I suffer from tight, dry facial skin that often flakes around my nose and cheek area. Indoor heating and the dry Seattle air don’t help, which is why a recent trip to humid Hong Kong did wonders for my skin. It looked and felt great.

Now that I’m back, the change of weather has made my skin flake more than ever. The eight hour a day cream that I usually use to combat this problem has not helped, and neither has a facial, regular exfoliation, an alpha hydroxyl peel and super rich hydrating moisturizers.

Having reached the height of desperation, I’ve taken to using pure, extra-virgin olive oil on my nose and cheek area twice a day for the last week. I may smell like a Greek buffet, but it has worked beautifully. My skin finally feels hydrated and adequately moisturized (no more flaking). Am I crazy to apply the same olive oil that I use for cooking to my face? Is this risk-free? I’d love your input.