Olive Oil in Skincare

Delicious, nutritious and easily accessible. Olive oil is rich in vitamins, healthy fats and antioxidants. I’m sure you know about many benefits of including it in your diet. Did you know that you can also use olive oil in your skincare routine? Let’s learn how.

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Beneficial qualities of olive oil

Olive oil is a tasty and aromatic plant-based product that provides the human body with ingredients that protect it against dangerous diseases and keep it healthy.

1. It is a valuable source of monounsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. They significantly affect the condition of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. They also contribute to the proper functioning of the sense of sight.
2. Olive oil is a source of vitamins: A, B, C, E, D and K. It also contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
3. A lot of its ingredients carry antioxidant properties. One of them is vitamin E. Antioxidants protect the organism from free radicals, which helps in prevention of premature aging and many diseases, including cancer.
4. Olive oil plays a role in lowering blood pressure, which prevents many cardiovascular diseases. It also helps to prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and blood clots. Including olive oil in your diet can also help avoid stroke.
5. It also supports proper functioning of the nervous system and can be an important asset in Alzheimer’s prevention.
6. Diet rich in olive oil can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
7. Olive oil has antibacterial and antiviral properties and prevents infections. It effectively reduces inflammation, significantly affecting the body’s immune system.

Olive oil & skincare

As you’ve read above, olive oil is an amazing ingredient of a balanced diet that has many beneficial qualities. It helps to keep the body healthy and well nourished. Did you know that it can also be used as a part of your skincare routine?

Olive oil can work in many fields, such as:

• anti-aging, as it helps to reduce wrinkles and boosts the skin’s elasticity,
• rebuilding and protecting the skin barrier,
• protecting the skin against free radicals (due to the antioxidants, like vitamin E),
• moisturizing and preventing skin dryness,
• cleansing, as it might be used to remove makeup,
• smoothing and softening the skin texture.

Olive oil is used in skincare mostly due to its moisturizing properties. Oleic acid, which is the main fatty component of olive oil, creates a protective layer over the skin surface. The layer helps to retain water in the skin and prevents its loss. In consequence, the skin becomes more elastic, soft and smooth.

Let’s not forget about olive oil’s nutritional properties. The richness of vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids supports regeneration and renewal of the skin cells. Thanks to this, the skin becomes firmer, radiant and healthy. That’s not the only role of the vitamins. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant. It protects the skin against the harmful effects of free radicals that accelerate the aging processes. Including olive oil in your skincare routine can help fight the signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles and loss of skin’s firmness and elasticity.

If your skin is prone to inflammation, olive oil can be a good choice also for you. Polyphenol (one of olive oil’s ingredients) has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It might help with skin conditions like acne and eczema, reducing inflammation and redness while boosting the healing process of irritated skin. It also promotes wound healing.

How to use olive oil in your skincare routine?

You’ve read about all of the amazing qualities of olive oil and now you want to incorporate it into your skincare routine? In this case you have two options. You can either invest in the cosmetics already available on the market or experiment with olive oil you already have at home.

If you’ve chosen the second option, here are some ideas:

• mix it with honey to make a lip mask,
• mix it with tea tree oil as a remedy for pimples,
• put it on your eyebrows and eyelashes to make them grow thicker,
• use it under your eyes to brighten and nourish that area,
• use it as an overnight mask for your feet to make them silky smooth (don’t forget to put socks on after applying the oil),
• use it as an alternative to a shaving cream (thoroughly wash the area after to avoid clogging pores),
• use it after tanning to nourish the skin and prevent dryness,
• use it to remove makeup (I know it might sound ridiculous, but I’ve tried it in a moment of emergency and it works perfectly),
• use it to oil your hair,
• you can mix it with your night moisturizer to make it heavier and more nourishing,
• use it as the body moisturizer on the cleansed skin (don’t forget to wipe the excess off with a towel to prevent clogging pores).

While using olive oil has many benefits, it should be used with caution on sensitive skin. It’s good to do a patch test before incorporating it into your skincare routine. Excess oil on the skin can clog your pores and lead to acne breakouts, so make sure to use olive oil according to the guidelines.

To learn more about natural ingredients in skincare, check out my article.