1001 Ways to use olive oil-Beauty

Beauty

Beauty

If you’ve never used olive oil as part of your beauty regimen, you’re in for a real treat. It is rich in squalane, a natural emollient that is great for your nails, lips, hair, and skin. In addition, it is packed with Vitamins A & E and polyphenols that make it popular in many prepackaged beauty products. You can use it at home as part of your routine to:

Soak thin, brittle nails and tattered cuticles. Use a small amount of olive oil to moisturize cuticles, or mix oil and water and immerse your fingertips before a manicure to smooth, strengthen and soften them.

Get rid of stains from nails and fingers. Simply add a few drops of lemon juice to olive oil and soak your fingers in the mixture.

Exfoliate your face and hands. Combine sea salt or sugar with olive oil and scrub to exfoliate skin. You can also add an essential oil of your choice to create a fragrant experience reminiscent of a spa.  After rinsing, you are left with a moisturized skin that really glows!

Reduce signs of aging on your hands. Smooth liberally onto hands before bed, put on cotton gloves, and wake up with soft, young looking hands.

Get healthy skin. Olive oil is a great skin moisturizer, in part because it contains linoleic acid, a compound not made by the body, but which prevents water from evaporating. It also contains a polyphenols hydroxytyrosol, an antioxidant that reinforces cell walls and reduces signs of aging. A mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/4 cup water used as a night cream will give your skin a soft glow. The olive oil softens and hydrates and the vinegar lightens discolorations, kills bacteria and loosens dead skin cells. Splash your face with water before applying.

Calm red and irritated skin. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to your running bath water. In addition, you can add 1 teaspoon of lavender oil to a bath to help with relaxation. The olive oil makes your skin very smooth and has shown to reduce wrinkles over time.

Soften dry and cracked feet. A little extra virgin olive oil makes a fabulous

substitute for foot cream. Just massage on your feet before going to bed and wear socks to sleep. The olive oil works as a lubricant on the feet and does not disappear the way most lotions do.

Moisturize skin before sun exposure. Slather on olive oil before braving the sun – it’s rich in Vitamins A and E, and locks the moisture in your skin while protecting you from UV rays. According to Leslie Baumann, M.D., author of The Skin Type Solution, eating olives and olive oil can actually promote healthy skin. Olive oil contains a minimum of four different antioxidants, which can help "neutralize damaging free radicals that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer." Baumann writes that in studies mice that were given extra virgin olive oil developed less skin cancer after exposure to UV light.

Relieve sunburn. Mix olive oil with white vinegar and apply before a warm bath to soothe and heal the burn. You can also rub olive oil onto the sunburn to prevent peeling.

Use as a massage oil. You can create a mixture of organic oils: extra virgin olive oil, grapeseed oil, coconut oil, in equal parts along with a small amount of jojoba or almond oil and vitamin E as a preservative that keeps your skin smooth and soft.

Replace shaving cream. Do you have sensitive skin? Be gentle with your legs by using olive oil as a shaving cream. Olive oil is a safe and organic alternative for shaving foam and results in a close shave that is less expensive and leaves your legs feeling silky and smooth.

Restore moisture to your lips. Mix olive oil and melted beeswax in equal portions, with an essential oil for a nice fragrance.

Just dab on your finger and smear to relieve dry and chapped lips.

Clear up acne. The idea of applying oil to your face as a treatment of acne does sound strange but it works. Create a paste by mixing 4 tablespoons salt with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Pour the mixture onto your hands and fingers and massage it on to your face. Let set for a minute or two, and then rinse it off with warm, soapy water. Apply daily for a week, then cut back to two or three times weekly. You should see a noticeable improvement in your condition. The premise is that the salt cleanses the pores by exfoliation and the olive oil restores the skin’s natural moisture.

Produce your own homemade soap. Mix 50/50 with saved fat for homemade soap. 100% EV olive oil can be used in soap making, but it takes longer to cure.

Remove makeup. Using a cotton swab, dab a bit under your eyes, on your cheeks and forehead, then wipe with a damp cloth. Finish by using a gentle cleanser. Your skin will be soft and smooth. Olive oil is a great option for those with sensitive skin.

Eliminate paint from your skin or hair. Massage olive oil on messy hand, arms and even hair. Allow the oil to soak into the skin for several minutes before rinsing with soap and water.

Banish tangled and frizzy hair. Comb a bit of olive oil through dry or frizzy hair to help tame and moisturize your tresses, especially in the winter or on muggy days. Olive oil can also provide some reprieve for brittle and damaged hair.

Substitute for daily hair conditioner. A small amount of olive oil applied after shampooing can be substituted for hair conditioner. Apply a small drop into your palm & then rub both hands together & then apply it to dry hair.

Deep condition your hair. Weekly, give hair and scalp a massage with slightly heated olive oil applied liberally. Comb through hair and let set for at least an hour or two. Shampoo hair to remove oil and thoroughly rinse. This will leave you with unbeatable shine and healthier looking hair with fewer split ends.

Cut down on dandruff. Mix olive oil with almond oil and keep on scalp for five minutes. Rinse well to clear hair of dandruff.

Diminish static in winter months. Rub a small amount into your hands before running your fingers through your hair. Follow with a stroke or two from a natural brush.

Condition a hairless scalp. Rub with olive oil and then lay on a hot moist towel. When the towel cools, reheat in the microwave. Be careful not to let it get too hot. Repeat several times.

Clean makeup brushes. Mix olive oil with a tsp of dishwashing liquid. Rub a small amount on the brush and wipe the brush back and forth on the palm of your hand, then rinse.

I hope you enjoyed this article and as always STAY HEALTHY and BEAUTIFUL!