8 Olive Oil Benefits for Your Hair and Skin

Ever wonder why the Mediterranean diet has traditionally been considered one of the world’s healthiest diets? The answer’s simple — it’s the olive oil. And olive oil isn’t only great for eating. Olive oil also has a host of beauty uses.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil works great when you add it to your beauty regimen, too, because of the following nutrients:

• Vitamin E: With strong antioxidant properties, vitamin E helps you support your eye health, joint health, heart health, and the health of your brain.
• Antioxidants work to counteract the visible signs of aging. Many believe a skincare routine rich in antioxidants can help keep you looking younger and feeling great.

Now, because it hasn’t been filtered or overly processed, you’ll want to use extra virgin olive oil. It contains fewer chemicals and more antioxidants than other olive oils. So, let’s take a look at the beauty benefits of extra virgin olive oil.

High-quality Olive Oil: 8 Beauty Benefits

1. Hydrate Your Dry Skin

Olive oil is a great way to help keep dry skin moist. Looking for some hydration help for your hands or feet, try this overnight treatment for dry skin:

• Exfoliate: Use an exfoliant to rid yourself of dead skin cells.
• Massage olive oil into your hands or feet.
• Cover your hands with gloves and your feet with socks. Night night.

2. Relieve Rashes and Skin Irritation

Are you prone to redness, rash, and itchiness? If so, the Vitamin E in olive oil can help soothe irritated skin.

3. Clean Up Your Makeup

Many cosmetic products are made from oily ingredients which makes them hard to clean away with only water. Olive oil attracts the oily ingredients in your cosmetic products, lifting them away from your skin. Dab a little olive oil onto a cotton swab and coat your face before washing it all away with a facial cleanser.

4. Encourage Healthier Hair Growth

Antioxidants in your diet could help boost your hair growth. Studies point to this benefit, so if you happen to have trouble with thinning hair, get more antioxidant-rich olive oil onto your plate.

5. Use it as Shaving Oil for Your Legs

Run out of shaving cream? No need to go back to the drug store if you’ve got some olive oil in the kitchen. You’ll be surprised at how close, and protected a shave you can get. Plus, your legs will be super smooth and hydrated.

6. Deep Condition Your Hair

With all the crummy hair products out there, it’s easy for hair to grow brittle, dull, and dry. A little olive oil love can go a long way to moisturize your hair. Try this deep conditioning treatment.

1. Heat up 3 tablespoons of olive oil until it’s just a little warm.
2. Massage the oil into your hair.
3. Cover your head with a shower cap and let the oil absorb for a half hour or so.
4. Rinse and shampoo/condition.

7. Moisturize Your Dry Scalp

Dandruff can ruin your whole day. But if you combine the moisturizing power of olive oil with tea tree oil, your hair and scalp will thank you. Just mix together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil with 4 drops of tea tree oil. Massage the mixture into your scalp and leave it be for 30 minutes. Rinse, then shampoo and condition per usual.

8. Minimize Blemishes

Acne isn’t just something that happens to teenagers. Many adults struggle with zits and blemishes well into adulthood. Some say supplementing your diet with the omega-3 fatty acids in olive oil can help you cut down on acne breakouts and diminish the appearance of pimples.