By Shahnaz Husain
Olive oil is a very useful beauty aid. It can be in use of both for the skin and hair, mainly to soften and provide nourishment. Apart from being emollient in nature, it has several properties that nourish the skin and hair. It contains many vitamins and minerals. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Further, an antioxidant helps to prevent oxidation or free radical damage and degeneration, caused by exposure to the sun and chemical pollutants. Like sesame seed and sunflower oils, olive oil can provide protection from the sun’s UV rays too. Olive oil can also help to restore the normal acid-alkaline balance of the skin that gets disruption by exposure to alkaline soaps, chlorinated water and chemical air pollutants.
You can use olive oil in home remedies, for skin, hair and body care:
· In addition to 5 drops of aromatic essential oil to 50 ml olive oil to make massage for the body. You can choose from rose, sandalwood or lavender essential oils.
· For dry skin, mix egg yolk with a little olive oil and apply on the face. Wash it off with water after 20 minutes.
· If you wish to remove tan, add lemon juice to the mixture.
· For dry and dehydrated skin mix together 1 ripe avocado, with one teaspoon each olive oil, yogurt and honey. Apply on the face and leave on for 20 to 30 minutes. Wash off.
· For dandruff, heat olive oil and apply on the scalp at night using cotton wool. Rub gently to loosen dandruff flakes. Leave on overnight. Next morning, apply the juice of a lemon on the scalp and wash the hair after half an hour.
· Babies also develop a scaly condition on the scalp, called “cradle cap.” The scales should not be pulled out. They should be softened with pure olive oil, applying it with cotton wool. The next day, wash the baby’s scalp with a baby shampoo that does not sting the eyes.
· Since it is light, it can be used as a hairdressing for extremely dry, damaged and frizzy hair. Put 2 drops of olive oil on the palms; rub palms together lightly and then smooth the palms over the hair.
· Fenugreek (methi) seeds protect the scalp from infection and dandruff. Soak the seeds overnight in water. Grind them into a paste. Add 2 teaspoons each olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Apply the paste on the scalp and leave on for half an hour. Rinse well with water.
About Shahnaz Husain
Shahnaz Husain, the pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement, heads the Shahnaz Husain Group, with a global network of franchise ventures and 375 Ayurvedic formulations. A Case Study at Harvard for Brand Creation, she is now a Harvard Subject for “Emerging Markets” She was honoured with the Padma Shri Award and is the first woman in 105 years to receive the World’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award from Success, the U.S. business magazine. Indeed, Shahnaz Husain is a leading international beauty icon.
