Nuvo Choice Ingredient: AVOCADO OIL

2009-06-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

The avocado is a tree native to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America and Central America. It has a long history of cultivation dating to A.D. 900. The avocado fruit is also called the Alligator Pear, reflecting its shape and the leather-like appearance of its skin. The fruit has quite higher fat content than any other fruit and as such serves as an important part in the diet of various types where access to other fatty foods (high-fat meats and fish, dairy, etc) is limited.
Avocado oil is pressed from the fruit of avocado. And it is one of few vegetable/fruit oils not derived from seeds; it is pressed from the fleshy pulp surrounding the avocado pit. Most importantly avocado oil is considered to be one of the healthiest oils – it has high concentrations of vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals. Avocado oil consists mostly of oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. Other constituents include palmitic and palmitoleic acids, lecithin, phystosterol, carotinoids. It is rich in vitamins A, D, and E, and potassium.
In a study done at the Department of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in 1991, it was found that avocado oil may mobilize and increase the collagen of connective tissue. This is mainly due to the vitamin and mineral content in avocado oil. Vitamins A, D, and E when applied topically act as powerful antioxidants and free radical scavengers, and when combined together they promote natural collagen production in the skin therefore helping to improve skin’s texture, firmness, smoothness, and good pigmentation. All these essential vitamins in avocado oil collectively with high concentration of potassium are also an important factor in epidermal cell turnover.
Fatty Acid content in avocado oil helps protect the skin; they prevent the evaporation of water from the skin surface. By blocking the evaporative loss of water, fatty acids increase the water content of skin, keeping skin moisturized and supple, improving elasticity and long term water-retention capability.
Avocado oil has also demonstrated sunscreening characteristics and has been given the highest ranking by the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology for sunscreen effectiveness when compared to other naturally derived oils such as peanut, olive, or coconut.
Given all these facts, and also that avocado oil has the highest penetration rate among similar oils, avocado oil is an ideal natural ingredient in skin care products. Avocado oil when employed in natural skin care products treats dehydrated, dry, sun and climate damaged skin, while moisturizing and nourishing it. And with continuous use avocado oil regenerates the skin, restoring the health of the skin and improving overall complexion.

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Nuvo Choice Ingredient: ALMOND OIL

2009-06-09T14:38:00.000-07:00

Almonds are widely cultivated nut native to Mediterranean climate region and were domesticated at least by 3000BC. As a folk remedy almonds were used to treat cancers, tumors, and ulcers and many other afflictions for thousands of years.
Almond oil is obtained from the dried kernel of the almond plant. It is rich in unsaturated fats and essential fatty acids which are easily absorbed into the skin. Almond oil is one of the least greasy oils. It is a clear, pale yellow, odorless liquid, with a bland, nutty taste
The main constituents of almond oil are fatty acids (mostly of gycerides of oleic acid and linoleic acid), plant fatty alcohols (phytosterols), and vitamins and antioxidants (mostly Vitamin E and Vitamin K).
Almond oil is a rich source of vitamin E. Alpha-tocopherol is the kind of vitamin E the human body absorbs best, and it is considered the most important antioxidant and free-radical scavenger. Studies indicate that vitamin E in almond oil performs all these functions when applied topically. It improves the skin’s water-binding ability and reduces water loss thereby improving the appearance of rough, dry and damaged skin.
Almond oil also contains vitamin K, which has been shown to reduce the appearance of dark circles, improve skin discoloration due to the ability of vitamin K to help improve blood clotting.
Fatty Acids in almond oil are essential to cellular membranes. Therefore if the skin’s fatty acid content declines, so will elasticity and at the same time water loss will increase resulting in skin roughness and scaliness. Topically applied fatty acids are metabolized in the skin, normalizing the cell lipid layer and improving the water-retention capability.
Plant fatty alcohols in almond oil when applied to skin form an occlusive film to keep skin moisture from evaporating, and they impart a velvety feel to the skin.
In conclusion almond oil is an extremely beneficial natural ingredient in skin care. It does not leave the skin oily, does not clog the pores, but moisturizes the skin leaving it soft and radiant. And if used regularly improves the complexion and restores the health of the skin.

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Nuvo Choice Ingredient: AVOCADO OIL

Nuvo Choice Ingredient: ALMOND OIL