Olive Oil Skin Benefits

Olive oil, whether consumed or applied on the skin, conveys anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and various nutritious properties thanks to its skin-friendly contents such as polyphenols and vitamins.

Polyphenols, which are mainly concentrated in the olive skin, are olive oil's main antioxidants. Oxidation in few words is a chain of chemical reactions altered by energy such as heat producing free radicals that continue to react and consequently damaging the surrounding structure. Anti-oxidants prevent this chain of reactions because they neutralise the free radicals. That is why applying olive oil on the skin protects skin cell degeneration which is referred to as well as anti-aging.

Many constituents of olive oil are anti-infammatory including squalene (which improves skin elasticity), beta-sitosterol, tyrosol, oleocanthal, monounsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins A, K, D, and E. This explain its potential benefits in diseases that involve skin inflammation including eczema and psoriasis.

Olive oil is also an efficient cleanser to regulate the overgrowth of yeast called Malassezia furfur (which is a normal skin inhabitant) secreted by the sebaceous glands causing scalps behind the ears, between the eyebrows, along the eyelashes and around the nose. Flavonoids is also an important compound available in olive oil which prevent wart viruses from multiplying.

Ancient civilisations in the middeterrean basin in particular Greece and Syria cleansed and moisturized their skin with olive oil, and over the millennia this oil has been used not only directly on the skin but also to make a variety of beauty products including soaps, shower gels, exfoliating scrubs, shampoos, moisturisers, hand creams, moisturizing ‘dry’ oils, nail oils, lip balms, massage oils and after-sun soothing creams.

Applying olive oil to the skin helps to prevent moisture loss, soothes inflammation, has some antimicrobial effect and confers a lovely soft sheen. Most importantly, its slight acidity means that it is gentle compared with toiletries such as most commercial soaps.

Normal skin is coated with a slightly acidic surface layer called the ‘acid mantle’ or ‘hydro-lipid film’. This contains: fats (lipids) from skin oil (sebum - body’s own natural skin lubricant), lactic acid and amino acids from sweat, and amino acids and pyrrolidine carboxylic acid from dead skin cells.

The acidity of the skin’s surface layer and of water-soluble toiletries is measured in terms of their pH (hydrogen ion concentration). Below 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, above 7 is alkaline.The further below 7 the pH is, the more acidic the liquid, whereas the further above 7 the pH is, the more alkaline it is.

In women, the skin’s normal pH over most of the body is 4.5–5.75; in men it is marginally more acidic. This slight acidity helps to repair damaged skin and activates enzymes that enable the production of lipids in sebum. Intact skin and healthy sebum help to prevent water escaping from the skin (other than in perspiration) and harmful substances and micro-organisms entering it. The slight acidity also promotes normal-sized populations of skin-friendly bacteria and fungi and helps to prevent infection. Any reduction in skin acidity which is affected by most toiletries (which are alkaline) may encourages drying, cracking and itching in case of skin dermatitis.

Olive oil, like other vegetable oils is weakly acidic so applying it to the skin does not compromise normal skin acidity as much as toiletries. Since oil is insoluble in water, its acidity cannot be measured as pH. Instead, acidity is calculated as the percentage of free fatty acids in the oil. Better-quality oils are less acidic, poorer-quality oils more acidic. According to the International Olive Council’s regulations, extra virgin olive oil must have less than 0.8 per cent free fatty acid.

Olive oil contains many skin-friendly substances, including antioxidants (which help to protect sebum from oxidation), anti-inflammatories (monounsaturated fat and antioxidants) and anti-microbials (such as polyphenols). All in all, olive oil softens, moisturizes and soothes skin, helps to maintain its elasticity and helps to counter infection. It gives nails an attractive sheen and softens and nourishes the cuticles. It also conditions hair and makes it shine.

Alesapo uses virgin olive oil in its soap making which is rich in skin-friendly substances. Olive oils makes the base ingredient in all Alesapo product range whether it is mixed with bay laurel oil, exfoliants, or essential oils.

References: The Miracle of Olive Oil by Dr. Penny Stanway, Eternal Uses of Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Joyce Zborower, M.A.