Can you really use olive oil for acne? For some people, acne ends when adolescence ends but for some, acne continues to be a problem well into adulthood. For those who suffer from acne, no matter what age they are, it is an unsightly and embarrassing problem. Many people go from product to product, trying to find something that works but many are surprised to find that there is an all-natural solution to their acne problem; olive oil.
Skincare companies want us to believe that the only cure for acne involves stripping our skin of its natural oils, which only worsens the problem. Consumers are taught that to get rid of acne, it must be dried up, and only by using products designed to “zap” away the acne by using harsh drying agents in face wash, toners, moisturizers, and even targeted acne drying products.
The Causes of Acne
Our skin continually sheds dead skin cells, when our pores become clogged, the dead skin cells remain and allow dirt to be trapped in the pore as well; bacteria will be trapped and the skin becomes inflamed and then either a whitehead or a blackhead will form. Some of the causes for the formation of acne are:
- Hormones – Hormones can contribute to acne, which is why teenagers are prone to acne breakouts and women can break out when they menstruate, when they are pregnant and when menopause hits.
- Medication – Certain medications can cause acne. Oral contraceptives, lithium, steroids, and phenobarbital are all associated with being a factor in causing acne.
- Hygiene – If you fail to keep up a proper regime of hygiene then that will contribute to acne. When you do not keep your face clean, you will contribute to the buildup of acne-causing bacteria.
- Poor Diet – refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, fried foods, and trans-fats are not healthy foods for our bodies or our skin – avoid these foods to help clear up your skin.
How Olive Oil can Help
Wait, if it is bad to eat fried food and to eat trans-fats why is it okay to put oil on my skin? The answer is that extra virgin olive oil is the right kind of oil. Not all oils are equal and by using the right kind of oil, such as high-quality extra virgin olive oil on your skin, you can actually manage your acne naturally.
High quality olive oil has the following properties that help with acne:
- Anti-aging
- Antibacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-fungal
- Boosts the immune system
- Promotes healing
Olive oil has vitamin D, vitamin, E, vitamin K and contains Beta-carotenes, which is turned into vitamin A by our bodies. In addition to those, the monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil can actually dissolve the oil that your skin produces, helping to unclog your pores, to give you healthy skin.
Olive oil will not only remove the unwanted oil on your face and in your pores, but it will replenish your skin’s natural oil and hydrate your skin making it so your skin will not need to produce as much oil, lessening the chance of having acne develop. Acne products strip all of your skin’s natural oil away, which means that your skin ends up working overtime to produce extra oil, which contributes to more acne. Over the counter acne products can actually cause your acne to become worse!
Extra virgin olive oil is a powerful antioxidant because it contains polyphenols. Polyphenols help us ward off the damage done by free radicals. Free radicals are harmful molecules that damage our cells. Polyphenols also help the skin retain moisture, which is why olive oil is such a good way to treat acne and to moisturize your skin at the same time.
Using Olive Oil for an Acne Scrub
Forget about buying expensive face scrubs that often end up drying your skin out, trigging more breakouts; you can make your own acne scrub at home using sea salt and high quality extra virgin olive oil. This exfoliating scrub will help unclog pores, remove dead skin, improve your circulation in the skin, and can help reduce the appearance of acne scars.
What You Need
- 1 cup of finely ground sea salt
- ¼ cup of high-quality extra virgin olive oil
Preparation And Use
1Mix the olive oil and the sea salt together and store in a glass jar with a secure lid. Screw top lids work the best for this, such as a small jelly jar or a mason jar.
2Wash your face with your normal cleanser and then, with your skin still wet, rub some of the sea salt mixture into your skin, using a gentle circular motion.
3Allow the scrub to sit on your face for anywhere between three to five minutes and wash off with warm water.
4While your face is still damp, apply a small amount of high-quality extra virgin olive oil to your skin and rub it into the skin until absorbed.
Olive Oil to Cure Acne
This is a good way to use olive oil to help prevent and manage your acne breakouts. Measure out about one tablespoon of olive oil into a small bowl and then use your fingertips to massage the olive oil into your face, especially where you are acne-prone.
Run a clean washcloth under hot water and wring it out. Place the hot washcloth on your face, over the olive oil, and allow it to stay there until it cools down.
Remove the washcloth, run it under the hot water again, and then use it to remove the olive oil from your skin. With your skin still wet, apply a small amount of olive oil to your skin, rubbing it in until it is absorbed.
High-Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The quality of the olive oil that you use is a very important factor. You do NOT want to use the olive oil that you purchased at your local grocery store. You need to have high-quality extra virgin olive oil, preferably one with a high polyphenol count.
If you are looking for quality extra virgin olive oil that is excellent for use as an acne treatment, www.oliveoilexcellence.com has an excellent selection of only the highest quality extra virgin olive oils, all of which contain a polyphenol count significantly higher than what any grocery store olive oil will have. You can view their selection of high-quality extra virgin olive oils here http://www.oliveoilexcellence.com/olive-oil-store/freshest-extra-virgin-olive-oils/. However, our recommendation from their list is this olive oil, http://www.oliveoilexcellence.com/organic-freestone-chetoui-extra-virgin-olive-oil-robust-intensity/, which carries a polyphenol count of 456.
As you can see, there are numerous benefits associated with foregoing expensive and harsh acne face products when you can clear up your skin the all-natural way, using high-quality extra virgin olive oil.