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Beauty & Natural Remedies · November 16, 2021 edition

Five Ways Olive Oil Can Pamper Your Hair and Skin

From the Genius House Hacks archive.

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Olive oil has been used, literally for thousands of years, not only as a food staple, but also for medicinal purposes. Not only has olive oil been shown to reduce bad cholesterol, inflammation and arthritis, you can also use it for everything from hair care to skin care.

Conditioner

As a natural conditioner, olive oil is nature's cure for dry hair. Try massaging it directly into parched tips. Another way you can take advantage of the hydrating nature of olive oil is by adding a few tablespoons of it to your shampoo. This works particularly well for thick, processed, or split hair.

Acne

One of the daily habits of people who never get acne is following a Mediterranean diet that includes olive oil. Plus, some studies have shown olive oil has antibacterial properties, which can help clear up skin infections that can lead to breakouts.

Dry scalp

If your scalp is dry in the winter, try another natural olive oil hair treatment. Apply olive oil to your scalp and let it sit for an hour, or overnight (cover with a shower cap), then shampoo it out.

Moisturizing skin

One of the super-calming face mask ingredients that soothe winter's dry skin is olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is great for skin because of its high levels of polyphenols, vitamin E, and phytosterols, which function as both antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.

Makeup remover

You might think that olive oil would make a dirty, greasy face even greasier, but it turns out the opposite is true. Olive oil grabs onto other oils, taking them with it as you wipe. Olive oil works similarly to makeup removers, and it is non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.

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