Which oil can I mix with avocado oil?

December 8, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2020 study by UC Davis, 82% of avocado oil samples in the US were either rancid or mixed with other oils. While this is a quality control issue, it highlights that blending is common and effective, prompting the question: which oil can I mix with avocado oil for the best results? The answer depends on your specific application, whether culinary or cosmetic, and the desired properties of the final blend.

Quick Summary

Avocado oil blends well with many other oils, including olive, coconut, and almond oil, to enhance flavor, modify smoke points for cooking, or combine beneficial properties for skincare and haircare. The ideal oil combination depends on its intended use and your personal taste preferences.

Key Points

Culinary Applications: Avocado oil mixes well with olive, sesame, and coconut oils to modify flavor, smoke point, and consistency for different cooking methods.
Cosmetic Uses: For skincare and haircare, blend avocado oil with carrier oils like sweet almond or jojoba oil to balance texture and absorption.
Enhanced Heat Stability: Combining avocado oil with less stable oils, like olive oil, can increase the smoke point of the blend for high-heat cooking.
Tailored Flavor Profiles: Mixing avocado oil with a flavorful oil like sesame oil can create a custom blend for specific dishes, such as stir-fries or marinades.
DIY Beauty Treatments: Use avocado oil as a base for essential oils to create personalized hair masks, facial moisturizers, or massage blends.
Nutrient Synergy: Blending different oils can provide a broader range of nutrients and beneficial compounds, such as monounsaturated fats from avocado and antioxidants from olive oil.
Proper Storage: Always store your oil blends in a cool, dark place and use them within the shelf life of the most perishable ingredient.
Patch Test for Cosmetics: Before applying a new oil blend to your skin or hair, perform a small patch test to check for any adverse reactions.

Understanding Avocado Oil's Properties

Before exploring mixing options, it's helpful to understand what makes avocado oil so versatile. Unrefined, extra virgin avocado oil is prized for its high smoke point (over 500°F or 260°C), mild, buttery flavor, and rich content of monounsaturated fats and vitamins E and D. These characteristics make it a robust base for various applications.

However, its mild flavor means it can easily take on the profile of a more pungent partner oil. Its heat stability can also be leveraged when blended with less stable oils for high-temperature cooking. The high concentration of fatty acids and vitamins also makes it an exceptional emollient for cosmetic purposes.

Culinary Blends: Enhancing Flavor and Functionality

For cooking, the right blend can create a more complex flavor profile or improve heat tolerance. Here are some popular combinations:

Olive Oil

Blending avocado and olive oil is a classic combination. Avocado oil’s high smoke point enhances olive oil's moderate heat stability, making the blend suitable for light sautéing and roasting. This creates a nuanced flavor, with the fruity, grassy notes of olive oil complementing the rich, mild taste of avocado oil. A 1:1 ratio is a great starting point for salad dressings and bread dipping, offering the health benefits of both.

Sesame Oil

For an Asian-inspired flavor, a small amount of toasted sesame oil mixed with avocado oil adds a nutty, aromatic depth. The avocado oil serves as a neutral base, allowing the potent sesame flavor to shine without being overwhelming. This is ideal for marinades, stir-fries, and finishing dishes like noodle bowls.

Coconut Oil

Mixing avocado and coconut oil can be beneficial for high-heat cooking and baking, especially for dishes where a tropical or nutty flavor is desirable. Coconut oil adds saturated fats that increase the blend’s stability. This mixture solidifies at room temperature, making it suitable for creating homemade spreads or frying.

Flavor Infusions

Avocado oil is an excellent carrier for other flavors. Infusing it with dried herbs and spices like rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes creates a flavorful dipping oil. Letting the herbs steep for a few days in the oil allows their flavors to fully permeate.

Cosmetic Blends: Nourishing Skin and Hair

When used for skin and hair, blending avocado oil with other carrier oils can create a product with a more balanced consistency and broader range of benefits.

Sweet Almond Oil

Blending avocado and sweet almond oil is a popular choice for massage and general skincare. Avocado oil offers deep moisturization and vitamins, while almond oil provides extra hydration and a lighter, smoother texture that spreads easily. A 1:1 ratio works well for an all-purpose facial or body oil.

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil closely mimics the skin’s natural sebum, making a blend with avocado oil an excellent choice for acne-prone or sensitive skin. The combination provides deep nourishment without clogging pores, resulting in a balanced, lightweight moisturizer.

Essential Oils

Avocado oil is an ideal carrier for essential oils, which should never be applied to the skin undiluted. Adding a few drops of your preferred essential oil, such as lavender for relaxation or tea tree for its antibacterial properties, transforms avocado oil into a customized skin or scalp treatment. A ratio of about 10-15 drops of essential oil per ounce of avocado oil is a safe starting point.

Comparison of Avocado Oil Blends


Blend Combination	Best For...	Key Benefit	Flavor Profile (Culinary)	Texture/Feel (Cosmetic)
Olive Oil	Light sautéing, salad dressings	Enhanced flavor complexity	Buttery, fruity, grassy	Rich, emollient
Sesame Oil	Stir-fries, marinades	Aromatic, nutty flavor	Bold, savory, nutty	Warm, less noticeable
Coconut Oil	High-heat cooking, spreads	Increased heat stability	Mildly tropical, nutty	Can solidify, very rich
Sweet Almond Oil	Massage, all-purpose moisturizer	Lighter, smoother application	N/A	Lighter, easily absorbed
Jojoba Oil	Sensitive skin, facial oil	Mimics natural sebum, non-comedogenic	N/A	Balanced, non-greasy
Essential Oils	Custom aromatherapy, treatments	Tailored therapeutic effects	Varies based on essential oil	Varies based on essential oil

The Power of Customized Oil Blends

Mixing oils with avocado oil allows for the creation of customized products tailored to specific needs and preferences. In the kitchen, a mix can achieve a desired flavor balance or functional properties, like a higher smoke point. For cosmetic use, blending can create a unique product with a combination of textures and therapeutic benefits for skin or hair. The key is to understand the properties of each oil you are combining to ensure they work synergistically. Always test a small amount of a new blend, especially for cosmetic use, to ensure there are no adverse reactions. The possibilities are vast, offering a simple way to upgrade your cooking and self-care routines.

Conclusion

Avocado oil’s versatility makes it an excellent base for a wide variety of blends. For cooking, mixing with olive oil adds depth of flavor, while combining it with sesame oil provides an exotic twist. When it comes to beauty, pairing it with sweet almond oil creates a lighter moisturizer, and using it as a carrier for essential oils allows for a customized aromatic experience. By understanding the distinct characteristics of each oil, you can create the perfect mixture to suit your culinary or cosmetic needs. Experimentation is encouraged, allowing you to discover the perfect blend for your specific application.

[18 Uses for Avocado Oil Outside the Kitchen - La Tourangelle]

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, mixing olive oil with avocado oil is an excellent practice for cooking. It combines the fruity flavor of olive oil with the high smoke point of avocado oil, making it suitable for both sautéing and salad dressings.

Yes, avocado oil is a fantastic carrier oil for diluting essential oils for topical application. This is essential, as essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin undiluted.

For a nourishing hair mask, mixing avocado oil with coconut oil is highly effective. Coconut oil provides deep hydration and shine, complementing avocado oil's rich protein and vitamin content for repairing dry or damaged hair.

Yes, you can blend avocado oil with other carrier oils like jojoba or sweet almond oil for skincare. Jojoba is great for acne-prone skin, while sweet almond oil offers extra hydration.

To make a flavorful dipping oil, combine avocado oil with dried herbs such as rosemary, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Allow the herbs to steep in the oil for a few days to infuse the flavors.

Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to mix different brands of avocado oil, as long as they are of good quality. This can sometimes help balance flavors or use up different bottles you have on hand.

Blending avocado oil with a stronger-flavored oil, such as sesame, balances the flavor profile. The mild-tasting avocado oil provides a neutral base that prevents the stronger flavor from being overpowering in your dish.