From make-up remover to conditioner, 9 beauty uses for olive oil

It’s an essential in the kitchen, and a key ingredient for practically every meal.

But cooking isn’t the only area where olive oil excels – it’s also perfect for your everyday beauty regime.

From a handy hair conditioner to a make-up remover and even a shaving cream, the kitchen favourite can help you achieve a natural glow without the added price tag and man-made ingredients.

Rich in vitamins, minerals and natural fatty acids, olive oil acts as a natural moisturiser, while antioxidants help prevent skin ageing. Here are some handy hacks that make use of the wonder stuff!

Body moisturiser

Applying olive oil to your skin shortly after washing in the shower and before drying is the perfect way to moisturise with all-natural ingredients. Add a thin layer to your skin, before washing off the excess, and you’ll notice an immediate difference.

Another handy trick is to add a few tablespoons of oil to your bath, before soaking in it, giving it time to work its magic.

Make-up remover

It may seem an odd liquid to apply to your face and around your eyes, but olive oil actually works by attracting other oil-based products, making it a perfect pre-cleanser.

After washing it off with warm water, it’s good to follow up with your normal face wash to remove any excess oiliness.

Nail strengthener

If you’ve ever had a professional manicure, you may wonder whether the cuticle oil they apply at the end truly works.

It turns out, it really does. Olive oil, just like cuticle oil, works as a moisturiser and help aid growth and improve nail strength at the same time, so massage it in to give your nails a boost.

Home-made face mask

Layering your skin with a thick face mask can be therapeutic and a great way to unblock your pores – but to ensure you know exactly what you’re putting on your face, why not make it yourself?

By mixing one egg yolk with a tablespoon of olive oil, you can create a perfect natural mask. Apply to your clean face and leave on for around 5-10 minutes, before washing off with warm, then cold water.

The oil helps dry skin in particular, and by adding a squeeze of lemon juice, it can also whiten it too.

Hair conditioner

Plenty of reports say oil was used as far back as Egyptian times for hair treatments – so why break with tradition?

Applying it to your hair before a wash gives your locks the moisture they’re craving, particularly if you heat-style or blow-dry your hair regularly.

First, warm the oil slightly, before rubbing it in to the roots and tips. Leave it for about 20 minutes, before shampooing it out again.

Shaving cream

We all know that panicked moment when you realise you’ve run out of shaving cream and don’t want to scrape a razor over sensitive skin – but instead of using up your precious conditioner, just reach for the olive oil.

It helps prevent nasty shaving rashes or bumps by acting as a barrier between the razor and skin, leaving your skin smooth and glowing.

Rash and eczema treatment

Just like it works to moisturise skin, it follows that olive oil helps prevent rashes and eczema too.

Targeting dry patches of skin, the vitamins, minerals and natural fatty acids help add much-needed moisture, so rub it in like a moisturiser, patting with a towel if you’d prefer not to feel too ‘oily’ afterward.

Make-up brush cleaner

While soap cleans almost anything in your beauty cupboard, make-up brushes can be nearly impossible to get back to new.

By mixing the oil with some anti-bacterial soap, however, you can ensure you catch every last trace of make-up. It’s worth doing this once a month to ensure your brushes are kept at their best.

Cracked heel repair

Olive oil is great for the dry skin round your ankles and heels, so you look great in summer sandals.

First exfoliate and buff away excess dry skin with a pumice stone, before applying generous amounts of the oil – allowing time for it to soak in. It slowly hydrates the skin and helps repair damage if used regularly.

Have you tried any of these handy hacks? Did you have any success?