In praise of olive oil

Olive oil, one of nature’s best beauty secrets, was discovered a millennia ago in ancient Greece. Smart cookies, those Greeks! Word got out to the Egyptians, then the Romans, and it’s been used as a skin moisturizer by every civilization since. This stuff has survived the centuries as an ancient remedy for skin care, and the good news is that modern science has confirmed its benefits.

Anti-aging and anti-wrinkle properties. Antioxidants rule! According to the experts, olive oil is loaded with four different antioxidants (including Vitamins A and E) which can help neutralize damaging free radicals that can lead to skin aging. I’ve read a number of articles that tout hydroxytyrosol, too. It’s one of the antioxidants in olive oil that has potent anti-inflammatory properties that speed the healing process for abrasions, rashes and sunburns. Ditto for its anti-zit attributes that suggest it may be beneficial in the reduction of acne as well.

Moisturizing properties. Here’s what I know. Olive oil absorbs deeply into skin without clogging pores. The hydrophilic nature of the oil allows it to provide a protective barrier that keeps the skin’s natural moisture from escaping. Let’s give it a ‘high five’ for softening and smoothing skin’s texture as well. For a real boost to brighten your skin, add olive oil to sea salt (or sugar, depending on your skin type) to make a great exfoliant. As you rub it in to remove dead skin cells, the olive oil is replenishing moisture to make skin healthier and younger looking.

Best of friends with sensitive skin. Olive oil is gentle and generally non-irritating on even the most sensitive skin. It’s often used as a home remedy on skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis that are exacerbated by commercial products. This natural oil has many women using it for stretch mark therapy, too. I recently started using it for nail and cuticle care.

Cleansing. It’s no secret that I’m a big believer in organic skin care. As a third generation soapmaker, I’m sold on the benefits of olive oil as a key, active ingredient in soap. When we handcrafted our first liquid soap with olive oil, we wanted to bring the benefits of 'Castile' bar soaps (that have stood the test of time) to our ACEQUIA line. Using olive oil as its base, we created ACEQUIA Natural Castile Liquid Soap which beautifully balances skin’s natural moisture and is gentle enough for children.

I so love the uses for olive oil (including our mostly Mediterranean diet) that my husband and I planted a grove of olive trees on our property several years ago. It looks like we will have bumper crop this year and plan to take our harvest for pressing. Hopefully, it will be the first of many yields in our own olive oil production.