Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil
What Is It?
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil is clear, yellow-green oil obtained from the avocado fruit. In cosmetics and personal care products, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil is used in many different products, including bath products, eye makeup, lipstick, makeup bases, cleansing cream, hair conditioners, sunscreen lotions, as well skin and hair care products.
Why Is It Used?
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil functions as a skin conditioning agent – occlusive.
Scientific Facts
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil is obtained by pressing dehydrated, sliced avocados of Persea gratissima. Avocado Oil is rich in triglycerides of oleic acid and contains lesser amounts of palmitic, linoleic, and palmitoleic acids. The amount of fat in avocados varies depending on the area in which it is grown and the degree of ripeness of the fruit.
Safety Information
The safety of Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil was safe for use as used in cosmetics and personal care products. In 2001, as part of the scheduled re-evaluation of ingredients, the CIR Expert Panel considered available new data on Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil and reaffirmed the above conclusion.
CIR Safety Review: Products containing Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil were not a skin irritatants and did not result in sensitization or general toxicity. The wide use of avocados as food also supported the safety of this ingredient. The CIR Expert Panel concluded that Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil was safe as used in cosmetic products.
FDA includes avocados among the 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits and suggests that retailers provide nutrition information about the top 20 consumed fruits at the point of purchase.
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions..
Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…
More Scientific Information
Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil functions as a skin conditioning agent – occlusive in cosmetics and personal care products. As an occlusive skin-conditioning agent, Avacado Oil retards the evaporation of water from the skin surface. By blocking the evaporative loss of water, occlusive materials increase the water content of skin. Occlusive agents are generally lipids which tend to remain on the skin surface.
Resources
Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm
EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/