Avocado Oil
Family: Lauraceae (laurel). This large evergreen tree can grow up to 70 feet tall. It has dark green leathery leaves with white flowers and oval fruit (2 - 8 inches long) with a leathery bright green to black skin. The fruit and seed are used in food and skincare and all parts including the bark and leaves are used for medicinal treatments. The fruit is rich in vitamins C, E and K as well as key essential fatty acids. Geography: Native to tropical climates including the US, Mexico, Central America and the West Indies.
Historical Uses
Because this highly nourishing oil is also a great humectant, preserving moisture in the skin, it has been used through the ages on all skin types (even very sensitive). It was a favorite among the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans who used avocado to help them to achieve healthy hair and beautiful skin. Due to its absorption, skin feel and antioxidant benefits it is also commonly used to even out skin tone
Stories & Legends
While Avocado consumption can be traced back over 10,000 years, the first known listing of it as an “avocado” was found in a 1696 catalogue of Jamaican plants written by naturalist Sir Hans Sloane. He also referred to it as the “alligator pear-tree”, probably referring to the leaves and the skin of the fruit as it ages.