Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Since the time of the Egyptians, the extra virgin olive oil was considered as well as a food (among other things, fundamental and irreplaceable in the so-called “Mediterranean diet”), a medicine and a cosmetic by multiple properties.

In ancient Rome, a massage with this oil was considered a “bath of youth.” In ancient times, it was recommended as cosmetic for hair and for the maintenance of the natural color as well as for wound healing and for the treatment of burns.

The extra virgin olive oil is used as an emollient, with softening and anti-inflammatory effect in all states of dryness and flaking skin. In recent years it has been shown that has a composition in fats (triglycerides) very similar to the sebum of the skin and between the natural lipids is one with the greatest affinity for the lipid layer of the skin.

The most representative fatty acid present in extra virgin olive is oleic acid. There are also a good amount of linoleic acid and palmitic acid. Among other components, precious to the skin, we recall the discrete content of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin E (for have amount of around 150 mg/l) and polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol known to have antioxidant properties.

This oil is valuable in situations where we find a dry skin, in all irritant and/or allergic contact dermatitis where, as well as in the acute phase, it helps us in that stage “delicate and difficult” of maintainance, when we need an emollient and we want to continue the anti-inflammatory effect without the use of topical steroids. In these dermatitis its principles help to rebuild the skin barrier.