OIive oil has found a permanent place on our kitchen shelves, owing to its innumerable health benefits. That it makes for an amazing dressing for your salad is no surprise, but did you know you can use olive oil for face too? Using olive oil on the face started way back with Cleopatra, (you know, one of history’s greatest beauties) who used olive oil in many of her beauty routines. But there's more than just anecdotal evidence from one historical beauty to back up this skincare secret—science has plenty of evidence to support olive oil's benefits for your face.
If you are unsure of homemade beauty treatments, believe us, olive oil is one exception you need to make. The benefits of using olive oil for your face are more than you can imagine. While a health freak may not be able to imagine a diet devoid of olive oil, beauty junkies like you should never have a beauty regimen that does not include this amazing oil.
Olive oil, also known as liquid gold, is a rich source of antioxidants that help protect the skin from free radicals such as dirt, pollution and UV rays. Apart from being super moisturising, olive oil is also a great way to help decrease acne by killing off the acne-causing bacteria.
Here’s a low down on all the different ways in which you can use olive oil for your face...
- As part of your lip scrub
- As a makeup remover
- As a moisturiser
- As an anti-ageing remedy
- As a natural highlighter
As part of your lip scrub
All of us want lips that are baby soft and supple. Dry, parched and cracking look really unappealing and put a dent on your confidence. The skin on our lips is extremely thin and delicate, making it prone to easy damage. Only using a lip balm on your lips does not really reverse this damage. Sounds awful, right?
This is why using a lip scrub is a very important step in your lip care routine that you dare not skip. But the process of scrubbing your lips can also damage the skin big time if you are not careful about the ingredients you use. But using an olive oil lip scrub makes lip scrubbing really safe and simple.
Making a DIY olive lip scrub is a cost-effective way to have baby soft lips at home. All you have to do is mix together olive oil, honey and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Apply this mixture to clean lips and rub it gently in upward circular motion for about 3-4 minutes. Wipe off with a soft lukewarm washcloth. Follow this up by applying a moisturising lip balm for super soft lips.
Read: How to Get Soft Pink Lips at Home Naturally
As a makeup remover
If you are looking to achieve healthy, soft and glowing skin, then it is a mandate to thoroughly clean your makeup each night before you hit the snooze button. It is important to let your skin breathe after a day full of makeup and sleeping with mascara hardens lashes and makes them prone to easy breakage. It also clogs pores, causes acne and quickens the signs of ageing.
However, it is important to remember that you don’t want to be too harsh on the skin while removing makeup. Constant pulling and tugging can damage the skin and over time lead to premature fine lines wrinkles. To avoid vigorous rubbing and skin pulling while taking off your makeup, you can use olive oil as a cleanser. Rub some olive oil between your palms and apply it all over your face. You can even use a cotton ball for this step and let your skin soak in the oil for about 3 minutes. Rinse off the oil with warm water and pat dry. If you think you see any more traces of makeup, you can follow this process once more for thorough cleansing
Olive oil is a great way to gently remove eye makeup too. All you need to do is dip two cotton pads in olive oil and place them on your eyes. Within a few minutes, you will notice how magically the oil helps dissolve waterproof mascara and eyeliner. You can then simply wipe it off. The best part about using olive oil for removing eye makeup is that it is safe.
As a moisturiser
If you are someone who has severely dry skin, then you will immensely benefit from the moisturising properties of olive oil. Olive oil works really well as a natural moisturiser owing to the large content of essential fatty acids. These fatty acids help maintain skin’s elasticity to help your skin feel soft, supple and glowing. Additionally, owing to its amazing moisturising properties, olive helps keep the skin stay hydrated and conditioned and prevents it from becoming dry and flaky in the winters.
Do you want your skin to look dewy all year long? Well, use olive oil as a moisturiser and that’s all the ammunition you need to fight dry skin. Simply start your makeup routine by applying olive as the base of your makeup all over your face. This will help fight dryness and flaky skin all day long.
As an anti-ageing remedy
While there is little you can do about the process of ageing, there a number of ways in which you can take care of your skin and preserve its youthful glow for as long as possible. Regularly applying olive oil to face is a preventive measure that protects your skin from ageing. Olive is filled to the brim with essential fatty acids that boost the collagen of the face and keep it plump and glowing.
Rinse your face with cold water and pat it dry. Apply your serum, toner and eye cream as usual. Now instead of your normal moisturiser, take a two to three drops of olive oil on your hand and apply it all over your face and neck. Massage it into your skin until is completely absorbed. This will help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and make your appear firmer and more youthful.
As a natural highlighter
If you think that highlighting and contouring are time consuming and will need some time to master, olive is here to prove you wrong. To perfectly highlight your face on those days when you do not have enough time to follow all the steps perfectly, olive oil comes to your rescue. The best part of using olive oil as a highlighter is that it is absolutely safe.
If you want a very natural glow, olive oil is your best bet. You can either mix a few drop of olive with your foundation and apply to your face for that lit-from-within-appearance. Or you can simply apply a few drops on your face for that subtle glow.
Written by Urvi Dalal on Apr 07, 2019
Writer, avid reader and hardcore beauty enthusiast is the best way to describe Urvi Dalal. With over 5 years of writing experience in the beauty industry, you can trust her to have the latest skin, hair and makeup tidbits on her fingertips. In her time working as a beauty writer, she has had the opportunity to interact and work closely with a string of dermatologists, makeup artists and hairstylists. All that knowledge exchange, coupled with her flair and love for writing make it possible for her to bring you some authentic yet fun beauty content. When Urvi isn’t working, you’d usually catch her curled up with a big, fat book, drinking a cup of tea or practising her makeup skills; there is no in-between!