You probably slice it onto toast, toss it into salads or turn it into guacamole.
But the next time you cut open an avocado, you might want to save a little for your skin.
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats and plant compounds, and avocado oil has become a popular ingredient in moisturizers, masks and other skincare products.
So, what happens when you put avocado on your skin?
Here are 6 reasons this creamy green fruit has earned a place outside the kitchen.
1. It Can Give Dry Skin a Moisture Boost
If your skin seems to get drier with age, avocado may be particularly appealing.
Avocados are naturally rich in fats, including oleic acid. Oils and fats can act as emollients, helping soften the outer layers of the skin and reduce that rough, tight feeling associated with dryness.
Avocado oil is also used in skincare products specifically for its moisturizing properties.
For a simple DIY mask, mash a small amount of ripe avocado until smooth, apply a thin layer to clean skin and rinse it away after about 10 to 15 minutes.
Your skin may feel noticeably softer afterward.
2. It May Help Support Your Skin Barrier
Your skin barrier is essentially your body's protective outer shield.
When that barrier isn't functioning at its best, skin can become dry, flaky, irritated and more sensitive.
The fatty acids found in plant oils can help support the lipids that make up this protective barrier. Research into topical plant oils, including avocado oil, has also explored their potential roles in skin-barrier repair.
That makes avocado especially interesting for dry, mature-looking skin.
3. It Delivers Antioxidants to Your Skin
Your skin spends every day dealing with sunlight, pollution and other sources of oxidative stress.
Avocados contain antioxidants and nutrients including vitamins C and E, carotenoids and other plant compounds.
Antioxidants help protect cells against damage caused by free radicals, which is one reason antioxidant-rich ingredients are so common in skincare.
That doesn't mean rubbing avocado on your face replaces sunscreen — it absolutely doesn't — but it helps explain why avocado-derived ingredients continue to appear in beauty products.
4. It Could Help Your Skin Look Softer and Smoother
Here's where things get interesting.
Researchers have been studying avocado and avocado oil for their possible effects on skin aging and collagen.
In animal research, topical avocado oil has been associated with increased collagen synthesis during wound healing. Human research has also found that eating avocado regularly may support certain measures of skin elasticity and firmness.
That's not proof that an avocado face mask will erase wrinkles.
But its combination of fatty acids and antioxidants — along with the temporary plumping effect you can get from well-moisturized skin — may help dry skin appear softer, smoother and more supple.
5. It's an Easy Treatment for Rough Spots
Your face isn't the only place that can benefit from a little extra moisture.
Think about the places that tend to get especially rough:
Elbows. Knees. Hands. Heels.
A small amount of mashed avocado or a skincare product containing avocado oil can be applied to dry areas as an emollient.
You can even combine mashed avocado with a small amount of plain yogurt or honey for a simple homemade mask.
Just remember that natural doesn't automatically mean irritation-free. Patch-test homemade skincare before applying it widely, especially if you have sensitive skin.
6. You Can Use It as a Simple At-Home Face Mask
Perhaps avocado's biggest beauty advantage is its simplicity.
You don't need an elaborate recipe.
Simple Avocado Face Mask
Mash ¼ of a ripe avocado until it's creamy.
Apply a thin layer to freshly cleansed skin, avoiding your eyes.
Leave it on for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water and gently pat your skin dry.
That's it.
If your skin is particularly dry, you can follow with your regular moisturizer to help seal in hydration.
One Important Warning
Don't assume that because avocado is food, everyone can safely rub it on their face.
People can have skin reactions to botanical ingredients, including avocado. If you've never used it topically, test a small amount on an inconspicuous patch of skin first and stop if you experience burning, itching, redness or swelling.
And don't apply homemade avocado preparations to broken skin or wounds.
Avocado isn't a miracle wrinkle eraser hiding in your produce drawer.
But its combination of healthy fats, antioxidants and skin-softening properties makes it an interesting natural ingredient for dry or mature-looking skin.
So the next time you're making avocado toast, you might want to leave a spoonful behind.
Your skin may enjoy it almost as much as you do.
