Should you put olive oil on your skin?

Olive oil is contains antioxidants and vitamins. Should you put olive oil on your face?

Olive oil appears in many skincare, hair care and cosmetic products but should you use undiluted olive oil from your kitchen as part of your beauty routine? We say yes!

Extra-virgin olive oil and olive oil can be applied to your skin to moisturize and cleanse regardless of skin type.   It contains vitamin E, anti-oxidants, and compounds such as squalene and oleocanthal which may prevent aging and repair skin damage. Olive oil is non-toxic, anti-microbial, and hypoallergenic. Here are some ways to use olive oil on your skin.

Hand moisturizer

You can rub a few drops of olive oil into your hands when cooking. You don't have to worry about getting foul tasting lotion in your food and you don't need to clutter your kitchen with a bottle of moisturizer.

Moisturizer for babies

You can rub olive oil all over your baby. Olive oil can be used as massage oil and can help with dry skin and may alleviate eczema and cradle cap. And since babies are constantly putting their hands in their mouths, you don't need to worry about your baby ingesting olive oil. Its good for them!

Olive oil can also be used to clean babies' bottoms. If your baby is prone to diaper rash, try using a mixture of olive oil and water with a washcloth instead of diaper wipes. Try our recipe for olive oil balm for a diaper rash cream.

Eye-makeup remover

Most eye makeup removers are oil based because the oil dissolves stubborn eye makeup and waterproof mascaras. Use a cotton pad soaked with olive oil to remove eye makeup.

Hair treatment

To combat damage and frizz, treat your hair with olive oil. Put 1/2 cup of olive oil in a glass jar. Fill a bowl with boiling water and immerse the jar in the hot water for 5 minutes. Test the temperature of the oil. It should be hot, but not scalding. Apply the oil to your hair and cover with plastic wrap or a plastic shower cap. Then cover with a towel or head wrap. Leave on for 20-45 minutes. Shampoo and dry to reveal glossy locks!

Shaving cream

You can use olive oil as a shaving cream. Both men and women can substitute foam and gel shaving cream with good old-fashioned olive oil. You'll ward off razor burn and bumps with the help of this natural lubricant.

Oil cleansing

Oil cleansing is a great way to remove makeup, dirt, sunscreen and impurities without stripping your skin's natural oils. But cleansing oils are extremely expensive! To enjoy the benefits of oil cleansing for a fraction of the price, try olive oil.

Olive oil will dissolve oil-based cosmetics and sebum. For that reason, olive oil can be used as a skin cleanser.

To oil cleanse with olive oil, place a hot, damp washcloth on your face for 20 seconds to open your pores. Then, massage olive oil into your skin and let it sit for 30 seconds. Use a hot washcloth to wipe the oil away.

Also, keep in mind that stripping your skin of oils can cause more acne. People with oily or acne-prone skin tend to over cleanse and dry out their skin, which can cause the skin to overcompensate for the dryness by producing more oil.

Your acne may be the result of irritation from fragrance or other ingredients in your skin care products. Choose olive oil over scented skin oils.

If you want to use olive oil in the shower, check out our recipe for olive oil scrub.

Here is a final tip. Keep only small bottles of olive oil in your bathroom. Hot, steamy bathrooms and exposure to light can cause olive oil to spoil. Use the olive oil quickly to avoid rancidity. And consider a plastic bottle. A slippery olive oil bottle can fall and shatter on a tile floor.

Got more olive oil tips? Share them with us!

References:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/olive-oil-compound-kills-cancer-cells-less-hour-all-powerful-oleocanthal-322904 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17536679

https://www.rd.com/health/beauty/benefits-of-olive-oil/ 

https://www.drugs.com/npp/olive-oil.html#ref70

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583892/ 

https://academic.oup.com/carcin/article/21/11/2085/2908770 

https://www.thedermreview.com/olive-oil-for-skin/ 

http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/estaticos/view/90-olive-oil-and-cancer