How is avocado oil produced?

The avocado tree is a member of the Lauraceae family, originating from Mexico. From its fruit, we extract a oil, which has a characteristic sweet smell and a rather rich texture. It presents itself as a thick oily liquid, ranging in colour from yellow to brown, passing through green. When the temperature drops (< 20°C), the oil solidifies and becomes almost solid.

This natural extract is used in cosmetics for its regenerative and nourishing properties. Rich in fatty acids and vitamins, it easily penetrates skin tissues without leaving a greasy film. It has also been proven that theavocado vegetable oil has a antioxidant power, due to the vitamin E and carotenoids it contains.

Finally, a study has shown that the daily application of a cream based on avocado oil can improve the elasticity and firmness of the skin. Its various virtues make it a key ingredient in skincare. However, avocado oil is also an ally of hair that is dull and fragile. Indeed, it coats the hair fibre to nourish, protect and strengthen it. It also helps to prevent the appearance of split ends and makes the hair shinier.

In order to obtain this oil, renowned for its numerous virtues, the following steps are adhered to:

1. Avocado cores are harvested then cleaned, in order to remove all impurities that may be attached to their surface. For this, a cleaner-separator is used, acting like a filter or a sieve.

2. The kernels are then dried for several days. The drying can be done in the sun or in a room, where the temperature is controlled. This step is necessary to remove all the moisture present in the kernel.

3. Once the kernels are completely dry, they are mechanically pressed flat to extract the oil. This is a cold pressing process, where the kernels are not heated before extraction. The temperature is, in fact, rigorously monitored throughout the process. Indeed, a temperature that is too high is likely to oxidise and degrade the oil. In the context of cold pressing, a screw press is used to push the kernel into a barrel-shaped cavity. The screw compresses the kernel and the oil comes out through the openings, while the pressing residues (cake) remain in the barrel.

4. The obtained substance is then decanted and filtered. Both of these processes are carried out without the use of solvents. As such, avocado vegetable oil is a 100% natural ingredient. The decanting process takes several weeks to remove the largest particles. The filtering then completes this process. The aim is to rid the oil of any remaining traces of impurities.

It should be noted that this process leads to the production of a virgin avocado vegetable oil. There are other extraction techniques such as solvent extraction, commonly used in the food industry and involving the use of hexane or acetone. The avocado oil used in Typology skincare products is exclusively virgin and has not undergone any chemical treatment. It is also possible to extract the oil from the flesh of the fruit, although this is less common in the cosmetics field.

In order to restore softness and shine to dry and damaged hair, Typology has developed a repairing hair mask. This treatment is enriched with biomimetic ceramides (INCI name: Behenyl/Stearyl Aminopropanediol Esters) and avocado oil (INCI name: Persea Gratissima Oil) to deeply repair and nourish the hair fibre, softening the hair and preventing the potential appearance of split ends. The vegetable avocado oil incorporated in this treatment comes from Kenya and has been extracted from the whole fruit. It helps to restore the cuticle, the protective layer of the hair fibre.

This mask is to be used 1 to 2 times per week. Its creamy texture instantly coats the hair fibre and softens the hair without weighing it down. It should be applied to washed and towel-dried hair from mid-lengths to ends. Allow it to work for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

• ZHONG J. & al. A review of extraction Techniques for avocado oil. Journal of Oleo Science (2016).

• ORTIZ-VIEDMA J. & al. Avocado oil: characteristics, properties, and applications. Molecules (2019).