October 14, 2021 5 min read

Olive oil has been used for centuries for its many benefits and nutritional value. It’s even called the healthiest fat on earth. 

Olive oil is one of the main reasons the Mediterranean diet has become widely known worldwide. Of course, aside from using it in cooking or salad dressing, you can also apply it to the skin.

Olive oil is extracted from olives, undergoing three stages, namely crushing, malaxation and pressing. Then, it is commercially packed, distributed, and sold for various purposes, including skincare.

How Olive Oil Repairs Your Skin

Aside from being a healthy alternative to other types of cooking oil, olive oil is also known as an effective and natural skin remedy. 

In this case, the vitamins present in olive oil have generative properties that repair damaged skin tissues. Moreover, it helps restore damaged skin cells due to too much sun exposure, pollution, stress, and other environmental factors. 

In this case, it’s generally applied to the dry and cracked areas of skin such as elbows, knees, and even drying wounds to repair damaged tissues and hydrate the skin. The vitamins A and E in this olive oil strengthen the epidermis, making it firmer, and they also help stimulate collagen production. 

In addition, the concentration of oleic acid, a monosaturated fat found in olive oil, also stimulates cell regeneration, making the skin elastic and revealing a natural glow. Aside from this, it contains antioxidant properties that help fight free radicals.

In addition, olive oil’s healing properties heal problematic skin caused by certain bacteria. It is particularly exceptional at fighting other skin problems such as psoriasis and skin inflammation.

However, to get the optimum skin benefits and repair from olive oil, it’s best to use both as an external and internal remedy. In this case, you can consume olive oil internally by eating a Mediterranean-rich diet. 

Overall, using olive oil externally will significantly increase its efficacy on your skin since it’s rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K. It also helps your kidney get rid of toxins. In this case, the effect of having healthy kidneys is glowing skin.

Benefits of Using Olive Oil

Of course, aside from repairing damaged skin, olive oil has numerous other benefits as well. In this case, the following are the benefits of using olive oil for your skin:

  • Olive oil contains 73% oleic acid, which is a monosaturated fat that reduces inflammation. It’s for this reason that olive oil becomes the healthier choice for cooking. Moreover, some studies found that the anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil are responsible for decreasing the risk of strokes and heart disease.
  • Olive oil is highly nutritious. It also contains a large amount of vitamin E and K and is rich in antioxidants.
  • A Mediterranean diet that’s rich in olive oil has been proven effective at preventing weight gain. Likewise, an olive oil-rich Mediterranean diet may help combat Alzheimer’s disease and improve cognitive brain function.
  • Most skincare products use olive oil as an added ingredient to help repair damaged skin and restore its condition. These skincare products include facial cleansers, moisturizers, lotions, soaps, and scrubs.

Qualities of Olive Oil

To better understand how olive oil helps repair your skin, check out its most common qualities and uses in skincare below.

  • Moisturizing and Hydrating

Because extra virgin olive oil is an emollient with occlusive properties, it can be used as the last step in your moisturizing regimen to seal moisture into the skin. 

In this case, the olive oil hydrates the skin to trap water and reduce water loss, thus maintaining the skin moisturized. However, using olive oil for this purpose is generally not recommended for oily skin. 

  • Exfoliating

In some cases, people mix olive oil with exfoliating grains to make a scrub. For example, some people mix olive oil with sugar as it makes an excellent gentle natural scrub. You can rub it on your face and body to remove dead skin cells.

  • Anti-Aging

The antioxidants in olive oil can help fight skin aging caused by sun damage. In this case, the high level of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil helps prevent free radicals from inhabiting the cell, the leading cause of aging skin. 

  • Treats Wrinkles

Since olive oil slows down the skin’s aging process, it can also help prevent wrinkles and fine lines, especially around the eyes. In this case, you can dab olive oil in the areas where you find wrinkles, such as around the eyes, crow feet, and lines in the forehead.

  • Disinfectant

Since olive oil has antibacterial properties, people also use it to treat bacterial infections of the skin. Aside from preventing diseases, this can also help prevent breakouts and other skin issues.

  • Removes Scars

You can also apply pure olive oil to the areas of your skin that have hyperpigmentation or scars, or you can mix olive oil with lemon juice for a higher level of effectiveness. In this case, the triterpenes present in most plant-based products, especially olive oil, help speed up wound healing. 

  • Removes Makeup

Because olive oil also contains natural elements that lift waxy substances in the skin, you can use it to remove makeup. However, while olive oil can remove oil-soluble residues, a surfactant is still needed to remove makeup thoroughly.

  • Hair Treatment

The omega-3 fatty acids present in olive oil can penetrate the hair shaft, providing more moisture. As a result, it restores damage to its natural condition and prevents breakage.

Some Words of Caution

Although olive oil has countless benefits in many instances, some studies have also shown that olive oil can cause skin irritation to sensitive skin and oily skin. Moreover, it is advised against acne-prone skin because of its high concentration of fatty acids. 

So, if you have sensitive skin, it’s best to test the olive oil first on a small part of your skin. Overall, it’s essential to buy the right kind of olive oil. In this case, you need to use olive oil from a 100% quality brand as there has been an increasing number of fake or low-quality olive oil on the market.

With that said, an excellent quality extra virgin olive oil will contain a high concentration of antioxidants and bioactive compounds compared with the refined variety of olive oil. Lastly, to ensure that you only get quality olive oil brands, you can look for the International Olive Council certification on your olive oil label. 

Conclusion

The history of using olive oil dates back to the time of Cleopatra. Since then, this wonder plant called the olive tree has gained wide popularity because of its various benefits to your overall health. 

After all, you can use it for multiple purposes, including repairing your damaged skin. However, if you use olive oil to improve damaged skin, getting 100% pure olive oil is crucial for the best results.

Firat Aslan
Firat Aslan


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