Did you know Avo is the new EVOO? Avocado oil is making a hot splash (yep, pun intended) all over the internet in just about every type of recipe imaginable, but did you know it’s also one of the best oils to use in your DIY beauty products?

I’ve been using it in homemade sugar scrubs, massage oils, lotions and more for years now. It’s easy to find, relatively inexpensive (compared to some oils) and insanely awesome. The avo fruit itself also has a myriad of uses in your beauty routines. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite uses for avocado and avocado oil outside your kitchen

Uses for Avocado in Your Health & Beauty Routines

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The avocado is really a powerhouse of a fruit, packed with 20 different vitamins and minerals. Avocado oil, as you can probably deduce for yourself, comes from the fruit (which, FYI, is technically a berry!). The simple act of incorporating avocados into your regular diet can produce amazing benefits to your skin and hair, but you don’t have to love the taste of the fruit to reap the benefits. Let’s check out other uses for avocado aside from eating them!

13 Uses for Avocado for Beautiful Skin and Hair

Anti-aging skin treatment

Mash up an avocado and slather it on your face for a refreshing mask treatment that helps fight the signs of aging. Don’t want to sit around with the ingredients for guacamole on your face? No problem. Use avocado oil on its own as a serum at night before you go to bed. A few drops will do it, you don’t need to dunk your head in the stuff!

Puffy Eye Treatment

You know how you can use cucumber slices to help reduce puffy eyes? Well, you can also use avocado slices. In fact, I think they work better. Just peel the avocado, pop out the pit, then cut the fruit into little crescent shapes. Lay back, place the slices under your eyes and daydream for 20 minutes. Pop them off, rinse and go! If you don’t have time for all that (or you only have avocado oil in your house), you can also use the oil as an eye treatment. Apply the same way you would an under-eye cream.

Dry scalp treatment

Avocado oil is fantastic for a dry scalp. Just rub a bit of the oil into your scalp and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal. OR, take it a step further and create your own awesome scalp treatment by mixing two drops each of rosemary and peppermint into about an ounce of avocado oil. It feels tingly and fantastic. I use this when I have a “hair headache” from having my thick hair pulled back all day.

 Control frizz and protect against heat damage

Avocado oil is a great leave-in conditioner to help control frizzy hair and also prevent damage from blow-dryers or other sources of heat. The key to reaping the benefits without looking like you dumped a bottle of oil on your hair: remember the mantra “a little goes a long way.” Place a few drops in your hand and work it through your hair from the ends up.

Soothing itchy skin

Avocado oil is fabulous for hydrating dry skin and reducing itchiness associated with it. Simply massage straight avocado oil into your skin to feel the effects.

Controlling split ends

Hair looking a little fried around the edges? While avocado oil won’t get rid of your split ends, it can help control them until you can get a trim. It can also help prevent them! Just apply a bit of the oil to the very ends of your hair. Remember, less is more! You don’t want to end up with greasy looking hair!

Make your hair softer instantly!

Soften your hair by applying a mask of mashed avocado and egg. Leave it on for about 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo as normal. Voila, silky soft strands!

Moisturize Dry Cuticles

Rub a little oil around your cuticles to help moisturize them and get your hands ready for that manicure. If you’re a nail biter like me, this is also a great way to soothe those aching ragged hangnails.

More benefits to using avocado in your beauty routines include:

• Boosting your skin’s natural radiance
• Potentially controlling acne outbreaks (eating the fruit regularly is the best way to get this benefit)
• Boost your hair’s shininess (follow the same advice in the frizz treatment tip)
• Rub the inside of the peel directly on your face in upward motions for a fabulous primer. You can leave it on and apply your foundation right over top of the oil residue.
• Helps combat oily skin too! It sounds crazy, but natural oils like avocado oil and coconut oil actually help draw the icky oils out of your skin. Mix in a tiny bit of lemon juice to help brighten your skin at the same time, if you want.

Health Uses of Avocado & Avo Oil

Aching muscle rub

Moisturize your skin and help those aching muscles with a super simple massage oil recipe. Mix about 4 ounces of avo oil and 3 drops each of peppermint, lavender and lemongrass. While the peppermint is pretty much a must (it works best for my aches, anyway), you can use other EOs in place of the lavender and lemongrass. Other options include marjoram, rosemary and chamomile. Just massage into your aching muscles and relax! Don’t use a heating pad though too soon after using any sort of muscle rub, DIY or otherwise.

Massage oil 

Avocado oil is a fabulous “carrier oil” for your favorite essential oils. Planning a romantic night in? Mix in a few drops of Jasmine, sandalwood or, if you want to really splurge, rose oil into about 1/4 cup of avocado oil. Go easy on the EO’s, though, add a couple drops, stir, then adjust until it smells just right.

Mouthwash

You’ve heard of the whole oil pulling thing with coconut oil, right? Well, I’ve never tried that because I just lack that kind of patience! Besides, I’m pretty sure I have TMJ and swishing for a zillion hours doesn’t sound all that comfortable. Anyway, you don’t need to swish avocado oil for an hour to reap the benefits of its antiseptic properties. Mix 1/2 cup water with one teaspoon avocado oil and, if desired, two drops peppermint essential oil into a sterile mason jar. Swish, swish, swish, spit. Eating the fruit regularly may also help control bad breath.

Relieve a bad sunburn

I actually read a bit of advice that said you can use avocado in place of sunscreen, but I’m not really on board with that tip. I’ve known too many people who dealt with skin cancer to advise using anything except a really good sunscreen. HOWEVER, if you do still end up with a sunburn, mash up avocado fruit really well and apply it directly to the worst spots for major relief.

Health Benefits of eating avocado

We’ve mostly been talking about uses of avocado and avo oil in external beauty routines, but there are a myriad of benefits to actually eating the fruit as well. These include:

• Aiding in the absorption of other important vitamins, including eye-healthy Vitamin A and skin-healthy Vitamin E.
• With double the amount of potassium than found in a banana, avocados may help regulate blood pressure. HOWEVER, if you are on certain medications or already have a heart condition, talk to your doctor about just how much potassium you should be eating. Hyperkalemia (too much potassium in the blood) is incredibly dangerous and potentially fatal.
• High fiber content helps you feel full sooner and longer, so it may help you stick to your diet better.
• Natural source of folic acid, making them excellent for pregnant women.
• Filled with Omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients that may actually prevent or halt the worsening of Alzheimer’s disease.
• The natural anti-inflammatory properties of avocados may help prevent arthritis and encourage new cartilage growth.

Need a delicious new way to enjoy avocados aside from in guac? Check out this delicious no-cook avocado pasta sauce recipe from OurFamilyWorld.

Do you have any favorite ways to enjoy avocados? How about any favorite avocado or avo oil DIY beauty recipes? Tell me about other uses for avocado & avo oil that you know of!