Olive Oil Beauty and Diet Tips and Tricks
Olive oil has been a staple in not just the Mediterranean diet but the lifestyle as a whole for centuries. Its beneficial qualities are countless along with its uses. On first glance, it just appears to be another cooking oil. For many it might sit on the counter or perhaps the cupboard; waiting to be drizzled on some type of scrumptious food. But it's not just another oil, it's olive oil and it has a lot more uses that just being poured over salads. Sure olive oil tastes fantastic, it's easier on our stomachs, more so than any other oil. It's chock full of anti-oxidants which makes it fantastic for our heart and health. But it comes other bonuses that often go overlooked. It's time to grab that bottle and start realizing there are lot more perks packed inside that bottle than you might have originally thought. From the inside out it can beautify you from head to toe. So lets start at the top and work our way down in our learning journey of the beauty wonders of olive oil.Our hair can often become lackluster and dull. We wash it stripping away the natural oils. We use hot irons, blow dry it and then add tons of products to get the perfect look. We dye it, strip it and dye it again. After all this we run out and purchase shampoos and conditioners to soften it, calm it and control it. Maybe we toss a hot oil treatment in the cart if we think about it, but there's no need to if you have olive oil in the cupboard. It can bring that silky shine back and keep your locks in check.
Olive oil makes a fantastic hot oil treatment and it's as simple to do. Just carefully heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and work it through dry hair. Focus should be on the shaft and ends, not the roots as this is where hair is naturally oily. Wrap hair up in a hot towel, fresh out of the dryer perhaps, and let the oil work some magic for you. Shampoo and rinse well in cool water; style and enjoy soft, shiny hair.
Moving on, and down, remember we're working head to toe, with the list of do it yourself beauty with olive oil is taking care of you skin. What girl doesn't love a good bath scrub? They make our skin soft and glowing but can be costly. Olive oil to the rescue again, making a super scrub at home couldn't be easier. It only takes a couple of items that are probably already stocked in your kitchen and can be made quick and fresh upon demand. First pick an abrasive, think sugar, I like using brown, or epsom salt. Mix half a cup with a few tablespoons of olive oil. You can add a few drops of essential oils for scent or some fresh herbs depending on their beneficial attributes. The possibilities are endless, the results are marvelous. Olive oil will keep your skin moisturized and gorgeous.
Once you're done with your hot oil treatment for your hair and scrubbing down with your fresh new olive oil scrub why not pamper yourself a bit more? How about a manicure and pedicure? And guess what? You can use olive oils benefits here as well. Brush olive oil across your cuticles and then soak your hands and feet in warm water . It will help to soften your cuticles and make them easier to push back, plus it will keep them moisturized so they stay soft afterwards. No more scraggly cuticle for you, plus your manicure and pedicure will stay nicer longer with your cuticles in check.
So we've worked our way from head to toe on just a few of the beauty tricks you can work with olive oil, but there's even more. Use it as a gentle way to remove eye makeup. Swipe a tissue with a few drops across your eyes before washing your face at night for quick results. Add half a cup to a warm bath and let your entire body reap the moisturizing attributes of it. Mix it with sugar for a facial exfoliant, rub it gently in a circular motion and rinse well with cool water for a gentle scrub that will wipe out dead cells and leave you glowing gorgeous. Another little hand and foot softening trick and to apply olive oil to your hands and feet as you would a moisturizer and cover them with cotton gloves or socks. If you get into the habit of doing this a few times a week before bed your hands and feet will be thanking you. Use it on rough elbows and knees, it will absorb quickly and won't leave a greasy feeling behind on your skin.
The list can go on and on and it's no wonder why it's so revered in the Meditteranean lifestyle. Adding a little more olive oil in your life will keep you looking and feeling beautiful from the inside out. So the next time you reach for it on the shelf in the grocery, pick up some extra and add it to your beauty routine for some superb results.
