Olive oil is great for cooking and is extremely healthy. However, it can also solve your skin care problems and has a wonderful effect on your skin. You can use olive oil for glowing skin and an improvement in skin texture.
Discovered by the Egyptians, this nutritious oil is one of the best oils to add to your diet if you prefer a healthier option compared to other varieties available. Therefore, both skincare and fitness enthusiasts are making room for olive oil in their pantries.
Wouldn’t you like to know how olive oil helps your skin? Did you know that even Cleopatra used this oil? If you have any doubts about the benefits of olive oil for skin, this article can help you learn more about them. Read on to learn more about the various benefits of olive oil and its topical use.
Benefits of Olive Oil
Olive oil is considered to be the oil that has the closest chemical structure to our skin’s natural oils. It not only ensures glowing and healthy skin but also helps fight other skin problems like blackheads and whiteheads. The best skin benefits of olive oil are as follows:
1. Rich in antioxidants
Olive oil is high in antioxidants like oleic acid and squalene, which help protect skin from the damaging effects of free radicals, which tend to accelerate the aging process (1).
2. Moisturizer
Olive oil can be used as a natural moisturizer as it contains essential fatty acids. It maintains the elasticity of the skin and keeps it smooth, supple and glowing (2).
Being a good moisturizer, it helps to keep the skin hydrated and prevents it from drying out in winter while making it supple and shiny at the same time.
3. Remedies for blackheads and whiteheads
Olive oil is a natural remedy for blackheads and whiteheads. It cleans the pores by absorbing the accumulated impurities, thus treating whiteheads and blackheads (3, 4).
4. Healing and Rejuvenation
Massaging olive oil in regularly can help scars and pimples disappear, leaving your skin blemish-free (3, 4).
5. Repairs skin cells
Olive oil is said to naturally repair our skin cells unlike any other expensive beauty product. It contains vitamin E, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which increase skin cell turnover, leaving your skin healthy and glowing from the inside (3, 4).
6. Antimicrobial in nature
It can help treat skin infections as it has antimicrobial effects against a wide range of bacteria, fungi, and viruses (3, 4).
7. Reduces Inflammation
The anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil can be used to treat both external and internal inflammation in the body (5).
The benefits of olive oil for our skin are simply amazing. Now, doesn’t it make sense to apply olive oil on the face to achieve a glowing complexion? However, be sure to choose “extra virgin” olive oil for your beauty treatment. Extra virgin olive oil is recommended for use as it is not a refined form of the oil; Therefore, all nutritional values are preserved in it.
There are different ways to use olive oil for glowing skin. The best ways to use it to get the most benefit are as follows.
1. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
you will need
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
washcloth
Hot water
What you have to do
Use your fingertips to massage the oil onto your face area in a circular motion. Try rubbing vigorously across your nose, cheeks, and forehead.
Now soak the washcloth in hot water. Press and hold the washcloth against your face until it reaches room temperature.
Remove the cloth and rinse again with hot water. This time, try not to squeeze the cloth but rub it gently all over your face, removing the top layer of olive oil.
Pat your face dry with a paper towel.
How often should you do this?
Repeat this every morning and evening. Within a week you can see results.
Why this works
The benefits of using olive oil have been mentioned in detail above. If you have dry skin, all uneven and dry patches will be healed and your skin will be radiant and rejuvenated. For oily skin, excess oil production in your skin is brought under control and your pores become clean and unclogged.
Caution
The sharpness of the water should be in the tolerable range.
2. Olive oil and lemon juice
you will need
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
What you have to do
Mix the lemon juice well with the olive oil.
Apply this to the entire face and massage in for a minute or two.
Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.
Do a final rinse with cold water.
How often should you do this?
Do this 2-3 times a week.
Why this works
Lemon juice unclogs pores and brightens complexion. It also acts as an astringent and antiseptic (6).
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3. Olive oil and honey
you will need
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon of honey
1 egg yolk
What you have to do
Put olive oil, honey and egg yolks in a bowl. Mix them up properly.
Apply this paste on your face and leave it on for 15 minutes.
Now wash it off with warm water.
How often should you do this?
Repeat twice a week to see visible results.
Why this works
This face mask helps maintain skin’s elasticity, smoothness, hydration and natural glow. A natural humectant with moisturizing and protective properties, honey also contains antioxidants that help rejuvenate dull skin (7). Egg yolk contains nutrients that regenerate, tighten and give skin a beautiful glow (8).
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4. Olive oil and turmeric for the skin
you will need
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
What you have to do
Mix all ingredients and apply to face.
Allow the face mask to dry for 10-15 minutes.
Rinse with water. You can use a gentle facial cleanser to remove the turmeric stain from the skin.
How often should you do this?
Apply this twice a week.
Why this works
Turmeric powder is commonly used in herbal face packs not only to treat skin problems but also to give the skin a natural glow. Curcumin is an important component of turmeric that is responsible for its beneficial effects on the skin (9). The soothing yogurt in this face mask nourishes and brightens skin with its lactic acid content (10).
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5. Olive oil and castor oil
you will need
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon castor oil or coconut oil
A few drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil (optional)
washcloth
Warm water
What you have to do
Mix all the oils together and massage into the facial skin. Use gentle circular motions.
Continue massaging for 2-3 minutes.
Leave the oil mixture on for another 10 minutes, then wipe away with a washcloth dipped in warm water.
How often should you do this?
Do this 3-4 times a week.
Why this works
By massaging the skin with an oil blend, the skin’s natural oil production is restored to normal levels. Skin cells are regularly nourished and renewed, leaving your skin soft, supple and radiant. This olive oil supplement also has the added benefit of anti-aging benefits (11).
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6. Olive oil and vinegar for the skin
you will need
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
A bottle (for storage)
What you have to do
Pour all ingredients into the bottle and shake well.
Apply a few drops of this preparation to your face. Apply in circular motions.
Leave this on overnight.
How often should you do this?
Repeat this every night before bed.
Why this works
While the olive oil nourishes the skin, the vinegar tones the skin and evens out skin tone with its mild acidity (12).
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Infographic: 3 easy ways to use olive oil for glowing skin
Olive oil is one of the healthiest oils to add to your diet as it has many health benefits. But did you know that the oil is also very effective for the skin as it is rich in vitamins and antioxidants and is a natural moisturizer that helps with uneven skin moisture levels and skin aging? As discussed in the article, there are various recipes for applying olive oil to the skin. However, in the infographic below, we have listed the easiest ways to use olive oil on your skin. Just look!
