The lowdown on avocado face masks

Avocado on toast, avocado salad, avocado spread, avocado, avocado, avocado…. You can even get avocado face masks…. Is there anything you can’t do with avocado? Possibly not, but what we do want to focus on, is the relationship between this slightly obscure-shaped green fruit (yep, it’s a fruit and not a veg)¹ and skincare, more specifically avocado face masks.

What does avocado do to your face?

Other than making you instantly look like the Incredible Hulk, what are the benefits of giving yourself an avocado face mask? Well, believe it or not, there are quite a few advantages to applying an avo mask.

 Avocado face mask benefits

• Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Smooth skin
• Ease sensitive skin and redness

Who would have thought it, hey?! That thick-skinned, green pear-shaped thing can do a whole lot of good for skin, so much so, celebs, such as Victoria Beckham have reportedly been known to pay homage to the humble DIY avocado face mask.² The reason why avocados are so good for the skin is mainly down to their natural oils and ability to nourish, soften and hydrate. [Now for the science bit…] avocados also contain something called lutein, which is a carotenoid that promotes skin elasticity, while oleic acid and chlorophyll help to reduce redness and inflammation.³ Avocados also happen to contain Vitamin E, which can minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.⁴

Does avocado mask clog pores?

We get where you’re coming from, avocados are renowned for being packed full of essential fatty acids, and usually, ‘fatty’ and ‘healthy skin’ are two phrases that don’t mix. But avocado can actually help reduce the skin’s sebum (oil) production. When our skin is dry, it can produce more oil to hydrate the skin which, can clog our pores. However, because avocado is moisturising, it can help balance out skin and prevent it from going into sebum overdrive. Meanwhile, the natural exfoliating properties can help make sure pores don’t become blocked with dirt, bacteria or oil.⁵

How to make an avocado face mask

Here are 3 recipes for you to try at home:^6,7,8

Avocado facial mask recipe 1 - great for hydration

Ingredients:

• ½ avocado
• Natural yoghurt
• Organic honey
• Optional: add oats to help exfoliate the skin

Instructions:

1. Mix half an avocado with some yogurt and raw, organic honey.
2. Leave on your face for 15 to 20 minutes, and rinse off with lukewarm water.

Avocado facial mask recipe 2 - great for exfoliation

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado seed
• Coconut oil or natural yoghurt

Instructions:

1. Break the seed into a few pieces.
2. Let them dry out for a few days.
3. Blend them into a fine powder.
4. Mix the powder with coconut oil or yogurt.
5. Gently rub on to skin.
6. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

Avocado facial mask recipe 3 - great for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

 Ingredients:

• 2 avocados
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder

 Instructions:

1. Mash the avocados in a bowl and then add the cocoa powder and honey.
2. Gently massage the mask over your face.
3. Leave it for 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water.

So, there you have it, a whistle-stop guide to the wonders of avocado face masks. You’re seeing avocados in a whole new light now, right?! Once you’ve mastered the face masks, why not treat your tresses to an avocado hair mask, you’ll find all the details right here, in this article. Last updated: 16 October 2020 Sources 1 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-avocado-a-fruit-or-a-vegetable#classification 2 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2121760/Victoria-Beckhams-avocado-face-mask-Does-Posh-REALLY-bed-looking-like-this.html 3 https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/g26344996/health-benefits-of-avocado/?slide=2 4 https://www.thetalko.com/avocado-face-masks/ 5 https://www.thetalko.com/avocado-face-masks/ 6 https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/g26344996/health-benefits-of-avocado/?slide=2 7 https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/g26344996/health-benefits-of-avocado/?slide=2 8 https://www.healthline.com/health/homemade-face-masks#wrinkles