The high oil content of the avocado fruit has been known since Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post classic period of 1300 t0 1521, where the avocado fruit is known as "vegetable butter" or "butter pear." The plant origin is in Central America, and its cultivation has spread to warm subtropical and temperate climates worldwide. Avocado fruit contain up to 30% oil compared to its fresh fruit weight, with very little oil in the seed (2%) and the skin with (7%). Avocado oil is extracted for cosmetic use because of its very high skin penetration and rapid absorption. Fresh avocado contain 65% water. After extraction, the oil for application in skin care products is usually refined, bleached, and deodorized, resulting in an odorless yellow oil.
The process for extraction of avocado oil is based on the mechanical extraction method used for olive oil. It is important to understand the pre- and postharvest physiology of avocados, particularly how their maturity and degree of ripeness impact the optimum time for oil extraction.
Items that you can add in small amounts are shea butter or cocoa butter. For this recipe add no more than a teaspoon and melt it with your oils. Essential oils are used for adding scent and healing properties. Use any powdered pigment as a coloring agent, but it would have to be very small amounts, like 1/16th of a teaspoon and it needs to be mixed in oil to get all the lumps out. This is for the purpose of testing your body lotion before you produce in larger amount. Make a note on the quality used and record the measurements.
Beeswax should be used to make our body lotion, it can also make the recipe come out with different outcome, some harder, some softer.
This is due to the fact that beeswax can vary by time of the year and different flowers the bees are working with, so you’ll need to be aware of that too.
