J Lo has a new skincare line that features extra virgin olive oil. Many skin experts are critiquing her claims that olive oil is the reason she looks so good. Well, no doubt she looks amazing! And I am sure her amazing skin comes from taking really good care of it in addition to olive oil.
I thought I’d give you the scoop on olive oil and skincare. First of all, when I say olive oil, I mean a high-quality extra virgin olive oil, so please don’t think that you can buy any ol’olive oil from the store. You need to make sure it’s extra virgin.
Many dermatologists and skincare experts caution their clients from using olive oil on their skin. They suggest that olive oil can clog the pores and that there are better serums out there. But everyone is different and you need to be the judge for yourself.
From the research I’ve done, here is what I’ve learned…..
- Olive oil should never be used as a moisturizer alone on your face. The way the olive oil molecules are structured, it opens the pores which can let moisture out of the skin. So, if you decide to use olive oil as a serum be sure to use a moisturizer on top. The benefit of olive oil opening the pores on your skin is that your wonderful moisturizer and treatments can penetrate your skin better and therefore, you can enhance the benefits of your products.
- Olive oil should be patted on your skin just after you have washed your face and the skin is still a little damp. This will increase the penetration of the olive oil as well as your products.
- Olive Oil is a wonderful antioxidant (think, polyphenols), and also contains vitamins A, D, K and E, as well as squalene. These nutrients together create a healing blend for your skin and prevent premature aging. That’s what I am hoping for!! Research also suggests using olive oil can help prevent damage from the sun.
In summary, there will always be critics that tell you what to do with your skin. But you are the best judge of what works best for you. I’ve been using olive oil as a serum for years now with wonderful results. Recently, I started getting facials and was talked into using a skincare line, so I bought a sample pack. My pores started to noticeably get clogged- not good! I went back to my simple, inexpensive program and I have no issues.
Remember to only use extra virgin olive oil – using an olive oil that is not high quality can lead to issues.
Here are 2 recipes to try:
Nighttime Antiwrinkle Formula
Mix 1 tablespoon EVOO and several drops of fresh lemon juice
Apply the mixture to the face except for eye area
Apply straight EVOO to the eye area
Keep on overnight.
Recipe from The Passionate Olive by Carol Firenze.
Hope this helps!
Ciao for now,
RoseAnne
