Olive Oil: From Culinary Staple to Cosmetic Must-Have
Why You Should Be Using Products with Olive Oil
It’s probably safe to say that there are very few people who know what olive oil is. It’s a staple in several different types of cuisine and countless recipes. While it boasts many uses and benefits when used in food, there are even more things to love about olive oil when you use them in cosmetics.
That’s right. The very ingredient you can find in your kitchen cabinet can do wonders for your skin and hair. It’s no wonder that it’s been used for thousands of years.
Discovery/History
Olive oil in skincare is nothing new, and neither is the cultivation of the fruit that this cherished ingredient comes from. Evidence suggests that humans began collecting wild olives around 10,000 years ago in the Mediterranean. At some point, they started cultivating olive trees it’s believed that around 5,000 years ago the first olive tree plantations were created in Greece.
By this point, olive oil was already a hot commodity in several different ways and could be found in use all across the Mediterranean. In addition to being a healthy food, it became essential for hair and skin care. It gave people radiant skin, healthy nails, and shiny hair. The ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Phoenicians, and Romans all used olive oil in this way.
Olive oil was also believed to have natural healing powers. Hippocrates was the first known medical practitioner to use oil olive-based salves and ointments to treat wounds. Once the Middles Ages rolled around, it was discovered olive oil could also help with sore throats, cuts, and bruises.
By the 16th century, Europeans brought olive trees to the lands they conquered, which is why olives are now cultivated in California, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Argentina. Little did they know, this great expansion would lead to olive oil being a skincare star.
How It’s Made
Despite there being several types of olive oil, the general process to produce olive oil is the same. Once olives are collected, they are cleaned. The stems, leaves, and twigs are removed and the olives are washed to remoted dirt and pesticides.
Once the olives are all clean, they are ground into a paste, The reason olives are crushed is to tear the flesh and facilitate the release of the oil. This step can be done using stone mills, hammermills, and even metal tooth grinders.
Once the paste is made, you have to mix it for around 20 to 45 minutes to allow the smaller oil droplets to combine with the bigger ones. The paste can be heated up or have water added to it during the mixing to increase the amount made. However, this does lower the quality of the olive oil. Longer mixing times create more oil but reduce shelf life.
Finally, the oil is separated from the fruit. This can be done via cold press or centrifugation. Some centrifugation is a three-step process that separates oil, water, and fruit solids separately. There is also two-phase centrifugation that separates the oil from the paste made from mixing. Once this is done, the oil can be filtered or left alone.
What Does it Do for You?
While it may seem like a strenuous process for a little bit of oil, we assure you it’s worth it. That’s why it’s been used for thousands of years after all.
Olive oil’s main chemical elements are oleic acid, squalene, and palmitic acid. Since all of these are emollients, which means they have softening qualities, they’re very popular in hair care products. Olive oil can soften hair while strengthening it because of its ability to penetrate the hair shaft and preserve moisture. It can also add some shine to the hair by smoothing the outer cuticle.
While it has undeniable benefits for hair, olive oil may not be right for your hair type and texture. People with dry, thick, and/or heavily processed hair could greatly benefit from the moisturizing properties of olive oil. For those with processed hair, make sure to wait at least 72 hours after your initial treatment before applying. For our not-so-natural blondes, we recommend staying away from olive oil. It may leave hair with a brassy or even green tone to it.
Olive oil is also known for helping two pretty yucky hair problems: lice and dandruff. When using olive oil for head lice, it is important to remember that it isn’t any more effective than other treatments as far as we know. The main thing to focus on is proper combing and making sure you get all the lice out.
When it comes to dandruff, you should know that there is technically no cure. With that being said, olive oil can help reduce your flakes. We recommend massaging it into your dry scalp then coming out the dandruff flakes. You could even leave it in your hair for some extra moisturizing power.
Now onto the benefits for the skin. First and foremost, olive oil acts as an antioxidant. This means you’re being protected from free radicals, which are chemicals that can damage cells and even contribute to cancer development. As well, antioxidants can help fight wrinkles and premature aging. There’s even research that suggests applying olive oil to the skin after sun exposure may fight off cancer-causing cells.
Olive oil contains vitamins A and E which are known for being beneficial for the skin. Vitamin A is known for preventing sun damage by stopping the process that breaks down collagen. Vitamin E oil has a history of being used to remedy skin conditions, like psoriasis and eczema. Studies also show that olive oil has antibacterial properties and can be used to treat skin infections.
Just like for hair, olive oil is a great moisturizer for skin due to its ability to prevent water loss. By extension, using olive oil to increase the water content of the skin improves the skin’s overall health and appearance.
All the Ways it Can Be Used In
Now that we know the benefits, let’s get down to the ways olive oil can be used in cosmetics. If you are looking to go straight for a bottle of olive oil and DIY your way to great skin and hair, remember this: quality is everything. Different types of olive oils have different levels of quality, and not all are meant for the skin and hair.
We recommend organic, extra-virgin olive oil that’s unrefined, and not treated with chemicals or heat. It’s the highest quality olive oil available, and sure to give you the best results.
For both DIY treatments and cosmetics you can buy at the store, olive oil can be used in/as a:
Pre-shampoo treatment
Hair mask
Wrinkle treatment
After-sun treatment
Moisturizer
Scar oil
Makeup remover
Exfoliator
Face mask
Face wash
Soap
Lotion
Things to Be Wary of
While we definitely love olive oil, there are some things you should keep in mind before using it. If you’ve got acne-prone skin and you’re using olive oil as a hair treatment, keep it off your skin. If you aren’t careful, you could unintentionally be clogging pores and making breakouts worse.
Also, NEVER use olive oil before using hot tools on your hair. Olive oil’s burn temperature starts as low as 320°F. Since most hot tools go well above that, you would essentially be cooking your hair if you did this.
Just another reminder for our bottle blondes, olive oil can alter the color of your hair. Anything that isn’t clear can do this because of how bleach makes hair more porous.
Now when it comes to skin, things look pretty good. However, if you have extremely sensitive, as well as particularly oil or acne-prone skin, olive oil may not be for you. One study found that olive oil made certain skin conditions worse.
What Dermatologists Have to Say
Except for certain cases, dermatologists and even aesthetic plastic surgeons give olive oil the green light. The consensus is that the quality of olive oil is more important than anything else.
"I recommend using certified-organic, non-GMO, cold-pressed, and unrefined extra-virgin olive oil because it is produced without the use of heat or chemical refining, and contains the highest concentration of olive oil's beneficial compounds," says aesthetic plastic surgeon Paul Lorenc. "It also contains zero preservatives or additives that can be harmful to the body."
As well, the accredited Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined that olive oil, in several different forms, is safe for cosmetic use.
