Freshen Up Your Beauty Routine with Avocados Posted on 12 Apr 08:00 , 0 comments

Typical beauty products and treatments are full of hard-to-pronounce chemicals and additives, especially here in the US where beauty industry standards have remained mostly unchanged since 1938. For example, journalist Bijani Mizell reports that “Cover Girl waterproof mascara contains the same ingredient (petroleum distillates, an oil by-product) as Dr. Scholl’s Wart Remover—both of which are illegal in Europe.” Yikes!

Fortunately for us, Mother Nature offers an array of natural fruits, vegetables, and herbs to keep our skin looking beautiful. Our favorite is, of course, the organic avocado, which is naturally grown and is without any of the 1,000+ chemicals used in beauty products that are banned in the UK.

The humble avocado, rich in vitamins and nutrients, is not only delicious to eat, but also a great way to keep your skin looking young and feeling soft.

How do Avocados Benefit the Skin?

With an arsenal of vitamins (C, E, and A) and monounsaturated fatty acids, nutrient dense California avocados can keep your skin moisturized and healthy without the harmful chemicals found in the standard beauty products. In fact, many commercial products use avocado oil as one of the ingredients for its skin nourishing properties. However, all you need is one (or more) of our organic California avocados!

Check out the beautifying properties each and every avocado comes packed with:

Vitamins

Vitamin C helps in the creation and stabilization of collagen, which is crucial for helping repair damaged skin. Vitamin C also aids in photoprotection. In other words, vitamin C is crucial for our skin’s natural protection against the sun. Vitamin C’s photoprotective properties are even stronger when combined with vitamin E, also found in avocados.

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that prevents free radical damage and oxidation of the skin cells, slowing skin’s ageing and wrinkles. Vitamin E also aids in photoprotection by reducing the effect of UVA and UVB radiation from constant sun exposure. While eating avocados is one way to reap the benefits of vitamin E, applying smashed avocado as a facemask is the best way to take advantage of avocados' vitamin E rich flesh. 

 Vitamin A is great for the treatment of acne. Have you ever heard of the prescription Retin-A, prescribed to battle acne and ageing? Well, "the term "retinoids" refers to vitamin A and the various molecules derived from vitamin A, which itself is also known as retinol (ROL).” So, applying avocado topically, you can reap the benefits of vitamin A, without a prescription, or the common over-drying side effects of Retin A!

Monounsaturated Fatty Acids:

Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), also found in olive oil and nuts, are healthy fats that maintain the moisture in the epidermis, keeping the skin soft and hydrated. It regenerates damaged skin and reduces redness and irritation. Take away: avocados can help keep your skin healthy-looking and reduce inflammation and itching!

Putting it into practice

Obviously, the most delicious way to reap the benefits of the avocado is to eat them (try throwing one in your next smoothie!). However, applying the avocado’s flesh to your skin as a face mask is also a great way to take advantage of the vitamins and nutrients listed above. The application is easy and a great way to use up your leftover avocados!

Ingredient: ¼ cup fresh organic avocado

Directions for application:

Mash up your avocado with a fork until it is smooth, as if you were making guacamole. Once you have achieved a smooth consistency, apply the mash to your clean and dry face and neck and leave it to rest for at least 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, scrape off the organic avocado, discard, and rinse your face with warm water. Enjoy your smooth hydrated skin! For best results, use this mask at least once a week.

Easy enough, right? The most important thing to remember when making your very own avocado face mask is to only use organic avocados as conventional avocados are often treated with harmful chemicals. By using organic avocados, you’re ensuring that you aren’t applying any harmful chemicals or pesticides to your skin. Lucky for you, all of our avocados are certified organic, making them delicious to eat in addition to being safe for topical use.

Avocados, consumed or applied as a face mask, are packed with vitamins and monounsaturated fats that make them great for treating acne, dry skin, and slowing the aging process. Have you ever used an California avocado facemask? Will you now? Let us know in the comments!