal damage were compared with prazosin, an antagonist of α1-adrenoceptors, in hypertensive rats induced by L-NAME. Avocado oil or prazosin decreased blood pressure, improved endothelium-dependent renal vasodilation, prevented mitochondrial dysfunction and kidney damage in hypertensive rats. However, avocado oil, but not prazosin, decreased mitochondrial ROS generation and improved the redox state of mitochondrial glutathione. These results suggest that avocado oil and prazosin prevented hypertensive renal damage due to the improvement in mitochondrial function.

de Oliveira Marques S, Muller AP, Luciano TF, Dos Santos Tramontin N, da Silva Caetano M, Luis da Silva Pieri B, Amorim TL, de Oliveira MAL, de Souza CT. Effects of Avocado Oil Supplementation on Insulin Sensitivity, Cognition, and Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers in Different Tissues of Diet-Induced Obese Mice. Nutrients. 2022 Jul 15;14(14):2906. doi: 10.3390/nu14142906. 

Abstract. Obesity induces insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurocognitive impairment. Avocado oil (AO) has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects. This study evaluated the effect of AO supplementation on obese mice in the adipose tissue, muscle, liver, and hippocampus. Male C57BL/6J mice received a standard and high-fat diet (20 weeks) and then were supplemented with AO (4 mL/kg of body weight, 90 days) and divided into the following groups: control (control), control + avocado oil (control + AO), diet-induced obesity (DIO), and diet-induced obesity + avocado oil (DIO + AO) (n = 10/group). AO supplementation was found to improve insulin sensitivity and decrease hepatic fat accumulation and serum triglyceride levels in DIO mice. AO improved cognitive performance and did not affect mood parameters. Oxidative marker levels were decreased in DIO + AO mice in all the tissues and were concomitant with increased catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in the epididymal adipose tissue and quadriceps, as well as increased catalase activity in the liver. AO in obese animals further induced reductions in TNF-α and IL-1β expressions in the epididymal adipose tissue and quadriceps. These results suggest that AO supplementation has the potential to be an effective strategy for combating the effects of obesity in rats, and human studies are needed to confirm these findings.