Being the oldest pressed oil known to man, the beauty benefits of olive oil are immense and simply can’t be ignored!
While everyone rages on and on about the invincible coconut oil, an old pal suddenly becomes second-favorite or is even completely pushed off the kitchen cabinet. I hate to say this – but I was one of them. I completely stopped using olive oil for cooking and switched to coconut oil!
But just the other day, I’d run out of my all-timer, coconut oil, and found myself opening a dusty-looking olive oil bottle to wipe off my eye makeup. When my eye makeup came off clean in less than 5 seconds, I realized I have been ignoring my once upon a time bestie! :,(
Olive oil has been produced and used since time memorial. Archaeological findings of ancient mortars and presses used in the olive oil extraction are as old as 5000 BC or more. Ancient Minoans used olive oil for cleansing their skin. It was also used as a base for their perfumes, scents and ointments. The modern olive tree is said to have originated from different locations in Anatolia (modern day Turkey), Palestine, Syria and Lebanon. Let’s see the top 20 beauty benefits of olive oil now!
1.Skin Cleanser
People from Ancient Minoa used olive oil as a natural cleanser to purify their skin. You might already know that you can use oil to cleanse your skin using the ‘oil cleansing method’. It works on the principle of like attracts like. Olive oil is a good oil which pushes out all the bad oil from deep within skin pores. It also dissolves dead cells and drives out dirt, grime, germs and pollution stuck deep within skin pores. These contaminants clog pores and cause acne, whiteheads and black heads, if they aren’t removed.
2. Great Moisturizer
The Romans are said to have slathered olive oil all over their bodies after a bath to moisturize their skin. Olive oil contains healthy fatty acids that lubricates and softens rough skin. It plumps up dry skin cells with moisture, keeping skin soft supple and smooth. Use 2 drops of extra virgin olive oil to moisturize your face every day.
3. For Thick and Long Hair
Olive oil’s nutritive benefits include nourishing the scalp with vital nutrients including antioxidants that stimulate hair growth. Give yourself a scalp-nourishing hot oil massage by warming up 1 tablespoon of extra virgin oil. Do not boil it. Wait for the olive oil to cool a bit before massaging it onto your scalp. It opens up the pores and penetrate deeper into hair follicles, feeding them with potent nutrients. See: Banana Olive Oil Hair Mask
4. Conditions Hair
Olive oil is thick and helps seal hair cells with moisture, combating dry hair which is hard to untangle. Use a half a tsp of olive oil to condition your hair strands before rinsing off with tepid water. To deep condition your tresses, make yourself an olive oil egg hair mask using 1 organic egg and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Massage this hair mask onto your wet scalp and strands. Leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
5. Remedy for Dry Skin
Olive oil is amazingly lubricating since it contains 100 per cent essential fatty acids. It is perfect for hydrating and moisturizing dry skin cells. Use a 2 drops of extra virgin olive oil on your dry flaky skin to soften the flakes and moisturize.
6. Soothes Sunburn
The phenophel compounds in olive oil offer protection and repair action against skin damage through sun exposure. Antioxidants such as tocopherol exist naturally in olive oil and help repair sun damaged skin. Wash your face with cold water and while it is still wet, apply 2 drops of olive oil. Olive oil also prevents skin peeling.
7. Nourishing Eye Cream
The skin around your eyes is the thinnest, softest and most sensitive skin on your whole face. And as such, we must take good care of this sensitive skin by hydrating and nourishing it. Olive oil contains healthy fats which lubricates skin promoting the triple S: soft, smooth and supple skin. Use olive oil as a natural eye cream. Lightly pat a drop of olive oil under and around each eye to lock moisture and prevent wrinkles.
8. Slow Wrinkles
Rich in anti-oxidants, olive oil protects your skin cells from oxygen-stealing free radical radicals. Free radicals are responsible for degenerating healthy skin cells by stripping them off of oxygen molecules. This causes skin cells to become dull and lifeless which ends up resulting in wrinkles and fine lines. Free radicals also damage collagen and elastin which maintain the elasticity of skin. Use olive oil on your face daily to delay wrinkles and age spots.
9. Get Rid of Stretch Marks
Stretch marks affect more women than men especially because of pregnancy. But most experts believe that areas that get stretch marks are vitamin-deficient areas. Olive oil is rich in vitamin E, that is also known as the ‘skin protector’. Rub a little olive oil on your stretch marks and leave it on for at least one hour. Do this regularly to see results.
10. Effective Makeup Remover
Why would you go buy a chemical makeup remover when you’ve got olive oil! I have always used olive oil or any other organic oil to rub off my makeup clean and neat. Olive oil works wonders in removing makeup. Apply 3 to 5 drops of olive oil onto a clean cotton ball. Use it to effectively wipe off makeup especially eye makeup. Added bonus: The olive oil will hydrate your lashes and under eye skin as well!
11. For Long Lashes
When it comes to naturally thickening and lengthening your lashes, you might consider castor oil as your first remedy but olive oil works wonders as well! Using a q-tip, apply a little olive oil onto your lashes for growth and thickness.
12. Natural Sunscreen
Anti-oxidants are our bodies rescuers when it comes to fending off free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that freely float about in the air. They become unstable through sun exposure and other environmental hazards. When they come into contact with skin, they steal oxygen from healthy skin cells, damaging them. Olive oil has an SPF of 2-8 which makes it a natural sunscreen that steer off harmful UV rays and free radicals. Use olive oil in your cooking regularly to obtain the natural suncreen properties of olive oil. Topical application of olive oil also works well as a sunblock.
13. Plump up your Lips
Cracked and dry lips are in most cases a sign of insufficient moisture. They are also really unattractive to look at. Solve your dry lip problem using olive oil. It hydrates, moisturizes and softens your lips. Lightly dab olive oil onto your dry lips regularly. When your lips have softened, use a clean toothbrush to lightly brush off any dead cells.
14. Tames Frizzy Hair
You probably already know that most frizzy hair products contain a whole lot of chemicals that will dry out your hair even more. Some products even claim to have coconut/olive oil in them for extra frizz control. They contain but a tiny drop! Why would you want to allow toxins to absorb into your hair and scalp when you have Nature’s olive oil? Extra virgin Olive oil has a thick consistency and is perfect for taming wild frizzy hair. It seals moisture into dry hair strands and soften them. Slather 1 teaspoon of olive oil onto your scalp and strands. Wait for 20 minutes. Rinse off thoroughly. Behold your shiny and tamed locks!
15. For Shiny Cuticles
One of the amazing beauty benefits of olive oil is that it strengthens your nails, preventing beau lines, ridges, brittleness and breakage. For healthy and vibrant nails, soak your fingers in olive oil for 2 minutes before a manicure. Rinse off with warm water and pat dry. Enjoy your shiny and hydrated nails and cuticles.
16. Soften Cracked Feet
Olive oil is an emollient which will provide a soothing effect to rough feet. It softens dry cracked feet by hydrating them. Massage 1/2 a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil onto your cracked heels. Put on some socks and go to bed. Repeat this every night to for baby soft heels.
17. Eliminate Lice
Using olive oil to eliminate lice is a folk remedy that really works. Douse your scalp in olive oil and cover it with a shower cap. Leave it on the whole night and rinse off thoroughly the next day. Use a lice comb to clear off any dead nits and lice. Olive oil works by suffocating the nits and lice.
18. Clear Up Acne
Extra virgin olive oil is said to be effective in fighting acne because it contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory skin properties. Acne and acne scars actually heal faster when skin is moist compared to when it’s dry. Olive oil is perfect as it has ultra-hydrating properties. It won’t clog up your pores especially if you rinse it out well enough. Massage 2 drops of olive oil onto your skin. Place a warm and damp washcloth on your face to open up pores and let the oil sink in. Rinse off your face with warm water and pat dry. If there is any oil left, it will slowly penetrate into your skin.
19. Treats Dandruff
Just as with dry skin, olive oil moisturize the scalp, thereby eliminating dandruff. Massage just a teaspoon of live oil on your scalp to preserve moisture and prevent dandruff and a dry scalp. For severe dandruff, soak your entire scalp with olive oil at night and rinse thoroughly the next morning.
20. Natural Shaving Cream
Most shaving creams and foams contain ingredients like alcohol and witch hazel that can irritate sensitive skin. Olive oil is 100% safe and natural for all skin types. It prevents razor bumps, burns and cuts as it is thick and has emollient properties. After shaving, the olive oil that remains on your skin will act as an after shave!
Take Care
Please don’t use olive oil on your body if you are allergic to it.
Where to Buy Olive Oil
Buy 100% pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for cooking and beauty purposes. A lot of olive oil produced in the market is actually not 100% pure unadulterated olive oil! So make sure to buy trusted brands that produce true olive oil. For an inexpensive yet pure extra virgin olive oil, buy Sky Organics Olive Oil. It’s 100% Pure, Greek, Cold Pressed, Unfiltered, Non-GMO EVOO. It comes in a 17 oz bottle. You can use it for cooking, baking, hair & skin moisturizing!
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