While the olive tree has been considered as a global symbol of love and peace, its fruits and the oil obtained from them hold an important role in the Mediterranean diet.

Research studies suggest that the Mediterranean diet is protective against cancer and coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease in general. Recent findings indicate that olive oil may have a greater role in disease prevention than previously thought, and its significance in preventing skin ageing Unsurprisingly, olive oil has become a very active component in topical formulations that improve the appearance of the skin by actually altering the function of the skin in a scientifically measurable way.

Olive derivatives (fruits, olive oil, and olive leaves) are very rich in antioxidant compounds. Polyphenols like oleuropein (in the leaves), verbascoside (in the fruit), and tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol (in all olive foodstuff) may exhibit an interesting antioxidant effect, especially on skin.

Skin ageing may be caused by internal and external factors, defining internal ageing as the natural physiological process, and external ageing as a host of conditions (sunlight, pollution, smoke, dietary habits, drugs, diabetes ) capable of mimicking the effect of physiological ageing. The antioxidants in olive help to combat and prevent skin ageing.

Here are some of the easiest ways to inculcate olive oil into our daily routine:

  • Olive oil based body lotions can be used for dry skin and also for the itchy skin.
  • Massage your body with the extra virgin olive oil before hopping into your bathtub, after you finish taking your bath, pat your skin dry and wipe away the excess oil; you won’t recognize your skin! It will be amazingly soft and smooth, like a baby skin.
  • One of my favourite homemade face masks with olive oil is this: mix one or two egg yolk with a tablespoon of olive oil (you can also add a teaspoon of lemon juice, if you want to whiten and brighten your skin, as lemon juice is rich in antioxidants and especially vitamin C). Apply this mixture to your clean face for 5 -10 minutes; rinse with warm water.
  • Olive oil is an amazing conditioner that helps to nourish and coat the hair, preventing excessive breakage. To make your own homemade conditioning mask, Mix one egg yolk with two tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Keep this mask on your hair for about 15 minutes, then shampoo and condition another simple olive oil hair treatment that will make your hair silkier and shinier is just apply slightly warmed up olive oil to your hair, let it sit on your locks for about an hour, then shampoo and condition, as usual.
  • As a makeup remover apply olive oil to a cotton ball, hold it on the area for 30 seconds and slide it downward for a makeup-free face at bedtime.
  • For easy shaving, apply olive oil to coat the skin, then draw your razor over the areas coated in olive oil for a smoother, more moisturized shave.
  • Last but not the least add olive oil to your daily diet, in salads and dressings for your daily portion of antioxidants. Olive oil fully qualifies as an interesting source of new dietary supplements to increase health in general and, specifically, to fight skin ageing.