Extra Virgin Olive Oil is undoubtedly a highly valued star product in gastronomy, not only for all the aromas and flavors it brings to all kinds of hot and cold dishes, but also for its nutritional properties and its vitamin content that contribute significantly to the maintenance of good health based on a balanced diet. 

However, EVOO can also be very useful outside the kitchen, since its benefits extend beyond culinary borders, adapting to other sectors such as cosmetics, where it is highly valued for its properties, texture and vitamin content. 

Currently, products such as soap or cream based on extra virgin olive oil are starting to have a high demand and little by little they are taking their place on the shelves of skin care products stores. 

Why is EVOO becoming more and more popular?

The current trend in society is to lean towards more ethical, natural, sustainable products focused on the search for well-being without sacrificing quality. For this reason, extra virgin olive oil is presented as a great candidate willing to satisfy the needs of users, making all its benefits available to them.

Below we will find some of EVOO properties outside the kitchen and how cosmetics have been able to make the most of this product to create endless positive options for people.

EVOO as a natural antioxidant

Given its high levels of vitamin E, olive oil plays a protective role against cellular oxidation and free radicals, a common problem especially in cities, due to the high levels of pollution to which people are exposed daily. 

As an antioxidant, EVOO can help fight premature aging of the skin, and its main symptoms due to the loss of collagen and vitamins. Extra virgin olive oil is a great ally in the fight against wrinkles and expression lines, and applied as a regular treatment, it can help give the face a brighter, more hydrated and vivid tone. 

In turn, the EVOO applied to the hair as a mask can improve its hydration, shine and resistance, and revive cell regeneration in a natural and non-aggressive way. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cosmetics

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is undoubtedly one of the favorites in cosmetics at a national and international level because it has a very high vitamin content that few products offer. The vitamins A, E, K, and D, the phenolic antioxidants, and the polyphenols that can be found in EVOO are highly beneficial to health, and these properties can not only be harnessed through oral consumption, but also through direct application on the skin.  

EVOO can help prevent cell degeneration, and its use as a moisturizing mask is highly recommended, since it stimulates the skin, and applied with a gentle massage can contribute to the activation of the metabolism. 

Here you can find some of the most common uses of extra virgin olive oil. If you want to encourage yourself to try its benefits on the skin, all you need is to count on a good EVOO: 

• Nourishing mask for the face
• Nourishing mask for the hair 
• Natural exfoliant for the skin 
• Local moisturizer to prevent dryness of the hands, elbows, knees and the damage to the cuticles of the nails
• Treatment to use before, during and after shaving to avoid irritations and allergies caused by certain products

Extra virgin olive oil is quite rich in essential fatty acids, and for this reason it is generally a very good substitute for body oil or the common moisturizer. Since it does not have chemical perfumes of any kind, it is a natural and ecological alternative that is worth trying and applying to healthy skin.

Some cosmetic brands more committed to sustainable and ecological products are beginning to choose to create their products with extra virgin olive oil as the main ingredient, trying to keep its properties as intact as possible. 

As a result of this trend, we can currently find soaps and hair conditioners, regenerating masks for the face and hair, body moisturizing creams and natural exfoliants, among other products that are being developed in order to bring this great product to a wide public with the desire to ensure their health from a more sustainable point of view while providing remarkable benefits for the body.  el cabello, cremas y geles hidratantes corporales o exfoliantes naturales, entre otros productos que se están desarrollando con el fin de llevar este gran producto a un público amplio con ganas de velar por su salud desde un punto de vista más sostenible que pueda aportar notables beneficios para el cuerpo. 

If we choose to use cosmetic products that contain extra virgin olive oil, the key is to opt for trusted brands that guarantee the origin of the product and the way in which it is applied to the cosmetic product itself. Similarly, if we want to use EVOO on our own for any of the applications mentioned before, it is important to have a premium product that guarantees that its properties are unchanged. 

Taking care of our health means using only quality products. This is the only way we can achieve the desired results without worrying.

Definitely not. Virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are not the same product. There are great differences between these two types of olive oil, and it is important to get to know them in order to choose the best quality product. 

On many occasions the industry itself has created confusing advertising campaigns to present a lower quality product on behalf of another, and this action harms the good work of so many farmers who work every day to present a premium extra virgin olive oil.

What do we mean when we talk about Virgin Olive Oil (VOO)?

Virgin Olive Oil (VOO) generally has a free acidity expressed in oleic acid that must be a maximum of 2%. At a sensory level, its fruitiness must be greater than 0 and it may have a defect that cannot exceed a score of 3.5 (out of 10) in a tasting panel.

What do we mean when we talk about Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)? 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) has a free acidity expressed in oleic acid of less than 0.8%, it has not been subjected to any refinement process and in the tasting panels it must provide a fruitiness greater than 0, and it cannot present any type of defect at an organoleptic level. In addition, for the extraction of extra virgin olive oil, only mechanical processes should have been used.

Their nutritional properties are not affected either, and they maintain all their benefits such as Omega 3, vitamin E or essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, among others. 

One of the main differences between VOO and EVOO is their organoleptic quality. In the case of virgin olive oil, the presence of some defects, imperceptible to the common consumer, are allowed. Extra virgin olive oil cannot afford to fail in terms of sensory quality, and the margin of defect has to be 0.

A good extra virgin olive oil begins with a key product: the olive

It all starts in the countryside: the land where the olive trees live and where their fruits grow must present the best possible conditions, and the work of the soil and the care of the trees must respect the cycles of nature. 

To obtain an optimal extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), we need to start with an excellent raw material. The characteristics, quality and typology of the olives will be decisive when producing a unique oil, and will have a direct impact on the final organoleptic properties of the product. 

For this reason, it is also important to bear in mind that the moment of harvesting the olives is key, since they must be at their ideal moment of maturation. Olives need to be carefully harvested and milled in the shortest time possible to avoid any problem that may lead to defects in the final result of the production.

How can we choose a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil? 

When choosing a good extra virgin olive oil of the highest quality, we can use its labeling as a guide. On its label we will try to find some reference words or main characteristics, such as the following: 

1. Early harvest: 

The early harvest is an upward trend, since it makes it easier for the olives to maintain a correct natural acidity and good freshness, characteristics that will greatly influence the final product. In the early harvest, the olives are prevented from being excessively overripe. 

2. Olive variety: 

There are oils made from a mixture of olive varieties, and there are oils whose production process has only used a specific variety. These monovarietals are easy to identify, and they are a clear commitment by the olive maker to better reflect all the character and flavor that a single variety can have. In both cases, it must be identified on the label.

3. Ecological/Biological Farming:

It is an indicator that the field and the olive trees have been treated with the least possible intervention and without adding chemicals or pesticides that can be harmful to health. More and more small farmers reduce the use of pesticides or prevent problems naturally, even if they do not get to certify the land and the crop.

The quality of an oil is conditioned by several factors: the land, the trees, the weather, the type of olives, sustainability in cultivation techniques and finally, the talent of the hands that make it. A good mill master can produce an excellent EVOO with any variety.

Respect for nature and traditional production methods are essential to understand what level of excellence can extra virgin olive reach. Knowledge of the product and its optimal harvesting and processing times are also key. 

If there is a good balance, we can have a great product as a result.