10 ways to use olive oil

Organic, cold-pressed olive oil for skin and hair

 

When you buy olive oil, whether you want to use it on your skin or in your diet, make sure you purchase the extra virgin formulation, preferably organic. Extra virgin olive oil has the highest nutritional value because it has undergone the least amount of processing.

 Deep-Cleanse

Massage your face in circular motions with your fingertips with a good amount of olive oil to get the lymphatic system flowing. Place a warm, wet cloth over your face. When the cloth is cooled, use it to wipe everything off. Olive oil is a wonderful cleanser for the skin, as it works great in removing makeup, opening clogged pores with its natural cleaning properties. The warmth from the cloth helps your pores to open even more, allowing the oil to work even deeper, leaving you feeling clean, soft and nourished.  

Face Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is a natural moisturizer which also helps clear bacteria and inflammation. The oil penetrates deep into the skin, providing needed moisture as well as a shield to protect your skin and keeping it smooth. Olive oil's antioxidants, vitamin A and E, can help repair skin damage from sun exposure and pollutants.

Olive oil can also help control oil production when dealing with oily skin and acne. This may sound a bit counter-productive; oil for oily skin. However, the oil will help balance the over production of oil in your skin. Olive oil also has strong antibacterial properties which combat acne, a common problem in oily skin types, and help clear out your skin. Olive oil won’t clog your pores, instead, it will help dissolve bacteria, excess sebum, and dead skin as it purify your skin.

Body Oil

I use olive oil on my skin all the time. An ancient times, this moisturizing and antioxidant-rich oil was a common skin care ingredient used by the Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans. Olive oil contains  healthy fatty acid that helps it moisturize as well as containing several different antioxidants, all of which help protect from environmental stressors. Use on damped skin, before patting dry. Olive oil is great to calm irritated and sensitive skin and wonderful for using after shaving. Read more in one of my previous posts about body oil here. 

Bath

Add some olive oil to a warm bath for an allover relief and soothing skin. Add a few drops of essential oils like lavender as well for an even more relaxed feeling.  

Face Mask

Olive oil is perfect to use as a base in your homemade facemasks. I love the combination of olive oil, avocado and aloe vera gel, but I also use olive oil in clay masks as the clay won't dry as fast, allowing the clay to work longer on your skin as you should never let a clay mask dry fully. 

Hair Mask

A natural, chemical free harimask that hydrates, softens and strengthens your hair. Extra virgin olive oil is a good remedy for your hair, as it contains several essential nutrients that provide deep treatment to your hair and scalp. The vitamin E in olive oil helps improve your hair’s elasticity to give you soft hair, while also preventing hair loss from breakage. Since the oil works to restore your scalp’s health and deeply nourish the hair it also strengthens your hair’s roots.

Due to its moisturizing properties, olive oil also helps alleviate symptoms of dry or itchy scalp. Add a rich amount of oil to your hair and leave it in for 20 minutes or more. I sometimes leave it in overnight. 

Exfoliate

Easy, cheap and natural. Make a body scrub by using ingredients your probably already have, like sugar or sea salt, extra virgin olive oil and an essential oil or two of your choice. Sugar or salt helps to exfoliate and smooth out bumpy surfaces, while the olive hydrates and moisturize skin, and the essential oil adds an invigorating dose of natural aromatherapy. Peppermint og rosemary for its mood boosting and energizing properties, or lavender if you want to reduce stress.

Store your scrub in an airtight container and use it on your face, feet, hands, or any rough patches of skin that need an exfoliating or hydrating boost. It also makes a fantastic homemade gift for someone you love. 

Baby Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is pure without any added chemicals, parabens or other harmful ingredients. Skip the conventional baby oils and use clean and natural olive oil on your little one. Use to moisturize or in the bathwater for healthy skin.

Shaving

Whether shaving facial hair or your legs, putting a light layer of olive oil on damp skin first is a great, natural option to shaving cream.

Makeup Remover

Trying to eliminate unnecessary chemicals from your life and find more natural alternatives? The oil-cleansing method makes for a great replacement. Using oil to wash your face means that it will naturally dissolve the dirty oils on your skin without stripping it or using harsh chemicals. I find this method simpler, more affordable, better for my skin and more eco-friendly. If you wear mascara and eye makeup, rub a small amount onto your lids gently to remove any makeup, just as you would use a makeup remover. Dip a couple of cotton balls in olive oil and rub them over your face to remove makeup or just rub a small amount of oil onto dry skin, adding more as needed, and massage onto skin for about a minute before washing everything off using a sponge or a cloth.