No! Olive oil is great for your skin. It is an ingredient in lots of handmade soaps and mosturizers. You can also use grapeseed oil which is a lighter scent/feel on your skin, or just use olive oil at night and your 8-hour moisturizer during the day might work too.

Olive oil is fantastic for dry skin. It’s nature’s remedy!

About a year or so ago I got a catalog in the mail for skin care products made with basically olive oil. Inclosed were samples of some of them. I used the samples and loved them and they didn’t smell of olive oil, but didn’t need any new products then. I’ve since pitched the catalog but maybe someone else knows of this company. Everything was natural and pure.

No you are not wrong for using Olive oil! Whatever works, works!! I’m glad you found something safe (enough to eat even), chemical free, and economical to use on your skin. I’m the Queen of baking soda to exfoliate, and apple cider vinegar as a toner. My skin is really healthy and it shows. We can look fab, be natural, and smart.

You might want to try taking fish oil. There are a number of great benefits, not only for your skin. Coconut oil is also very good for dry skin, and it doesn’t have the odor that olive oil has. I’m sure you drink lots of water; that is probably the best thing to hydrate the skin.

Cultures all around the world use Olive Oil as a moisturizer. I tried using it once, but it didn’t work well with my skin. But I have friends and relatives that swear by it. You’ll just have to find a cute dispenser for the oil to put on your vanity, so you don’t have a big jug of oil you have to look at while you get dressed.

Or, you could always move to Florida! Whenever I want to complain about the high humidity, I just think about how great it is for my skin!

I second taking fish oil pills AND using olive oil on your skin. I use it just on my dry spots since I tend to be oily in the T-zone, and using olive oil there has caused break outs. But it works great on my dry spots. It’s also great for elbows!

No, you’re not crazy at all! I have read about this on other beauty sites. There is actually an oil cleansing method that uses a combination of olive oil and castor oil to clean skin. After applying the combination, take a hot towel and hold it over your face and the heat will draw out impurities. I have also used olive oil as a treatment for my hair. My mom used it on me when I was a child and I still do a hot-oil treatment every month or so.

Joy, was it DHC?

http://www.dhccare.com/dhc/

I love their Deep Cleansing Oil.

Pure olive oil is a great moisturizer, cuticle oil, hair mask…AND is great on pasta!

Food oils are the best thing for your skin! Just think… if it’s ok to eat it, then it’s definitely ok to put it on your skin. There are actually dermatologists who recommend ONLY using food oils to moisturize.

I took an infant massage class with my newborn last year and we used grapeseed oil for that very reason. You may like to try it – it is a food oil that feels slightly lighter than olive oil and doesn’t have the smell. I have exceedingly dry skin on my legs and I use it often, with excellent results.

I’ve never used olive oil on my face, as it’s a bit oily and breakout-prone and more likely to be irritated than dry. However I have used it on my cuticles, feet, elbows, and knees, as well as in homemade body scrubs, where it has worked wonders.

The book “Beauty: The New Basics” by Rona Berg advocates olive and almond oil for dry skin. I’ve been using both olive oil and sweet almond oil, and they’re wonderful. I especially like them for under my eyes and my LIPS. The ingredients in most face lotions include several petroleum derivatives, which is without a doubt more hazardous than natural oils.

There’s a product review site I like, http://www.makeupalley.com, and pure olive oil is one of the most reviewed (and most highly reviewed) items there! I’ve used it myself in the winter as a cleanser (I wash it off with a warm washcloth, and it lives my skin soft), even though my skin is prone to breakouts–never had any problems from it.

Wow. Who knew I had the solution to dry, flaky, combo skin right in my pantry. TOTALLY trying this out once it gets subzero around here!

Thank you for the validation ladies! You rock. I’ve heard of the hair oil treatments Violet, and have seen great results. I’ve also tried products which are olive oil based Joy, but they weren’t moisturizing enough. Using olive oil straight from my pantry has worked better.

I have a few more questions:

o Where can I get grape seed, and coconut oil?

o Is taking fish oil in tablet form okay? I’m not going to be able to down the pukka stuff straight.

o Why didn’t olive oil work for your skin Meredith?

I’m not one of those people who drinks loads of water. It’s purposely not part of my way of life, so I’m hoping that the oils that you’ve suggested will do the trick. Any more suggestions or alternative ways in which I can improve my skin with items from my pantry? This is very interesting.

Jojoba oil has been best for me. Despite it being so humid outside, I have the worst dry skin thanks to the air con! If I recall correctly, the argument for jojoba rather than other oils or moisturizers is that it mimics sebum and is absorbed easily. It’s also anti-inflammatory, which is good for those prone to spots.

I use it in conjunction with the oil cleansing method (OCM), which you can read up on online. (If you wear makeup or have uneven skin, I definitely recommend OCM.) There are various recipes, usually olive oil, jojoba, and castor oil, but I go with the commercial products for the sake of ease. (I’ve yet to find a decently priced castor oil here, and the only jojoba I’ve found has been either expensive and in small quantities, or mixed with other oils.) A once nightly oil cleansing, followed by a steam and then a light application of jojoba oil is generally all I need. The next morning I only wash with water and follow with light jojoba oil again as necessary. If I’m out, I’ll use olive oil, but I find that that works better on my hair than on my face.

The book Gorgeously Green by Sophie Uliano is full of remedies like this! Sophie was on Oprah talking about natural things to put on our skin instead of chemicals. I think Sophia Loren also swears by olive oil! She eats lots of it and uses it on her face.

I am glad you found something nice like this for your skin Angie!

I second coconut oil suggestion. You can get a jar at PCC (Spectrum is the brand I think) in the body care section. Whole Foods should have it too.

Olive oil is great, I have been using it as a cleanser and moisturiser for about 6 months due to the rave reviews on makeupalley. You can add your own essential or perfume oils to cut the salad fragrance if you like, you can also mix in some castor oil if you want an oil that makes your skin feel drier (castor oil is also know as a healing oil).

joy~
the catlog you are remembering i think is DHC. i’ve gotten and used the samples and they were very good. hope that may help.
~aurora

Angie–you must drink water! The hydration keeps skin looking & feeling healthy and reduces the amount of fine wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. When my legs get dry, I pop a vitamin E capsule and rub it on the dry spots. It works for me, but the oil is pretty thick. If I were to do this on my face, I probably would do it before retiring to bed rather than in the morning.

You can get the fish oil supplement at any health food store, along with coconut oil and grapeseed oil. The coconut oil is in solid form, but melts to the touch. By the way, some companies have come up with a flavored fish oil that’s not bad at all. Just make sure you take enough. Also, redhead is absolutely correct. If you are not drinking 8 glasses of water a day, then you have answered a big part of why your skin is dry.

well, my mom ( who is 68 and had a face lift last year) said that her surgeon and his nurses recommended vasaline cream – not the jelly – to use on her face. it’s about $4 a tube and has worked wonders for her. i haven’t tried it yet, but i will!

I wonder if you could find a natural/organic remedy using olive oil to eliminate the scent. I love the smell of olive oil, on food at least

I have the opposite problem. I am basically an oil slick from the neck up, especially in summer, even though my skin is dry everywhere else. I once heard using vinegar helps eliminate the excess oil. BIG MISTAKE. It burned like crazy and turned my skin bright red. No injuries or anything like that, but still uncomfortable.

BTW, I completely understand your attitude towards water. The 8 glasses a day thing is a myth to begin with, and it’s hard to drink it when you’re just not that thirsty. However, throughout the day I’ll put some ice cubes in a cup and let them melt a bit and then just suck on them. I know that sounds completely bizarre, but especially in winter, it does help.

i drink water, too, but i have started to drink less as i thing the adage of 8 glasses a day is not true – in fact, studies have been done that suggest drinking too much water can cause other problems. but angie, dear, you do need to drink at least 4 glasses a day…tea doesn’t count!

I think olive oil is great, but I had much better luck with a natural and similar alternative which has already been mentioned here.. coconut oil!

Omega-3 fish oil is excellent for your skin. Pharmax fish oil with essence of orange is an easy and fast way to get your Omega-3 and it doesn’t taste bad at all … recommended by my doc. I hate taking pills!

Lori! I love your Vaseline cream idea. Your Mum looks incredible and I gladly follow in her skincare footsteps. I’ve made a list of all the things I want to get for my dry skin and will shop around asap. I’m excited.

Maya, you are the first person other than my husband who shares my water drinking belief (or lack thereof to be more precise). There is absolutely no proof that it’s healthy, or to your nutritional advantage to drink 8 glasses of water day. In fact. It bloats your system and causes FAR too many trips to the loo (to your point, Lori). It might even cause water retention. I drink about 3 glasses a day and they are small glasses. But for you Lori, I shall try to step it up to 4.

On a completely other tangent, I hate to have to say it but bottled water is a HUGE money making business and actually harmful to the environment. Sorry to stir up the passionate lack-of-drinking-water-juices this morning, but I feel strongly about this issue and it’s cathartic to let it go.

I use almond oil on my face. It’s lighter than olive oil and doesn’t have much of a scent at all. I really like it! I hear apricot oil is good, too.

Angie,

Please check out DHC (www.dhccare.com). They have wonderful olive oil moisturizers and olive oil-based cleansers, soaps, and other products. DHC uses olive oil as a staple in their product formulations. Joy posted that she’d had a catalog, and DHC is the one she’s referring to. I use their cleansing oil, and it’s fabulous — even water soluble.

-Tracey

I havent tried olive oil on skin yet but it works well on my hair. My face treatment is what my mom used as a face cleanser on me as a child.. a milk and cream pack once a week or more depending on weather since I have dry spots too.. its cleansing, keeps my skin moisturized and helps maintain a kind of freshness. All I do is take a mixture of whole milk and a bit of heavy cream and apply it all over the face. Wait till its dry and pulls at the skin and then wash it off with water.

I too avoid bottled water for various reasons. I have a 40 oz water bottle here at work, and purchased a small Brita filter pitcher. I try to drink a minimum of half my body weight in ounces. And now if I *don’t* drink enough I feel dehydrated and get headaches. Water is so good for you! I guess it’s one of those things…it depends on who you listen to.
I do take fish oil pills. They’re big, but I’d rather take a pill than the alternative.
I find all sorts of oils at my local health food store or organic food market.

The company that is olive-oil based is DHC at http://www.dhccare.com/dhc/
Their products are pretty nice and they have several on a rotating sale every month. They do have an olive oil “serum” that is specifically for your face, but it is horrendously overpriced. I think if you get the olive oil that is more processed it should have less smell, but what you give up in smell you also give up in nutrients…

I’ve used the oil cleansing method before, I like it a lot. If your skin is pretty dry, use more olive oil than castor oil in your mixture. If you have time for your mini facial twice a day it’s great, but I can’t do it in the morning because I don’t have time to wait for the oils to soak in to go under makeup.

I’ve heard that flax oil is great for moisture issues. I know at least it has helped in a few cases of dry-eye, letting people wear contact lenses again. Perhaps it also helps skin?

I’ve never tried EVOO due to the smell but agree with others who think it should be safe. I have tried Almond Oil which is odor free and inexpensive. I use it in the area (under eyes and over the cheekbones) where I get driest in the winter. I picked it up at Pharmaca and the ethnitician there recommended it as a treatment for eyelashes too.

I can’t really comment on using olive oil on the skin–like Maya I have oily facial skin and using any skin care products or cosmetics with oil in them make me break out. However, it couldn’t hurt for you to try it if your problem is dry skin.

One thing you might want to try is to apply the oil or moisturizer right after you wash your face (after you have toweled off the excess water, but when your skin is still damp). That way, the oil/moisturizer traps that bit of water on your face so it stays hydrated longer. I used to have problems with dry skin on my elbows and knees. After I started regularly applying body lotion right after a shower, instead of waiting until I was completely dry, the problem disappeared.

I find grapeseed oil in the organic section of my grocery store. At the very least, a local health food store should have it – it is a common food oil.

Olive Oil and other food oils are perfectly appropriate for use on the skin. I second the Jojoba oil recommendation – Jojoba absorbs much better into the skin, so it provides the moisture without the heavy, oily feeling (and it is odorless). The OCM (oil clensing method) also works great for dry skin. I prefer Aquaphor to Vaseline and slather some on at night before I go to bed which helps the dry flaky skin around my nose. I use Vaseline as a moisturizer for both my children – it keep their skin so soft, especially in the winter.

I agree with you Angie & Maya about the water – I do think that the whole drink 8 glasses a day is a myth. You should just drink to thirst – for some this might be 10 glasses a day and for others it might be 3.

I used the EVOO cleansing method for a while, and then after I stopped continued using olive oil as a nighttime moisturizer. I actually have quite oily, breakout prone skin and I found that my skin seemed slightly less oily. The theory, as I’ve heard it, is that stripping the oils off your face with cleansers causing your body to ramp up oil production to compensate. Removing dirt while allowing your face to retain some oil calms your sebaceous glands down so they produce less. I found EVOO a bit too much work, and not really worth it, so my current regime is splashing with water in the morning and using a cream exfoliating cleanser in the evening to remove my makeup followed up by Goat’s Milk moisturizer. Once winter hits, I’ll probably switch to olive oil as a moisturizer at night again.

Sorry if this posted twice, the submit button did something odd.

My mom wears by olive oil. Olive oil is a beautiful thing, You can use it for hair, for cooking, for your skin. You don’t need much though. I have very dry course hair, so olive oil is really beneficial especially when I condition my hair.

I highly recommend flax seed oil capsules instead of fish oil. No matter what kind of fish oil pills I tried or how fresh they were, they were stinky and fishy tasting! I just buy a huge bottle of flax seed oil capsules at Costco, and I’m good. It’s done wonders for my nails! They used to get very brittle when the seasons changed, but now they’re in great shape.

And my doctor actually recommended Aquaphor or olive oil when my skin gets really dry. The only problem being that the aroma of the olive oil makes me hungry!

Angie, before you smear anything else on your face please read the book called: The Skin Type Solution by Leslie Baumann, M.D. (a dermatologist)

It helps you find out what specific skin type you have (there are four different factors to consider: oily vs. dry, sensitive vs. resistant, pigmented vs. nonpigmented, wrinkle vs. tight). This book also helps you find products that work specifically for your skin type, as a dry sensitive skin type will react to certain ingredients that dry resistant types will not.

It is important to learn to take care of your own skin, and I think that this book is a great first step to really learn about it. Most dermatologist do not have the time to help you with basic skin care, so this book does just that.

No, you are not, but other base oils might work even better. Wheat germ oil is recommended for dry skin, along with Japanese camelia oil and Sweet Almond oil.

Grapeseed oil is not for dry skin at all, it actually diminishes the produce of natural oils in the skin, which is why it’s great for combination and oily skins.

Oh, I didn’t see other questions. There must be some aromatherapy salons in Seattle, or you can just google it. Oils are great for skincare, but not every oil is for every skin type.

Olive oil is wonderful if you can stand the smell and you need that kind of hydration. I have really strange skin; combination that seems normal-to-oily, but in reality is normal-to-dry and I get excessive oil because I used to use products that didn’t hydrate enough!

Argan oil in my opinion is better. It hydrates just as well and feels a bit lighter than olive oil to me. You can get a super filtered version meant for skin care by Josie Maran:

http://www.josiemarancosmetics.....l?pid=1070

I swear by this stuff. It doesn’t have that heavy oil smell, but it is marked up an awful lot, so if you want you could just as easily buy argan oil from the grocery store.

What an interesting topic! I never would have thought of using olive oil for dry skin. My skin is very oily in the summer, but during the winter it is combination, dry in some places and oily in others. That book sounds great, Munequita. I’ll have to check it out.

Try keeping your fish oil pills in the freezer. Much less of a taste to them!

olive oil is great, but my latest discovery is cold cream. my eyes were really irritated using my eye makeup remover so i was looking for another option at the drug store and saw the cold cream. i think its something i’d seem my grandmother use, but i was desperate so i got it. i’ve been using it as a makeup remover & skin cleanser, even as a moisturizer and my skin has never been more awesome. i suffer from dry skin, but still get lots of breakouts and now my skin is moist and my breakouts are even less which is like crazy to me.

I have combo skin, and if you haven’t noticed, during summer season my skin gets shiny on my forehead. Shiny shiny.

During winter months the heat and dry air makes my skin very flakey in places – I go into the opposite extreme. I started using DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil last winter and it helped immensely. I don’t use it all year round, but will be replenishing my supply soon.

Yes, it’s expensive, but one bottle lasted me all through fall, winter and into the spring. It also works great to take make-up off. I am finding it works especially well to keep my few patches of psorasis under control too.

I did try regular cooking EVOO but I smelled like a salad. I would guess it works just as well but my only concern is that true olive oil goes rancid quite fast. And if the bottle you buy in the grocery store *doesn’t* go rancid – then it’s been processed with who knows what. I’d rather take my chances with the DHC product, since it’s been tested already and has glowing reviews all over the internet.

I’ve tried some of the other DHC products with mixed success. I will be ordering some of their leave-in hair conditioner: got a sample of that and it is great. Otherwise, I can take or leave their other products.

I do not believe that drinking water does anything for your skin. Fish oil -yes. It’s the omega 3. It’s good to get omega 3’s in your diet and they are in walnuts, olive oil, and flax seed – not just fish. The most important thing is to get a higher ratio of omega 3’s to omega 6 fats in your diet. Omega 6’s are basically anything with corn oil – your processed foods and fried foods are rife with omega 6’s. The average american diet is wayyyy lopsided on omega 3/6 ratio – something like 6 omega 6’s to every 1 omega 3. For good health – and skin!! – that should be reversed.

I steer clear of processed and fried foods except for the occasional indulgence. I eat walnuts and fish every chance I can get, but instead of fish oil (which can go bad very easily – all omega 3’s are quite fragile – and you have no guarantee how fresh the capsules or oil you are buying really is to begin with), I buy whole flax seed and grind it in a coffee grinder fresh each day.

I add 2 TB ground flax seed to my morning Power Smoothie: plain nonfat yogurt with active cultures, one banana, 3/4 cup of frozen berries, and 2 TB of ground flax seed. Or, sprinkle the ground flax seed into your morning oatmeal. Just work your way up to 2 TB – it is very high in fiber so start out slow. And don’t buy pre-ground flax seed: as I said, omega 3’s are so fragile, pre-ground flax seed has likely lost all its goodness from sitting on a shelf. You want to grind fresh each day.

Incidentally since adding flax seed into my diet, my cholesterol and blood sugar numbers all went way down back into normal range.

Hi Angie,

I take fish oil tablets made by a company named Pure.
I was told by a nutritionist that with any fish oil you do take it is important to know the type of fish used.

Read labels for fish oil from small fish like sardines and anchovies. The larger/older the fish the greater the chance of higher amounts of impurities -chemicals/pollutants bio accumulating in their skin which you would then be adding to yours. Of course they cost more $$. It takes more little fish to make a pill.
Plus with these fish you will find that the pills-liquids are not as fishy in taste. Think fresh fish vs. 2 day old fish. Quality counts.
I have a wonderful nutritionist that answers all of my questions very patiently. I am just curious by nature.

Pure has a liquid form of fish oil in an orange flavor which actually tastes great. Therese mentioned another brand earlier.
I was skeptical at first about the taste but not anymore and I hate sardines in any other form -go figure. My main thing now is to remember to take them.

Kellee

I was also going to recommend almond oil for the skin, but I see someone else already has. It’s lovely!

Hi Angie

I can recommend using Rosehip oil on your skin, it is chocka full of natural essential fatty acids and helps to regenerate and repair your skin without leaving any excess oils behind to give you spots! I use a few drops on my face every night after cleansing and wake with lovely smooth skin. It is also great for those fine lines around the eyes.

I use Triology rosehip oil, made right here in New Zealand, http://www.trilogyproducts.com, they also have loads of other fantasitic rosehip oil based products. You can buy Trilogy online in the USA through http://www.beautorium.com.

If you don’t like the idea of taking fish oils, you can try flax seed oil instead. It contains all the omegas and I find it is a bit gentler on the digestive system. It doesn’t taste very nice as a straight oil, so I take it in capsule form. I have mild excema and dry patches of skin on my legs and I find that even after a day of taking the flax seed oil my skin looks and feels much better.

Good luck!

I’m going to second what Kellee is saying about fish oil and emphasize it: QUALITY COUNTS! Since supplements are not regulated by the FDA, they can be of varying quality. This goes for lots of things, vitamins included. I buy fish oil only from my naturopath and keep it in the fridge so it doesn’t go bad. If you are taking a fish oil and get an upset stomach and have any sort of breath issues, it could be your supplement. Kellee is also right that when the fish oil tabs, or oil, is in the fridge, it’s hard to remember to take it! My skin has benefitted greatly from this and my nails grow like weeds.

I didn’t read all of the comments, so I don’t know if somebody already said this … But the company some ladies mentioned that makes skincare products out of olive oil (without the odor) is DHC. My Mum uses it, and swears by it. I’ve used it before, too. It’s lovely!

I tried a sample of the DHC and liked it. Then I tried using olive oil, too, and I also found it to be effective and nice. If you like the olive oil, DHC might be worth a try. As I recall, they will send you free samples.

Angie, I agree with you not only about the 8 glasses myth, but also the bottled water thing. I will sometimes buy it if it’s extremely hot outside and I need to cool off, but it’s rare. Now I just carry a small reusable container.

BTW, there was a very popular article on the BBC news website confirming that tea is actually healthier than water. Good news for us tea fanatics

Wow, there are a lot of comments here To make mine very brief, if you store your olive oil (or other food-grade oil) in a small container (preferably glass), you can add a few drops of a pure essential oil like lavender or rose to it so that it’ll have a nice scent.

I wrote a post on natural moisturizers a few months ago, if you’re interested: http://1001petals.blogspot.com.....rally.html

Not to get on my high-horse… okay what the heck… up on my high horse:

There’s no tablet or pill that can duplicate natural foods. Fish oil capsules – don’t buy into the B.S. marketing. Eating fatty fish or olive oil or a handful of walnuts or fresh-ground flax seed is much better – and a lot cheaper.

Pills and capsules and bottles of fish oil and what not – all of them have been processed, handled, shipped… and omega 3’s are so fragile, I can guarantee no matter what the marketing says they are not as good as regular garden-variety food.

Yes, I know I said earlier I use DHC instead of supermarket olive oil on my skin…. but that is somewhat different and actually not hypocritical as it sounds (I think – and admit, I may be wrong).

*Real* olive oil – cold-pressed, the kind that comes in a tin and has a very short shelf-life – is just as expensive as DHC. I know, because I am an olive oil snob and brought some home from Spain and spend top dollar when I find occasional shipments at my local wine store – which allows me to sample before I buy. Real olive oil is like buying quality wine.

Because real olive oil goes rancid very fast. The stuff on the supermarket here in the US does not go rancid that fast – which is a sign that it’s been processed and in that processing has lost some of its nutrients.

Real olive oil = quality wine. Supermarket olive oil = grape fruit juice that’s been processed to death. Yuck.

I really like the DHC olive oil based products also.

An Italian-American friend of mine uses straight olive oil on her skin and she looks good. She learned this from her Italian mom and grandmother. I don’t know how she keeps it from going rancid. I think DHC is better since they have obviously solved that aspect.

Re the water issue. I always feel better in many ways when I drink a lot of water. The way around the bottled water industry is to filter your own water and put it into your own refillable, washable container to carry it around. There are too many carcinogens in the plastic bottles sold by the water companies. Look up what cancer survivor Sheryl Crow has to say about that.

There are a TON of comments on this subject!

I hale from the Detroit, MI area where winters are simply awful and from which skin derives no benefit.

I stumbled across an olive oil scrub recipe on the internet some years back, and although I do not have problematic skin, it has tremendously enhanced the naural glow of my skin. I have recommended it to everyone I know, and they also rave on the benefits.

Olive Oil (nothing fancy, reg EVOO that you cook with )
White granulated sugar (any brand)
Tap water
Mix until it is the consistancy of jam. The majority of the mixture will be sugar, next a dash of EVOO, and just enough water to give it the texture you want.
You can use it once or twice a day.
Guaranteed to take the flakes away!
Oh, and another tip: if you abhor the smell of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) you can add a pinch of an essential scented oil like lilac or whatever fragrence you prefer.

That’s my two cents!

WOW! I’m in awe of today’s responses. Thank you for coming to my dry skin rescue. I have lots to think about and appreciate the informed input.

My gut says that I’ll be fine with loads of different types of oils on my face. I have super dry, sensitive skin that does not break out in spots. I’m therefore going to try most of what’s been suggested in the spirit of “nothing ventured, nothing gained”.

Mirah and Caramel Blondie, I’ll definitely try your facial routines at home. Joy and others, I’ll check out those DHC products. Munequita, your book suggestion sounds fab. I’ll ask Father Christmas to look into the matter. Quita, ponds cold cream is the best way to remove eye make-up and it’s as cheap as chips. My grandmother and mother swore by it.

Maya, I was forwarded that BBC article and it put a big smile on my face. Shiny, thanks for the detailed information. I’ll spend money on the best olive oil too.

As for the whole water drinking thing, I guess I feel adequately hydrated with the amount of water and tea I drink. I just don’t seem to get that thirsty and I feel physically uncomfortable when I drink too many liquids. Thanks for the validation, Shana. Here’s to smooth hydrated skin!

I have also used olive oil in the past with good results, but would recommend Almond oil, like the other posts. I have also have read good things about Rose Hip oils, but this is harder to find. If you are going to take fish oil, make sure you get ones containing omega 3 and omega 6. I take these supplements, with the omega 3 and 6 derived from nuts, and my skin has improved. I buy ones from the UK where there are stronger regulations about supplements. Also walnuts are a good natural source of these oils and you only need a small handful a day to get the benefits. Hope your skin improves!!!

Wheatgerm oil (not as heavy or smelly as olive oil) is a natural form of vitamin E. It is a little expensive but lasts ages. A mother at the school I teach at is a beautician and recommends it. You could mix it 50/50 with jojoba oil.

I’d also recommend coconut oil ! It’s actually much less greasy on the face than olive oil (gets absorbed better), smells nicer, and I think you’d have more chance of finding an unprocessed kind, since it keeps much better than olive oil.

Angie,

I have exremely dry, flaky, tight skin in the winter, too. I swear by Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask. I love her whole line of skincare, but this mask is one thing I can’t live without during the dry winter months. It is absolutely wonderful.

I checked out the DHC cleanser, but it contains parabens. Boo. I might just try plain olive oil instead.

i’ve heard the whole hydrating from the inside thing by drinking gallons of water is FALSE. some even say the bottled water industry invented the 8 glasses a day mantra. ha! obviously you shouldn’t allow yourself to get dehydrated but drinking lots of water won’t give you “moist” skin. as for the olive oil, i’m going to give it a try. i do know the harsh chemical agents that have been promoted by cosmetics companies make no sense, whether you’re stripping your hair’s natural oils or your face or your body, only to replenish with synthetic moisturizers. i could go on, but i’ll stop here!

Scientists have found that it has similar anti-inflammatory and pain relieving affects to ibuprofen (recent Self magazine).

It’s all I use year-round for my nighttime moisturizer (I have combo skin). My nighttime wash is a light exfoliating scrub of olive oil, sea salt, corn meal and rosemary and lavender essential oils. I’ve found that I break out much, much less and heal much quicker when I do break out when I’m using olive oil. The look and feel of my skin is wonderful now too.

I don’t know whether you’re still reading these comments, Angie, but I just wanted to mention that Munequita’s book rec was EXACTLY what I came into this thread to mention, and Father Christmas should be informed that the hardcover is bargain price $6 on Amazon.

Mai, I receive blog comments daily on blog posts that aren’t recent, so no worries. I always love to hear your input and I’m definitely getting that book.

I have started putting a mixture of coconut oil and olive oil on my face twice a day and when I saw Meredith yesterday she said: “Oh my! That olive oil thing is really working because your skin looks radiant”. I guess olive oil works for me. I also want to try the other suggestions. I’ll keep you posted.

If coconut oil works for you, jojoba and macadamia also might work – they are great but only very dry skinned people can use them right on the face

Just remember though that you’ll need to add a sunscreen when you go outside.

I used to think that olive oil was the best oil for very dry skin until I tried castor oil. Now, I know that olive oil is #2 in my book! Castor is a very heavy oil. It has an unusual sweet scent to it, which is very light in its’ own natural fragrance. Castor oil is so heavy that you only need a couple of drops of it. I apply it to my problem spots several times a day and now my eczema patches are dried up! Also, I prefer castor oil to olive oil because olive oil has more of an intrusive, undesiring scent, yet it is a great oil for dry skin.

If you have dry areas in your face, I recommend that you clean your skin at night with a gentle cleanser. Then add a couple drops of castor oil on the spots before going to bed. I do not recommend that you use it during the day or under your makeup because it is a very heavy oil that creates a shine.

Don’t worry about it being too “greasy” or oily because if you truly suffer from dry skin it will soak it up within a matter of minutes. However, you’ll be left with a wonder sheen to your skin.

Sometimes, I mix castor oil with mineral oil when I do not need as much of a heavy oil base. This natural mixture is great as well; it serves as a wonderful natural moisturizer/lotion for the body.

You can pick these two oils up at Wal-Mart on the laxative isle right by the pharmacy. They sit side by side ironically!

visit me at: http://www.myskinishappy.com in a couple of weeks. I specialize in natural skin care products for dry skin. There will be many items that you can purchase.

To Good skin care,
Temeka
Skin Happy!

Oh and let me add that if you suffer from dry skin I recommend regular olive oil pposed to extra virgin olive oil because it’s heavier, and it will last longer! Most virgin or extra virgin oils are lighter in color and weight. These oils would be best suited for those individuals who have normal/oily skin conditions based upon my experience.

To good skin care,
Temeka
Skin Happy!

If you want to avoid the smell of olive oil, you can find little bottles of almond oil at the health store. It will be as efficient if not more. If you want a creamy oil, use coconut oil. The virgin type will smell sweetly coconut (wonderful smell not at all your overpowering fake coconut fragrance) but the cooking type is odorless.

This is a response to JOY’s comment from November 3rd…The company you’re looking for is DHC! Its amazing stuff, I came across it randomly in the mail also, the free samples got me hooked and now I’m obsessed with it! Good luck!

Jess, do they have website? How do we find them?

I ofund it: http://www.dhccare.com/DHC/AboutDHC/oliveoil.aspx

Thanks

[...] a side note: I’ve tried most of the facial oils that were recommended after my post on olive oil. Jojoba oil has yielded the best results by far. It’s like liquid gold. I like the scent, texture [...]

For those of you who are worried about the taste or the smell of fish oil. GNC has a chewable (like eating a starburst candy) fish oil product that has a citrus flavor and is really great!!! I have been trying this product for a few months and have noticed a big difference in my skin plus many compliments.

I have just started OCM, liking it so far. However, I’ve used straight EVOO, as I understand Castor can be too drying. I have dry skin and even the EVOO leaves me feeling a bit too tight. I’ve tried adding more post cleansing..still not quite enough. Tried coconut oil. Worse result. Jojoba a little better. I’ll also add a bit of Lavender oil and Rosemary oil to the oil mix. Thoughts?

On my body, I’ve been trying to find something healthier than Cetaphil, which works wonderfully. However, as I’m hearing, your skin absorbes chemicals into your body just as if your are taking them. So, I’ve been trying to find a food grade option. So far, have tried Coconut oil, EVOO and Shea Butter (really itchy so that one was very likely the natural latex) and still dry itchy and tight. Other options?

[...] Olive oil: a safe solution for dry skin? [...]

[...] to your helpful comments on how to combat extra dry facial skin, my face looks and feels much better. After trying many of [...]

I recently started drinking at least 2 liters (trying for 3!) a day of water. At first it was a little hard – but I kept at it til I got used to it.

About 3 days after I finally was able to drink 2 liters a day – I was in bed and my legs rubbed together and I couldn’t believe how silky they felt! Also my fine lines were plumping out on their own!

Now if I don’t drink at least 2 liters a day I can tell by the way my skin looks.

Also I have tried Virgin Coconut Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Castor Oil as skin moisturizers. Of these 3 Castor Oil is my favorite by far.

Castor Oil sinks in much quicker and just feels ‘cleaner’ to me than olive oil – and I also noticed that when I use olive oil that by the time I have used it for a few nights my skin looks a little yellowish – but I have very fair aging skin and was using a very greenish color Extra Virgin Olive Oil and at first I love the ‘glow’ it leaves on my skin.

Virgin Coconut Oil worked very well for me for years. It is just when I got older that I needed something with more ’staying’ power than VCO. The Castor Oil soaks in quick and doesn’t make my eyes blurry – which is great – because I also put it all over my eyelashes! It also seems to make my eyelashes thicker and longer – and I noticed that VCO and EVOO seemed to make my eyelashes feel thinner…

If you decide to try either VCO or castor oil – make sure you apply them to a damp or wet face and with wet hands. What you really want to do is to seal water into your skin. Dry skin needs water – not oil really.

I am 49 and my skin problems may be different from yours – but I think you would really love Castor oil if you try it!

Just make sure to use it as a moisturizer and not a cleanser unless you mix it with olive oil (or some other moisturizing oil) because if you wipe it off it will take off a lot of skin oil and leave your skin drier than it started!

I’m only 11, and I just started using olive oil tonight. In fact, I still have it on! I read all of these comments ( I’m exhausted! ) and now I’m convinced that I need this! My skin breaks out like every week because of my oily T-zone. Funnily enough, around my mouth and chin my skin is extremely dry and flaky! And my cheeks are unbelievably soft… Weird! Anyway, I can’t wait to see the results of the olive oil! And I can’t complain about the smell, because I have a really bad cold. Go olive oil! And thanks to everyone for convincing me that this is the way to go!

I swear by 100% natural olive oil for moisturizing…and for conditioning dry hair, too! Much better than most of the commerically produced stuff in the store…and at the risk of being TMI, if you have an issue with personal lubrication, it comes in handy at those special moments, too hee hee

I have used DNC products and have stopped ordering them thru the catalogs and have found them at an asian store. Prices are relatively low due to no shipping and handling fees. I only purchase what I need: Olive oil cleansor and Olive oil for moisturizer. As a dry skin person overall, I need these stuff 24/7 year-round. I’ve tried almond to vasoline. My daughter needs vasoline for her dry “ring-worm” skin where as, my other daughter not needing much moisturizer except for a light lotion. It’s best to invest in knowledge first and then trying out several remedies. But we do what we can afford. I also put Ponds antiwrinkle cream at night only and the olive oil during the day with my makeup. This saves me a bundle. Good luck to all the ladies out there. As we age, we must also thrive to feeling good on the inside. I just thank God I am alive and healthy.

hmm, this has given me some really good (and cheap) ideas. i swim EVERYDAY which is no good for dry skin, plus cold weather and boy is my face a mess. i think i’m gonna try olive oil….