Benefits of Olive Oil

Olive Oil has a host of beauty benefits for your skin. It's rich in antioxidants and skin-friendly lipids that can help address skin concerns like dryness or rough-feeling skin.

The Basics

Olive oil is a rich, edible oil derived from the Olea europaea (olive) tree. Researchers believe that cultivation likely began in the Mediterranean basin, where olives and their by products have shaped regional cuisines, traditions, and cultures for more than 6,000 years.

While olive oil is best known for its use in cooking, it also has a long history of use in cosmetics. In ancient Greece, olive oil was known as 'liquid gold' and was used to make body care products, including massage oils, protective salves, and soaps.

Benefits for the skin

There's a reason olive oil has remained a popular beauty ingredient for thousands of years—it works. Below, you'll learn ways in which olive oil benefits your skin.

Olive Oil Benefit #1

It's a Powerful Emollient Ingredient

There are three main types of moisturizers: Humectants, which draw moisture from the air into the skin; occlusive, which physically trap water within the skin; and emollients, which fill in the spaces between dead skin cells to give the skin a more uniform texture. Olive oil falls in the latter category, although some research indicates that it also has mild occlusive effects. Vegetable oils (like olive oil) are known to penetrate the top layers of skin. And when used topically, studies show that olive oil can help soften the skin and improve its texture.

Olive Oil Benefit #2

Olive Oil Can Help Maintain Skin Hydration

Though olive oil's exact composition varies depending on the olive quality and the refining method used, most olive oils are rich in essential fatty acids, including oleic acid, linoleic acid, and stearic acid. These fatty acids are key compounds in the skin's natural moisture barrier and are closely involved in maintaining skin hydration. Studies have shown that using olive oil topically may help hydrate the skin and improve the look and feel of dryness.

Olive Oil Benefit #3

Pure Olive Oil Is Rich In Antioxidants

Extra-virgin olive oil—that is, unrefined olive oil—is rich in antioxidant compounds, including vitamins, polyphenols, and flavonoids. When used topically, antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, also known as reactive oxygen species. These damaging compounds form after exposure to a stressor, like pollution, and accumulate over time. Ultimately, free radicals can damage the skin and result in visible concerns like fine lines and wrinkles. By neutralizing free radicals, olive oil may help to limit some of these early signs of aging.