How to Incorporate Olive Oil into a Skincare Routine

Summary

Olive oil can work as a moisturiser, make-up remover, and part of the oil cleansing method when used in small amounts and on the right skin types. A high quality extra virgin oil like Golden Olives is rich in antioxidants and lipids that can support the skin barrier — but it should be applied thoughtfully, on damp skin, and always patch-tested first.

---

Olive oil was a skincare ingredient long before it was a supermarket product.

Ancient cultures used it on skin and hair as naturally as they used it in cooking. Today, it sits somewhere between kitchen and bathroom — familiar, but often misunderstood.

Used well, it can still earn a place in a modern routine.

A note before you start

Skin is personal.

Some people respond beautifully to olive oil. Others — especially those with acne-prone or very sensitive skin — may find it too rich or occlusive. Before making it part of a routine, test it.

Patch-test a small amount on the inner forearm or behind the ear and wait 24–48 hours to check for irritation. If the skin stays calm, you can experiment with the face and body.

Step 1: As a simple moisturiser

Olive oil works best on damp skin.

After a shower or cleansing, when the skin is still slightly wet, apply a few drops of extra virgin olive oil to the face or body and massage gently. Damp skin helps the oil spread more evenly and reduces the chance of a heavy, greasy feel.

Use less than you think you need. A thin layer is enough. Your skin should feel smooth, not sticky; if it feels tacky, blot off the excess with a towel or cloth.

For many people, this is enough as a night step: cleanse, apply a few drops of oil on damp skin, let it absorb, then sleep.

Step 2: As a make-up remover

Olive oil dissolves many kinds of make-up naturally.

To use it as a make-up remover, apply a small amount to a cotton pad or reusable cloth and gently wipe over the eyelids, lashes, and face. The oil binds to pigments and sunscreen, loosening them without harsh surfactants.

Follow with a gentle cleanser to remove residue. This two-step approach — oil first, then cleanser — leaves the skin clean but not stripped.

Step 3: As part of the oil cleansing method

The oil cleansing method uses oil to dissolve oil.

For many people, a blend of olive oil with a more astringent oil like castor or hazelnut works well. A common starting point is:

• Dry or normal skin: mostly olive oil with a small amount of castor oil
• Combination or oilier skin: more castor oil, less olive oil

Massage a quarter-sized amount of the blend into dry skin for one to two minutes. Then place a warm (not hot) damp washcloth over the face for about a minute to create steam, and gently wipe everything away.

This lifts sunscreen, make-up, and excess sebum while leaving a thin, protective layer of oil behind.

Step 4: As an exfoliating scrub

Olive oil can be part of a simple DIY scrub.

Mix it with sugar or fine sea salt to create a paste, then massage gently over the body or, very lightly, over the face. The grains provide mechanical exfoliation while the oil cushions the skin.

Rinse with warm water and pat dry. Use this no more than once or twice a week; it should feel like a polish, not a treatment.

Step 5: For targeted care

Small amounts of olive oil work well for cuticles, lips, and dry patches.

A drop massaged into each cuticle softens the nail bed and reduces dryness. Mixed with sugar or honey, it becomes a gentle lip scrub that smooths the surface before balm or lipstick.

On very dry areas — elbows, knees, heels — a few drops massaged in after a shower can help lock in moisture overnight.

How Golden Olives fits into a routine

Golden Olives is a high-polyphenol early harvest oil.

Those polyphenols and natural antioxidants are part of what makes it interesting for topical use: they support the skin’s barrier and help protect against environmental stressors. Its robust character means a little goes a long way.

If you use Golden Olives on skin, treat it like a concentrated product: a few drops, applied to damp skin, in simple, intentional steps. Do not flood the skin. Let the oil be a detail.

A final note

Olive oil in skincare is not a miracle or a shortcut — it is a natural, traditional ingredient with clear strengths and clear limits.

Used with care, it can live comfortably alongside modern products: as a make-up remover, a simple moisturiser, or part of an oil cleanse. The goal is not to replace everything. It is to let one excellent oil play more than one role.