Olive Oil for Skin: Benefits and Ways to Use

Olive oil for skin is beneficial, as it's packed with antioxidants, fats, and vitamins. It helps improve skin and hair health with regular use. Olive oil is extremely hydrating and fights free radical damage. It's among the high performing plant oils due to the presence of emollient.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of using olive oil for skin along with the ways in which you can use the oil.

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Benefits of Olive Oil for Skin

Olive oil is also good for hair (Image via Pexels/Mareefe)

Here are some of the best benefits of olive oil for the skin, which will help you to use the product in your skin care routine:

#1 Moisturizes Skin

The presence of vitamin E and squalene in olive oil promotes moisture retention in skin along with increasing its ability to absorb water. It also helps in hydrating skin. People with acne prone skin can use a skin care routine with olive oil as a base to help in fighting bacteria causing acne.

#2 Has Antioxidant Properties

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants (Image via Pexels/Karolina Grabowska)

The presence of antioxidants in olive oil help in reversing and preventing damage caused by cancer-causing ultraviolet radiation. The high concentration of squalene in olive oil also gives an extra antioxidant boost.

#3 Rich in Vitamins

Olive oil helps in promoting skin health, as it's rich in vitamins such as K, E, D and A. It allows you to get glowing skin by hydrating and moisturizing it. Olive oil can also help in cleansing the skin by dissolving oily residue and is also effective for removing waterproof makeup products.

#4 Promotes Wound Healing

Using olive oil for skin can help in aiding in wound healing due to the oil's antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The oil is also known to prevent pressure ulcers and heal diabetic foot ulcers.

#5 Reduces Signs of Aging

The compounds in olive oil can help in combating oxidative stress, which is often associated with skin aging. It can also help boost collagen production.

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How to Use Olive Oil for Skin?

Olive oil is generally made by pressing olives to extract their oil. It comes in many different forms and has many uses. Several cosmetic products use olive oil as their base, such as lotions, body washes, and soaps. The oil is often used as an ingredient for face-wash products.

You can also directly use olive oil on skin as a moisturizer and blot the excess product with a tissue or towel. Olive oil in moisturizer form is especially beneficial after you have been exposed to sun for a prolonged period or if you have suffered from sunburn.

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Potential Risks of Using Olive Oil for Skin

Oil helps in skin hydration (Image via Pexels/Mareefe)

Olive oil for skin provides numerous benefits, but it might not be the best choice for people with oily skin or ones suffering from skin conditions like dermatitis. It has also been shown to exacerbate certain skin conditions in adults. It's recommended that olive oil should be avoided in infants.

People with sensitive skin are recommended to perform an allergy test before using olive oil on their face. Rub a small amount of product on your forearms, and wait for about 48 hours. If you don’t see any reaction, it's likely safe to use olive oil on your skin.

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Olive oil for skin provides a multitude of benefits and can be an important ingredient in your skin care routine.

You should also remember that olive oil tends to be heavy and does not get easily absorbed in the skin. So, you should wipe off the excess product with a tissue or towel to prevent trapping bacteria and clogging of pores. Also, select high-quality products that don't have any additives or chemicals.