We absolutely love it when we find out a product is multi-purpose or can be used in a slightly different way to become the most insane life hack ever, or at least since we found out that chapstick instantly heals a papercut. So imagine our faces when we found out how incredible olive oil is. Seriously. Olive oil has some of the most incredible and extraordinary benefits that you would have never guessed, and there we were using it exclusively for cooking dinner.
So, without further ado, waltz into your kitchen with a smile and a swag, pull your bottle of extra virgin olive oil from your cupboard and explore the other benefits it can have in your life. From helping around the house to improving your skin and even restoring your furniture, here are the most mind-blowing ways olive oil can change your life.
- Hair Conditioner
There is nothing worse than having dry and brittle hair, like driftwood in the middle of a desert. Well, olive oil can cure this problem without any fuss by putting the moisture back into it. All you have to do is warm up half a mug of olive oil and then rub it into your hair, especially the roots. If you want to get the most out of this, then go old school by putting a plastic bag over your head and then putting a towel around that, like that time you bleached your hair (never again!). Catch up on your favorite Netflix show and then wash it out with shampoo. Simple as that.
- Floor Polish
If you’ve noticed that your house has lost it’s, well, sparkle recently, it could be your furniture and floors. Hardwood floors and furniture just lose that razzmatazz over time. But don’t despair just yet because olive oil can come to your rescue here as well. What’s more, it is just as amazing as that super expensive stuff you buy in the shops. All you need is an old spray bottle filled with two parts olive oil and one part lemon juice and there you have it; a quick shake and spray and you’re done. Leave it for a couple of minutes and then wipe it off and you’re left with dazzling wooden floors once again.
- Leather Furniture
We love our old leather furniture; it is just so warm and homely and welcoming. It has taken years to get it to this stage, but it is now starting to crack and harden thanks o nothing more than just your everyday wear and tear. It could be an ottoman, or a sofa, that armchair your inherited or even your old baseball glove. Whatever it is, a quick rub down with some lovely olive oil and you can give it that second – maybe even third – lease of life. Work it in with nice and gentle circular motions, leave it for a half hour (more Netflix) and then wipe the oil off.
- Spot Control
We know. Applying olive oil to your face may not sound like the most luxurious of treatments to use, but so many acne sufferers swear by this as the only thing that really works. What you want to do is make a paste out of salt and olive oil and then work it into your face before rinsing it off with warm water. Start off with once a day for seven days (we sound like a doctor now) and then cut back to a couple of times a week. How this works is magic, kind of. What happens is the salt acts as a natural exfoliant and the olive oil puts moisture back into your skin, and that combats spots.
- Blocked Ears
There is not much worse than having blocked or clogged ears. It’s uncomfortable for one, and so annoying when everything sounds like you are underwater for two. Luckily, the superhero that is olive oil is on standby. If you read here, what you need to do is warm up a little bit of olive oil and then put a few drops into the ear that is annoying you. Leave it for five minutes (it will be a weird five minutes) and then tilt your head to the side while getting the oil and wax and whatever else out with some cotton. It is such a nice feeling when it oozes out. Trust us on that one.
- Shaving Cream
How annoying is it when you realize you have run out of shaving cream on Sunday night when the shops are shut and you have work tomorrow. It’s the worst, and you are there scurrying around your bathroom trying to find a substitute before settling on a soap. Don’t use soap. It will be so rough on your skin. Instead, go to our new best friend, olive oil. Some would argue it is even better than shaving cream. The reason is it has so many benefits. Not only will your razor glide over your skin like a feather through the air, the olive oil will also moisturize your skin too. We know a few people who had to go with olive oil on a Sunday night and they haven’t looked back since.
- Polish Steel
Nothing beats a spontaneous deep clean. You know when you just look at your kitchen and think, wow, how did it get like this and then you realize it’s been a few months since you got down and dirty with the clean. Then you realize you have no polish, of course. Well, instead of reaching for the classic substitutes, which could corrode and dull your stainless steel, such as ammonia, try using olive oil. You’ll quickly write us a thank you once you do because it is not only an effective shining agent it is also super-duper safe. Olive oil is just the best.
- Stuck Zips
We went to pull on our favorite leather jacket the other day, which we haven’t worn since last spring, and we found that two of the zips were stuck. Seriously. They wouldn’t budge at all. It was so infuriating. So we Googled it and who should pop up on our screen but trusty old olive oil once again. All we had to do was put some on a Q-tip and then carefully apply a drop onto the teeth of the zipper (avoiding the cloth bit) and there we had it, the zip moved better than it ever had done, like Europeans before Brexit.
- Makeup Removal
Girls, you can empathize with us when it comes to shelling out money on cosmetics; it’s like having a second rent. Well, olive oil is way cheaper than most brands of makeup removal solution and just as good. Not only that, but it is also good for your skin. It moisturizes it, which is the complete opposite of what most products do (spoiler alert: they harm your skin). If you want the best recipe, though, then get yourself a third of a cup of natural yogurt, a quarter of honey and two teaspoons of olive oil. There we have it, the most amazing makeup removal solution that will make your skin feel amazing. Just dip a couple of cotton wool balls in and do what you would do normally. If you just want to remove your eye makeup, however, then just use some olive oil to moisten up a cotton wool pad and then stroke it across your eyes. Not only will this remove the makeup it will also soften your skin and feel fantastic too. Oh, we love you, olive oil.
