The European olive tree (Olea europaea) has thrived for millennia under the hot sun of the Mediterranean basin. It grows the famous small, green fruit known as olive, prized for its taste and richness in oil. Olive trees are slow-growing and can have a very long lifespan. Indeed, the oldest known in the world are in Lebanon and are believed to be 6,000 years old. SIX. THOUSAND. (gobsmacked emoji)

-Readily absorbed, it offers lightweight moisture.
-It helps condition the skin and hair, supporting a stronger-looking feel.
-It gives the skin a healthy-looking glow.
-It makes the hair look shiny.

The oil’s lightweight feel is due to its squalene content, a compound that can also be found in human sebum. ‘Well accepted’ by the skin, it helps maintain a healthy level of moisture.

Olive oil contains some of the most potent antioxidants in the world, namely vitamin E, hydroxytyrosol (a plant polyphenol) and oleic acid. These compounds are thought to help the skin cells deal with the oxidising action of free radicals. This means that they could help the skin stay firm and look healthy for longer. Besides, olives, olive leaves, and olive oil have been studied for their bioactive properties in skin care contexts.

Sources: Boss, A., Bishop, K. S., Marlow, G., Barnett, M. P. G., Ferguson, L. R., (2016) Evidence to Support the Anti-Cancer Effect of Olive Leaf Extract and Future Directions, Nutrients 8(8):513

Melguizo-Rodríguez, L., González-Acedo, A., Illescas-Montes, R., García-Recio, J. Ramos-Torrecillas, E., Costela-Ruiz, V. J., García-Martínez, O. (2022) Biological effects of the olive tree and its derivatives on the skin, Food Funct., 13, 11410-11424

At Lush, we use a lot of moisturising olive oil, but we also purchase the lesser-known olive leaf absolute to complement some of our perfumes. Extracted by solvent from the green-grey leaves of the tree, it has a refreshing herbal scent with a hint of fruity aroma and bitterness.

Lush purchases olive leaf absolute from Egypt, where the leaves are trimmed off the trees after the fruit’s harvest. All the other olive-derived ingredients that you can find in our products have different stories and origins.