Olive oil?
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free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:46 am

Sorry if this has been discussed. I tried to do a search and the results were sort of all over the place.

Have any of you used it? Do you put it on under makeup? Has it made you break out? How do you get rid of the smell?

I've read that you have to use extra virgin for the full benefit, but I'm kind of clueless as to how to use it. Do you just put it on as is? Or mix it with lotion, etc?

It seems like it would be awfully greasy, but apparently it's been used for ages.

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:14 am

sahmisme, I really wouldn't recommend straight Olive Oil as any sort of cosmetic regimen. The "smell" you are quite correctly referring to is the problem. Olive Oil is a "triglyceride" oil. But, it is a "polyunsaturated" oil, meaning it has several double bonds in it's carbon chain. These double bonds can be attacked by oxygen causing them to break. This is called "oxidation". When the chain breaks, it becomes many smaller chains such as aldehydes and ketones. Thus, not only is the product no longer true Olive Oil, but aldehydes and ketones smell....and usually smell BAD! This is called being rancid! It's like the smell of rotten butter. That's the big problem with Olive Oil, the inherent instability of the material, and the inevitable rancid smell. Plus, it is a very greasy oil.

Bottom line, save FRESH Olive Oil for your salads!! If you want an excellent cosmetic oil that is NOT unstable and will not smell, try Macadamia Oil, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, or Jojoba Oil. All of these are great for the skin. Macadamia and Jojoba are also very NON-greasy, and actually are comprised of fatty acids and esters that are already in your skin! You can't do better than that.

John

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:27 am

So when you put it on your face it becomes rancid? Okay thank you for the info! Wink

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:31 am

Well...not quite. The instant Olive Oil is produced, it starts to be attacked by atmospheric oxygen. It begins to go rancid almost from the first moment it becomes an oil. That's why you most often see it being sold in dark glass bottles, sealed tightly, and sometimes in refrigeration. The producers are trying everything possible to slow down the oxidation process....which is a losing battle.

You are welcome!

John

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:50 am

Okay so I just read that it can take a year for Olive Oil to go rancid. So are you saying that it's not an effective moisturizer for skin? Because I go through a big bottle of olive oil in a month, there's no chance of it going rancid in this house.

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 12:13 pm

Here is an analogy that can help you understand the oxidation process for highly unstable oils.

Picture an "hour glass". When all the sand is in the bottom of the hour glass, that represents brand new processed olive oil in a sealed container.

The very instant you turn it over (open the lid to the bottle of Olive Oil), sand begins to pour into the empty space below. This process continues....non-stop....until all the sand is gone from the top. It just depends on how good your sense of smell is as to "when" you firt start to pick up the foul odor.

So, it doesn't really matter "how fast" you use it up, unstable oils begin to go rancid almost from the moment they are made. It is a chemical fact of life and can't be stopped. Now it is true, the faster you use it, the "fresher" it will be, but it will never be as fresh as the day you open the container.

The best way to use unstable oils such as olive, almond, emu, rice bran, avacado, flax, hemp, and others is to use them quickly, keep them refrigerated, and keep the lid tightly closed when not in use. The only problem with this is you don't know how long that product has been sitting on the shelf! So, if you buy a bottle of Olive Oil that was made in the factory 11 months ago, you've only got about 1 month of freshness left!! The same goes for cosmetic products that contain these unstable oils. They could be going rancid right on the store shelves. I have a long story about how (big name company) Cosmetics lost an entire line of lipsticks many years ago because they went rancid on the store shelves and hundreds of thousands of customers returned them for their money back....but I'll save that for another time.

Olive Oil is used in many cosmetic products, and it can be considered a good moisturizer. But, like I said before, there are many inherently STABLE oils that are so much better than Olive.

John

Wed Oct 22, 2008 12:19 pm

I have only used olive oil in a cleansing oil but would like to add that it is one of the heavier oils difficult to rinse off without an emulsifier etc. I prefer a lighter oil which abosrbs more easily such as apricot oil, sweet almond, hazelnut or grapeseed - these I like as facial treatment oils.

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 12:26 pm

Jojoba oil is a really good oil to use as a moisturizer. It isn't actually an oil, it is a wax ester and chemically very similar to the sebum produced by our skin. Because it is so similar, it won't clog pores. I use expeller-pressed (cold-pressed) jojoba and it has no smell whatsoever. It can be expensive, but it has a long shelf life. It also boosts the absorption of other products. I mix a little with my Retin-A at night. There are lots of threads in this forum that have more info about jojoba oil.

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:38 pm

I always thought I could put olive oil directly on my face even though I didn't try that yet. Thanks very much for the info. I learn something from this forum everyday... Very Happy

free skin care · Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:16 pm

Thanks for the info everyone! I was also wondering if any of you have used any of these oils to relieve eczema?

free skin care · Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:53 am

I have often been recommended Olive Oil as a makeup or cleanser and have found that when I have been particularly stressed out or unwell, that the oil has had a beneficial effect on my skin. I fully understand the concepts of it going rancid, however it is a good natural cleanser though I have found for me personally.

free skin care · Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:23 pm

Many people who make their own cleansing oils use olive. For pre-made DHC makes a good olive oil based cleanser. This is a great cleanser, it leave your skin clean and rinses easily.

free skin care · Thu Oct 23, 2008 1:53 pm

sahmisme wrote:

Thanks for the info everyone! I was also wondering if any of you have used any of these oils to relieve eczema?

Emu oil is good to help heal eczema. There are many thread on EDS on emu oil. I prefer to buy mine in cream form. I buy fromwww.laidinmt.com

Also take essential fatty acids (EFAs) internally as well.

free skin care · Thu Oct 23, 2008 7:07 pm

Okay thanks everyone! I'm sure I'll be buying some emu oil since it really sounds so versatile!

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:50 am

Annie B wrote:

Jojoba oil is a really good oil to use as a moisturizer. It isn't actually an oil, it is a wax ester and chemically very similar to the sebum produced by our skin. Because it is so similar, it won't clog pores. I use expeller-pressed (cold-pressed) jojoba and it has no smell whatsoever. It can be expensive, but it has a long shelf life. It also boosts the absorption of other products. I mix a little with my Retin-A at night. There are lots of threads in this forum that have more info about jojoba oil.

Am going to agree with everything AnnieB said! I love my Jojoba oil! But to get back to olive oil, if you can stand it... taking 2 table spoons of it daily, by mouth yes drinking that is, there are major benefits to your health and even to your skin from just ingesting it. Here's some info in short for you to look at.
http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/health-benefits-of-olive-oil.html
Best Regards

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 7:19 am

I have been cleansing my skin with a 50/50 mixture of extra virgin olive oil and castor oil for about two years. I keep the mixture in one of those ceramic liquid soap containers and have never experienced the oils turning rancid. In additon, I cook with olive oil so I always purchase a large 4 litre tin which is stored in my pantry. I also live in a hot climate but I have never had the oil go off.

fromwww.myoptions.com.au
"Olive Oil - A heavier oil, rich in mono-unsaturates including oleic acid. Extra virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives and is dark green in colour indicating the presence of antioxidant polyphenol. It is suitable for use with dry skin as it helps stabilise the cell membrane increasing the skins ability to hold onto moisture. Olive oil also contains squalene, a hydrating and anti-inflammatory agent, ideal for skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema".

Olive oil has been used for centuries as a moisturiser, it is also good for the hair. Companies such as L'Occitane are now capitalising on this fact and are producing products incorporating olive oil.

However, as stated earlier, I prefer to use olive oil as a cleanser. For a morning moisturiser I use Rosehip Oil and/or Pomegranate Oil. In the evening I use Emu Oil. In addition, Argan, Tamanu and Jojoba Oils are all wonderful.

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:12 am

My son's skin has gotten so much better using Olive Oil after his bath. I'm not using steroids on him again.

Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:24 am

I love putting olive oil in my winter baths. My skin comes out so soft. It does leave a bit of an oily feel, but if I recall correctly it doesn't stick around for long. I usually mix the olive oil with an essential oil or EO blend, and don't notice any smell afterwards.

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:04 am

I think it is different for the different one. Some one may be caused breakout, it me like me.
But My friend use it so well, not only skin body and face, but also use it as the hair masque. So it is very diffcult to tell if it is good or bad

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:19 am

Directly add oliver oil into any cosmetic is unadurable, it has horrible smell and make the cosmetics so oilly that I could stand at all. Especially, used as for the hair, it is horrible horrible.

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:15 am

I don't use Olive oil, because of the smell. I don't even put it in my salad for that reason. I know some people use it as cleansing oil or as a moisturizer for a hair, but personally I use Jojoba and Camelia oils. They are not as heavy as Olive oil and a big plus - they don't have a smell.

Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:10 pm

Gosh, I love olives, and think plain old EVOO smells good! Different strokes for different folks. Still, I generally only use it at night, and DH doesn't object. (Not that he comments favorably, as he does about another product that smells like coconut.) But I digress... what I use it for occasionally:
a) to lubricate my eyelashes
b) a very light application as my "night cream" if I've over-done something else (eg. retin-A), and want to give my face a complete rest from actives
c) as a hot-oil treatment for my hair. Fairly rare that I get split ends, though, and of course I shampoo it out after about 1/2 an hour.

Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:04 pm

FitFifty, you just reminded me of an application I've used olive oil for. I accidentally didn't use enough shaving gel the other day and thought I was in for a massive bout of razor burn. My skin was horribly irritated, and my gut instinct was to put a bit of olive oil on it. Thankfully, it worked!

I'm not sure I'd put it on my face, though. I suppose it all depends on how your individual skin reacts to it.

free skin care · Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:33 pm

FitFifty wrote:

Gosh, I love olives, and think plain old EVOO smells good!

I do too. I can't understand why some are objecting to the smell - it's one of the most popular cooking oils in the world and in salad dressings it's great because it's cholesterol free. It definitely should not stink.

As for using it on the hair - it is only put on as a treatment and should be thoroughly washed off. I really recommend trying it.

free skin care · Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:03 am

I use olive oil frequently, especially in winter, as a hair and body mask. I exfoliate well, rub it all over and let it sit for about 45 minutes. Then when I rinse it off my skin feels very supple and happy.

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