3 Benefits of Using Extra Virgin Olive Oil on Skin
Cooking with extra virgin olive oil isn’t the only way to improve our health. As a matter of fact, it can also be beneficial for our skin, too. If you want to achieve the healthy glow summer complexion, forget those expensive jars of moisturizer and treatment, you can achieve the look right from your kitchen.
Olive oil has long been a secret ingredient in the ancient world. The ancient Greeks used olive oil to massage athletes and relax their muscles, which provides better blood flow and better skin elasticity. This method allowed them to “[feel] free from sickness and kept their youth a long time. Some of them competed in eight Olympic Games” (1).
Many people don’t realize that our skin is our largest organ. It protects, supports, and regulates, Additionally, it absorbs nutrients. One of the major substances that can easily be absorbed into our skin is oleic acid, which is largely found in extra virgin olive oil.
3 Reasons why Extra Virgin Olive Oil is good for our skin
1. Soothe — Extra virgin olive oil can provide moisturizing effects for our skin. Although it has a thick consistency, one of the largest components in EVOO, oleic acid, can easily penetrate into our skin, giving us a natural glow. Another beneficial compound found in olive oil is squalene, which also acts as a moisturizer as it retains our natural oil by preventing loss of skin moisture (2).
2. Heal — Since our skin encounters external stressors from the environment, inflammation of the skin will occur in response. However, applying extra virgin olive oil onto damaged areas of the skin will stimulate faster-wound healing time, repair daily skin damage, and soothe minor rashes like eczema and rosacea (3). The anti-inflammatory effects of olive oil allow our skin to regenerate to its original state.
3. Protect — As time goes on, you may notice wrinkles and sagging skin start to form on your face. As we age, skin its elasticity due to oxidative stress we encounter in our daily lives. But EVOO is known to have antioxidant properties that fight free radical damage caused by ultraviolet ray exposure. A study published in the Carcinogenesis journal showed olive oil can effectively reduce cancer-causing cells in mice when it is applied after UVB exposure (4).
How can you use olive oil to soothe, heal, and protect your skin?
Use Olivaio’s high-quality organic extra virgin olive oil
On dry patches of skin for a smooth and hydrated look and feel
Massage it on your feet, calves, back, or where ever you need to relax your muscles
On cuticles
Written by Nitchamon Chuajedton
Reviewed by Kelly Powers, MA, RDN, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who takes a holistic approach to nutrition and health. Kelly is a recipe developer with a food blog highlighting whole foods, simple recipes, and her life in San Francisco. She’s the creator of 52 Weeks, a weekly meal plan program that helps users get back in the kitchen and feed themselves well. Kelly is also a co-founder of Olivaio.
