Lipids & Fatty Acids

Avocado Oil

Also known as: Persea gratissima oil, Persea americana oil, Avocado fruit oil

The skin-penetrating kitchen oil — oleic-rich moisture for dry skin, with a cooking career and a quiet eczema trial record.

By IngredientWiki Editorial Team
Fact-checked by IngredientWiki Editorial Team
Updated 2026-09-26
3 min read

In short

Avocado oil is pressed from the flesh of the avocado — one of the few oils extracted from fruit pulp rather than seeds — and its chemistry explains its two careers: roughly 70% oleic acid with a substantial vitamin E and phytosterol fraction. In skincare, it penetrates the stratum corneum unusually well for a plant oil, with clinical trials supporting its use for dry skin, eczema, and barrier repair; in the kitchen, its very high smoke point makes it a practical cooking oil. It is a quietly well-evidenced emollient and a solid pantry fat in one bottle.

Pressed from avocado pulp, not seeds — rare among plant oils
~70% oleic acid plus vitamin E and phytosterols
Trials: dry-skin and eczema support; good skin penetration
One of the highest smoke points of common cooking oils

What is Avocado Oil?

Avocado oil has earned its place twice over — once on the vanity, once on the stove — and the same chemistry powers both roles. The flesh of the fruit yields an oil dominated by oleic acid, the same skin-friendly monounsaturate that anchors olive oil, but with a profile that penetrates skin better and tolerates heat higher. The clinical record is better than most kitchen oils deserve: trials document improved hydration and barrier function in dry and eczema-prone skin. Between the moisturizer and the frying pan, avocado oil is one of the more defensible multi-purpose ingredients in either aisle.

Where it comes from

Natural sources

Cold-pressed from the flesh of Persea americana fruit
Unrefined oil is deep green with a buttery aroma; refined oil is pale and neutral
High oleic acid (~70%), vitamin E, and phytosterol content

How it's made

Not synthesized; available in food and cosmetic grades.

What it does in products

Benefits

Dry skin and barrier support

moderate evidence

Clinical studies show avocado oil improves skin hydration and barrier function, with good penetration compared with other botanical oils.

Eczema and psoriasis support

moderate evidence

Trials of avocado oil-containing preparations (notably with vitamin B12) report improvement in eczema and psoriasis severity — formulation-dependent but positive.

Cooking stability

strong evidence

Refined avocado oil's smoke point (~270°C) is among the highest of common oils — a genuine practical advantage for high-heat cooking.

Nutrient absorption

strong evidence

Dietary fats like avocado oil enhance absorption of carotenoids from meals — a modest, well-documented benefit.

Side effects & safety

Breakouts on acne-prone skin (uncommon)Any oil can clog some people; patch-test facial use.

Contact allergy (rare)Possible with latex-fruit cross-reactivity in sensitive individuals.

Safety considerations

Dietary and topical use is safe in pregnancy.
None known.
Not for: Allergy to avocado or latex-fruit cross-reactivity (rare)

How it's used

In skincare

Use neat or blended at 5–100% in oils, creams, and balms; a few drops on damp skin locks in moisture. For eczema support, use products formulated with avocado oil rather than the pure oil on broken skin. Culinary use: 1–2 tablespoons daily as part of a balanced fat intake.

Regulatory status

Food (GRAS) and cosmetic ingredient; no drug approval.
GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for food use.
INCI name on cosmetic labels: Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil.

Flesh vs seed: why avocado oil is different from other botanical oils

Most plant oils — olive, argan, jojoba — are pressed from seeds, but avocado oil comes from the fruit's flesh, which changes both its chemistry and its behavior. Flesh oils carry a different lipid matrix: high oleic acid paired with phytosterols and an unusually lipophilic vitamin E fraction that helps the oil integrate into the skin's barrier rather than sit on top of it — the mechanistic basis for its better-than-average penetration data. The same flesh chemistry explains the cooking advantage: refined avocado oil tolerates ~270°C, beating nearly every common kitchen oil. One fruit, two careers, one reason.

Frequently asked questions

Is avocado oil good for eczema?

It has a reasonable evidence base as a barrier-supporting emollient, and avocado-oil-based preparations (often with vitamin B12) improved eczema in trials. Use formulated products on active eczema rather than pure oil on broken skin.

Can I cook with avocado oil at high heat?

Yes — refined avocado oil has a smoke point around 270°C (520°F), among the highest of cooking oils, making it suitable for searing and roasting. Virgin oil is best at lower temperatures.

Does avocado oil clog pores?

It is moderately comedogenic for some people but less so than coconut oil, and its good penetration profile helps it absorb. Patch-test facial use if you are acne-prone.

The bottom line

Avocado oil is a genuinely dual-purpose ingredient: a skin-penetrating emollient with real dry-skin and eczema data, and a high-heat cooking oil with one of the best smoke points around. Buy food-grade for the pan, cosmetic-grade for the face.

References

Avocado oil and skin barrier — literature search. PubMed (National Library of Medicine). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=avocado+oil+skin+barrier
Avocado oil in eczema/psoriasis preparations — literature search. PubMed (National Library of Medicine). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=avocado+oil+vitamin+B12+psoriasis
Persea americana oil composition (review). PubMed (National Library of Medicine). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=persea+americana+oil+composition
Oleic acid compound summary. PubChem (National Library of Medicine). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/445639