Extra virgin olive oil is a beloved ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, but did you know it can also be applied for health and beauty purposes? Good olive oil is rich in antioxidants and fats, making it ideal for developing softer skin and improving hair care. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans used it to stay fresh!
Here are 7 ways that you can incorporate olive oil into your beauty routine. Get olive oil beauty products delivered right to your door and have a spa day at home with Supermarket Italy.
1. Olive Soap
Olives are full of oleic acids and fatty protein. When consumed these ingredients are excellent for heart health, but there are topical benefits too, including softer skin. Olive soap is gentle and anti-inflammatory, which makes it ideal for sensitive skin. Olive soaps from brands like Papoutsanis are made in Greece with simple ingredients and time-honored traditions, so you feel like you’re in on an Old World secret when you use them.
2. Shampoos and Conditioners
The nutrients in olives can provide the same healing power for hair care as they do for the rest of your skin. Scrub an olive-based shampoo into your scalp and notice the difference. Olive oil fats are great for reducing dryness, which in turn can mean less dandruff and breakage. Lather the tips of your hair with an olive conditioner for a silky smooth result.
3. Olive Oil Moisturizer
After you’ve showered with olive soap, shampoo, and conditioner, add even more olive goodness to your skin with a moisturizer. The fatty proteins in olive oil get absorbed into the skin, leaving it feeling more supple. Try Olivia Hand & Body Lotion, which incorporates olive fruit with soothing ingredients of aloe vera and shea butter to enhance softness.
4. Facials
One of the best ways to use olive oil as a beauty product is to make a DIY facial and have a spa day at home. Some popular combinations include:
- Olive oil, avocado, and honey: Like olive oil, avocado has healthy fats as well as chlorophyll to reduce inflammation, and Vitamin E to prevent wrinkles. Honey can be used as an exfoliant, removing dead skin cells.
- Olive oil, honey, and egg yolk: Honey has antioxidants and antibacterial particles, while egg yolk and olive oil are composed of rich fats that will keep skin feeling supple.
- Olive oil, milk, and turmeric spice: Milk has lactic acids which can help reduce discoloration in skin, while olive oil and turmeric both contain antioxidant properties that keep your face from puffing up
5. Lash and Brow Growth
Here’s a beauty hack that may not have occurred to you when looking at the bottle of Frantoi Cutrera in the kitchen. As previously mentioned, extra virgin olive oil is excellent for scalp and hair care. Did you know it can be used to stimulate lash and brow growth?
Add just a few drops of extra virgin olive oil to a brow bristle and gently spread over your lashes, being careful not to get any in your eyes. You can also add to your eyebrows to help create that extra full brow look.
6. Cuticle Care
The olive oil proteins that benefit hair can also benefit nail health, right down to the cuticle. Dip a cotton Q-Tip into a shallow dish of extra virgin olive oil and gently apply to the beds of your cuticles. The fatty proteins absorbed are great for making nails thicker and shinier. Between a DIY facial and nail care, you can have a spa day at home with basic ingredients in your pantry.
Makeup Remover
Just as olive oil is added to products to keep skin feeling soft and healthy, it is also perfect on its own as a DIY makeup remover. Dab a bit of extra virgin olive oil on a cotton swab and wipe across layers of eyeshadow and mascara. The oils absorb makeup particles, giving your face a clean slate in no time. If you’re concerned about direct application, explore Olivia’s line of micellar water beauty products, which include essence of olive as well as other gentle makeup removers.
