Olive Oil: We see it everywhere. It’s in our beauty products, in the food we eat, in the stories we hear that are passed down through the generations on how to stay young forever. Magazine journalists love it, bloggers write about it, TV style specialists rave about, and the list goes on. So why is Olive Oil one of the best beauty secrets of all time?
Since the days of Ancient Greece Olive oil has been used for more than food by the people of the Mediterranean people. Homer called it ‘liquid gold’ as it had been a source of medicinal, magical, domestic, religious usages and endless fascinations. Grecian athletes even rubbed Olive oil on their bodies to accentuate its beauty. In Roman times, the women anointed their hair with Olive oil to keep it silky and supple. While in the Provencal region people used the oil to nourish and soften their skin.
The Olive Tree is truly an incredible creation of nature. Throughout the Mediterranean basin, you can find olive trees that are a thousand years old – witnesses to the history of this region. The Tree survives the harshest of winters, the wettest of springs, and the driest of summers. This tree truly embodies the history of the Mediterranean, a vegetal emblem of a culture and an art for life. It is a symbol of strength and vitality.
Good quality olive oil contains valuable vitamins, nutrients, and is loaded with 4 different antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize damaging free radicals that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. Olive oil is also a nourishing and softening oil rich in Vitamin E which works great as skin moisturizer, in part because it contains linoleic acid, a compound not made by the body, but which prevents water from evaporating.
At L’OCCITANE we mostly supply our Olive Oil from the Moulin du Luberon located in Volx, which is Ecocert certified & Haute-Provence AOC controlled-origin – which is a quality gaurantee. This label certifies security and traceability for the consumer.
Here are a few fun sites to vist:
Nudo. Adopt an olive tree in Italy. Great gift idea!
Olivier & Co. L'Occitane's sister company, specializing in Mediterranean food stuffs.
~ Lana
