What is olive oil in skincare?
Olive oil is pressed from the fruit of Olea europaea and has been used on skin for thousands of years. It is roughly 70% oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, with smaller amounts of linoleic acid, squalene and polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol.
That fatty acid profile matters. Oleic-dominant oils are rich and occlusive but, as comparative research on plant oils shows, they can also disrupt the skin barrier rather than repair it – the opposite of what linoleic-rich oils do.
What skin concerns does olive oil treat?
On intact, dry body skin it is an effective emollient and a serviceable makeup remover, and its polyphenols and squalene contribute antioxidant activity.
It is a poor choice for the face if you are acne-prone, since it is comedogenic, and studies have found repeated topical olive oil increases water loss through the barrier rather than reducing it. It is specifically not recommended on infant skin or on eczema.
What ingredients are best paired with olive oil?
If you use it, use it on the body, over hydrated skin, and alongside ceramides and glycerin rather than on its own.
For facial use, linoleic-rich oils – sunflower, grapeseed, rosehip, hemp seed – or non-comedogenic squalane and jojoba do the same job without the barrier penalty. Squalane is in fact derived from olives, and delivers olive oil’s best component without its drawbacks. Take our Skin Quiz.
What are dark spots?
Dark spots are localised patches where the skin has produced more melanin than the surrounding area. The umbrella term covers sun spots, post-acne marks, melasma patches and freckles – different causes, same visible result.
They are flat rather than raised, vary from light tan to deep brown, and are most noticeable on the face, hands and chest. In deeper skin tones they tend to be darker and to last considerably longer.
What causes dark spots?
Two mechanisms dominate. Ultraviolet exposure triggers protective melanin production, and inflammation – from acne, ingrown hairs, eczema, friction, burns or harsh treatments – leaves post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation behind as it heals.
Hormonal change, some medications and heat add to it. Picking at spots is one of the most avoidable causes: the extra inflammation reliably makes the mark darker and longer-lived than the original blemish.
What ingredients are best for dark spots?
Vitamin C, niacinamide and azelaic acid are the everyday workhorses. For stubborn pigment, alpha arbutin, tranexamic acid, kojic acid and liquorice root extract interrupt melanin production directly.
Retinoids and gentle AHAs clear pigmented cells faster from the surface. Give any routine twelve weeks before judging it, and wear broad-spectrum SPF daily or the spots will simply redarken. Take our Skin Quiz.
