With a delicate flavour and a buttery consistency, this delicious fruit has now entered the diets of Italians and Europeans, despite its distant origins. Avocado was actually first discovered during the explorations of Central America, in the areas now known as Mexico and Guatemala, where it was already part of the diet of the indigenous Aztecs and Mayans before the Spaniards arrived. Also called the alligator pear, avocado was described by the conquistadors as an “abundant fruit, with a pulp similar to butter and characterised by an excellent flavour”.

This precious fruit is truly appealing and delicious, versatile in the kitchen, but also a panacea for beauty. Avocados boast many cosmetic properties, given their wealth of oils and avocatins, which keep the skin elastic by protecting collagen.

Here are some of its basic properties:

• Antioxidant: thanks to its concentration of carotenoids, avocado can fight free radicals. It also protects the skin from environmental damage (cold, sun), which makes it an excellent natural anti-ageing product.
• Contains vitamin C: along with the antioxidant properties plus those of the carotenoids, vitamin C is essential for producing elastin and collagen – the elements that hold our skin’s structure together.
• Contains vitaminE: another antioxidant that, unlike vitamin C which is used immediately, can be stored in the body. As well as delaying skin ageing, some studies have shown that vitamin E protects the skin from harmful solar radiation.
• Emollient and moisturiser: the high content of oleic acids helps keep the skin’s epidermal layer hydrated, thereby making it softer. More specifically, omega-9 is involved in regenerating damaged skin cells.

For any lover of beauty care, there’s nothing better than a mask, a scrub and a face cream to combat dry skin and counteract ageing and the onset of wrinkles.

This fruit provides benefits for all skin types because it is soothing on sensitive skin, has antioxidant properties for mature skin and regulates sebum in oily skin.