Nutritious, softening, hydrating, and a supporter of the skin barrier, the avocado contains various components of cosmetic interest. Mustela has been harnessing its oil, sugars, and polyphenols in its formulas for over 20 years.
Creamy, rich in lipids, and a staple of our diet, the avocado has also been conquering another territory for years: the skin. Beneath its flesh lie various components of cosmetic interest that hydrate, nourish, soften, and protect, making it a particularly versatile ingredient for skincare.
However, not all skin types have the same needs. A newborn’s skin is still maturing; a child’s skin faces daily exposure to water, cold, sun, and friction; and adult skin may need to restore hydration, nourishment, or comfort in specific areas. A single fruit can offer different benefits at different stages of life. Mustela has spent over 20 years researching the potential of the avocado and has made it one of its signature ingredients. From its various parts, the brand derives active ingredients such as oil, sugars, and polyphenols—each with specific skin benefits—as well as Avocado Perseose®, one of Laboratoires Expanscience’s key innovations in baby care.
For babies: helping to protect skin that is still maturing
A baby’s skin is still developing during the early years, requiring formulas specifically adapted to its unique characteristics. This is where Avocado Perseose® plays a crucial role; it is a patented, biomimetic active ingredient—meaning it is compatible with the skin’s structure—that helps a baby’s immature skin develop its barrier function by boosting protein and lipid production. It also helps protect the skin’s cellular capital against daily environmental stressors. Mustela incorporates it into its skincare ranges for babies and children. The Gentle Bath Gel with Organic Avocado allows for the delicate cleansing of the body and hair from birth; Hydra Bébé Body Lotion with Organic Avocado provides hydration for daily care; and the No-Rinse Cleansing Water with Organic Avocado—containing 98% ingredients of natural origin—gently cleanses the face, body, and diaper area without the need for rinsing.
For children: caring for skin that never stops exploring
As children grow, their needs—and, above all, their skin’s daily reality—change. Playtime, baths, swimming pools, cold, heat, the outdoors… Childhood brings increased contact with the environment, making hygiene and hydration essential daily routines from birth.
Cicastela Repairing Cream is designed for these little adventurers; it incorporates Avocado Perseose® and panthenol to soothe discomfort, hyaluronic acid to aid skin repair, and copper-zinc. With 91% ingredients of natural origin, it is suitable for minor irritations, surface redness, dry patches, scratches, and the after-effects of insect bites, among other uses. Its formula helps restore compromised skin, hydrate it, and reinforce its moisture barrier, while leaving behind a non-greasy protective film.
For adults: oil, sugars, and polyphenols for areas needing extra care
The cosmetic potential of the avocado extends beyond children’s skincare. Various components with complementary properties can be derived from the same fruit: organic virgin avocado oil stands out for its nourishing and softening qualities; organic avocado sugars for their hydrating and soothing effects; and avocado polyphenols for their antioxidant and protective action. Mustela combines all three in its Universal Balm with 3 Organic Avocado Extracts—a skincare product formulated with 99.7% ingredients of natural origin and designed for the whole family. Its formula nourishes, repairs, and protects dry areas of the skin, from the face to other parts of the body requiring extra comfort.
A circular approach: Mustela gives the avocado a second life
Beyond its cosmetic properties lies a story that begins long before the avocado reaches the skin. The avocados Mustela uses are sourced from the food industry—fruits that cannot be sold due to their size, color, or shape. Instead of discarding them, the company gives them a second life by transforming them into cosmetic ingredients through an upcycling model. This utilization goes far beyond the pulp; Laboratoires Expanscience has developed a process that extracts up to six ingredients from the avocado, even reusing the by-products generated during the transformation process itself.
The process begins in Peru, where Mustela has spent over 20 years collaborating with growers who use ancestral irrigation systems as part of a supply chain sourcing verified by the UEBT (Union for Ethical BioTrade). At its own factory in Lima, Mustela selects and cleans the fruit before grinding and cold-pressing it to separate its components. The resulting raw materials then travel to France, where they are incorporated into the brand’s formulas. In this way, the story of the organic avocado adds an environmental dimension to its skincare benefits: a fruit rejected for food consumption is transformed into a source of cosmetic ingredients, and its various parts find new uses instead of becoming waste. Because innovation doesn’t always mean discovering a new ingredient. Sometimes, it is about understanding what we already have better, discovering everything it can do for our skin, and learning how to make the most of it.
About Mustela
Mustela is a French family-owned brand that has supported mothers, fathers, babies, and families since 1950, when it was founded with the development of the first lotion specifically designed for baby skin. Specializing in skincare from birth for the whole family, it combines expertise in neonatal dermatology and plant extraction to develop safe, effective, naturally derived formulas. A certified B Corp, the brand also integrates social and environmental responsibility criteria into its product development, aiming to reduce its impact on people and the planet.
Find out more at www.mustela.es
