“Sweet mother of Bob!”
In a blind panic, I raced into the restroom. I quickly locked the door and ripped off my sweater, searching my reflection in the mirror for proof of the flesh eating virus that was devouring my skin. I found none. From shin to chin, I was on fire. I dragged my short nails across my chest, leaving tracks of my desperation. I knew full well that scratching the itch would only make it worse, but I didn’t care. Damned winter skin. The thick layer of cocoa butter I’d covered myself in earlier that morning was no match for weeks of consecutive twenty-degree weather and the wind. My god, that wind.
“Oh-leeve oil. Ick-stra veergin,” Natasha advised, hovering over my eyebrows with her hot wax.
“Olive oil? Really?”
“Jes. You read zee Bible, it tell you all about healing powers of oh-leeve oil.” She tapped a finger on my windburned, peeling nose. Demons, out!
Not one to argue with the good book (ahem), I went home and made a beeline for the kitchen. Leaving a trail of clothes down the hallway, I disappeared into the bathroom with a tall glass bottle of green liquid. I emerged ten minutes later, glistening, smelling faintly of an Italian kitchen, and totally blissed out. A mighty miracle had been worked! The Interweb even told me that olive oil won’t clog pores, and when I read that, I cleared a space in the bathroom cabinet for my new best friend.
Two days later, my elbows are girly soft again and I’m not sitting at my desk, frantically tearing at my bra like a crazy person. Clearly, this is why Rachael Ray is so keen on the e.v.o.o.
Now if only I could reach that spot right between my shoulder blades.
really?? but doesnt it leave u all greasy and umm,… oily?
You know you’re in a good relationship, when your partner finds that spot between the shoulder blades instinctively.
May I suggest this
I have something similar I bought at Bed, Bath & Beyond, but I couldn’t find it online.
A lifesaver, seriously!
Oh, and EVOO is great for your hair too.
This is just craziness!! Who knew? I’m trying it for sure… thanks for the tip!
won’t clog pores? REALLY?
I wash my face in olive oil. Seriously. Works as well as any fancy stuff I’ve tried and is much cheaper. I don’t even need moisturizer most of the time.
Fascinating!
I’m dry or itchy (most of the time), but I am all about being “girly soft” as you say. And that thing about not clogging pores? ROCK. ON.
I have been using olive oil on my hands, which get terribly chapped and cracked in the winter. I went to a dermatologist last winter and she prescribed a lotion that cost $35, which I paid, because I was desperate. Then, I looked at the label, and it was mostly olive oil! So I bought a $5 bottle and have been using it ever since…
This isn’t intended to be spam or anything but have you ever heard of this olive oil based skincare line?
I personally didnt like the way it felt on my skin – too greasy, but I have a friend who loves this stuff…
Hey Fish.
She’s right, Olive Oil is one of the three ultimate treatments for skin. All the over the counter…Purell, etc. garbage is not the real thing. The other two I strongly suggest are pure cocoa butter or raw, cold-pressed shea butter (not refined). They have some that are infused with pure Lavender oil. Plus shea butter works on hair, nails, lips, every single thing.
I had no idea! I’m definitely going to try it tonight. I’ll let you know how it goes
I use Neutrogena Body Oil after the shower. It’s not a mineral oil like the J&J Baby stuff, it’s made with sesame oil and keeps me moisturized for days!
THANK YOU!! That is SO good to know!! I have been trying everything I could get my hands on to deal with the winter dryness – never thought of evoo…..
If you mix 3 tablespoons of regular granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons of olive oil it makes a fantastic body scrub to use in the shower, and the oil leaves your skin moisturized afterwards.
I’ve been using Vitamin E oil. I got it in the vitamin section at Target. It’s cheap and amazing!
can I recommend Body Shop Olive Oil Body Butter? Speaking as someone whose skin cracks and bleeds when subjected to those eastern cold temps (which is one of teh reasons I now reside on the more temperate left coast), that stuff ROCKS!
If I may add my cents. You may try coconut oil , camphor and lemon juice mixed in together. Any extreme dryness also will heal. This is age old Indian formula
OMG! I wonder if e.v.o.o will work on stretch marks? hmmm…
I’m totally going out to buy the Body Shop’s Olive Oil Body Butter.
Between the shoulder blades? That’s man’s work. Ask any husband. But extra virgins? That may take more than one man.
I think this is your most erotic post ever. So much scratching and clawing at clothes and gettin’ oily…
I’m surprised there aren’t more volunteers for that hard-to-reach spot!
Nothing on this green earth (or white, if the weatherperson is correct) will convince me that olive oil on skin won’t lead to excessive breakouts.
I wonder if using one of those pump sprays from Pampered Chef would work on your back…
To reach that spot between your shoulder blades… rubber band an olive oil moistened sock/cloth/ etc on the end of a ruler
wow….never knew!! had heard that olive oil was good for hair….now i am going to try…thanks
This is yet another reason why you should strongly consider moving to California. I recommend San Diego because the beaches there rock, and I know a cute boy who doesn’t have a girlfriend. You have to promise to tell me how he kisses, though!
Heat 1/3 (more or less, depending on the length of your hair)cup of EVOO in the microwave for about a minute and you get an at home hot oil treatment for your hair. Just don’t slip in the shower washing it out.
(Lush)… the best BEST olive-oil soap ever. Never need for any moisturizer/cream/lotion or anything anymore. And not half as greasy a bottle of oil!
Knowing them from back here in Amsterdam, I was so happy seeing them opening up in NYC also (close to Macy’s if I remember correctly). Oh and if you want an excuse for someone to rub your back – they have awesome chocolate-massage-bars… mmm…
It works great on hair too
Rachel Ray, for all her charms, reminds me in personality and mannerisms of a badger, or perhaps a rabid wombat. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes I think she has to tell herself not to bite other people. Also, hell for me would be Rachel saying “E.V.O.O.” into one ear and Giada DeLaurentis saying “pan-cheeta” in the other ear.
Mike, you just made my day
Spa-gheeti’s the one that winds me up… Aargh!
Looking forward to trying a new olive oil treatment, though. I didn’t realize how dry and itchy I was until I read this post!
I tried it last night! Slathered myself and then put on some cotton pj’s…woke up smooth…and a bit shocked that my skin soaked it all up! Definitely one of the cheapest luxuries I’ve found…thanks!
Ah, another of nature’s miracles- Good for the diet to make you slim, AND you can bathe i it! So many great things come from the Mediterranean…
Mike, you are my hero! Every time I hear Rachel utter “E.V.O.O” I die a little inside.
Mike,
That’s awesome! I laughed myself stupid. I think it takes more effort to say E.V.O.O than olive oil. blimey.
Have just begun reading this blog and am reading through archives at the moment. As a fish transplanted from a lovely aquarium in the UK to MA then onto NC, who misses her like minded and lovely friends back home desperately it’s great to hear how much you clearly cherish yours. While I wouldn’t trade my shiny fab bike for the world, your blog has at times made me desperately sad for what I’ve left behind. It also makes me hopeful that I’ll eventually find new fishies…and pee myself laughing. So thanks.
P.S My cat also plays fetch, she returned from the garden today with a collar she got of 3 months ago and dropped it at my feet. If she could speak she would have said “TaDaaa”.
that’s sweet, I’m so trying that when I get back to the dry grossness of Canadian winters.
even better? mix olive oil and just plain sugar together…use it as a scrub in the bath (watch the tub, it can be slippery) sugar washes away winter skin, olive oil left behind
Good lord almighty! You have a brave soul! I have sometimes thought about using olive oil for my knuckles, shins and cracked nipples through the tough Chicago winters, but I’m just not convinced with using FOOD on my body! Although that was damn near blasphemy for me to say, considering my not-always-successful lotion lists sodium stearoyl lactate (lactate!!!), soybean, helianthus annus aka sunflower seed oil(annus?!?) and corn oil among the ingredients. =) And even after my sad realization, the thought of using olive oil scares me, as it might just cause me to run into the kitchen to cook up some pasta!
I use the EVOO on my hair on a weekly basis – keeps it soft and shiny.
I’ve been told that i have super soft skin. I try to disclose my skin “secrets” to my friends, but they don’t want to listen. They would rather complain about having dry cracked skin all year long. In the summer, I use cocoa butter oil; in the winter, I use evoo everywhere. It even keeps hair and nails looking great!
Fish – are you taking about Natasha at J’Adore? I moved to LA from NY in May and I miss Natasha! Your post makes me miss home a little bit more than I already was.
Mike. I think you just finally nailed for me what it is about Rachel Ray. She IS kind of like a rabid wombat, having to constantly remind herself not to bite other people! She’s always made me a little nutso and now I have a thought as to why. Thanks! It gave me a much needed chuckle.
And Fish! I didn’t forget you! Definitely shea butter! I’ve never tried olive oil, but I’m tempted now. Shea butter is a miracle, though, if you don’t want to smell like an Italian kitchen. Smells kinda nutty and soaks, soaks, soaks. Love it. Get it in soap form if you can.
Here’s to no more dryness!
Yes, olive oil’s a miracle worker–for hair too! Leave it on your hair for half an hour. For extra oomf, put a shower cap over it and run a hair dryer on top of that. Then rinse. Softens and strengthens!
Thank you SO MUCH for this. For the past week my face has been inexplicably dry and horrible and flaky for absolutely no reason (I live in Arizona, it’s *not* cold here). I tried olive oil on my face last night and I almost cried from happiness when I woke up this morning and my face was back to normal.
ok maybe I am dense…but what is it you do with the evoo? Do you put it on and then wash it off? Sorry to be dumb but I am not quite clear and I am ALL about having soft skin!
I am soooo trying it on my hands. I am also an east coast grrl and this weather is killing my skin. My hands were actually bleeding because they were so dry and NO lotion on this planet helps them.
J, I have the same question. Not to turn this into a beauty helpline, how do you apply the olive oil and how long do you leave it on your body? I googled this yesterday and couldn’t find a definitive answer. I need advice because my skin is cracking and nothing has worked so far!! Thank you all!!!!
Steph & Rachel,
I hope this helps: Once or twice a week, I put about a quarter cup in the tub, have a good soak, then pat dry and crawl into cotton pajamas. Usually, my skin soaks it up over night so I never worry about washing it off. For my face, I use it like a night cream- I put it on at night (two or three times a week) and wash my face as normal in the morning. I have very acne-prone skin, but since I’ve been using the olive oil, I break out less. And I’m oh-so-soft. I love it!
I’m crazy about burt’s bees apricot baby oil. i smell like a sweet lil baby and my skin stays so soft!
JenW, Thanks a bunch for mentioning the acne prone skin. I have had acne prone skin for ages, tried many things but nothing really works. I’m definitely trying it too. Thaaankss
I would try olive oil. I had no clue it provided that much utility. It’s kind of like baking soda. Use it on a car battery to remove battery acid. Then use it on teeth and gums to remove bacteria.
I live in southern Italy and come from a long line of women who regularly used olive oil to keep their skin moisturized. I do the same thing with the bath that JenW describes and apply directly during the winter when my skin needs it. It’s wonderful!
My roommate freshman year of college used olive oil as body lotion every night and never once washed her sheets the whole semester we lived together….Talk about gross. For this and this reason only I will probably never use o.o. on my 20 below with a windchill of 45 below North Dakota dry- as-can-be winter skin! I just deal with it and on warm days like today (25 above), I open the windows and wait for spring and happier skin!
has anyone tried o.o for cooking?
Dear Fish…welcome to the olive oil party. I love it inside and out. Add a little to the tub next time you soak, and of course, it is wonderful for cooking. I even use it in baking for greasing the pans. It comes in a spray bottle also – like PAM. Extra Virgen is always the best for health reasons.
Ciao bella…enjoy!
got a bottle of e.v.o.o. today
My recommendation: Extra Virgin Baby Oil from those nice boys at J&J… same baby skin, less side dish of garlic and memories of Grandma whacking you with a wooden spoon.
totally worth a try for me, thanks for the 411!!
My friend uses baby oil and although it works temporarily, she is usually dry again after a day. I was going to get some and just use it daily until I read this post. Baby oil causes acne and will clog pores, but from what some of your commenters have said, EVOO does not. I’m going to buy that instead and tell my friend, too!! Thanks, Fish!
Olive oil totally works. Glad you discovered it. I got a full body allergic rash on family vacation four years ago that had me in TOTAL misery. Finally caved and slathered on olive oil after my brother hounded me for days, and it worked wonders *instantly*. My family’s used it exclusively ever since. Adding it to a bath is fantastic when skin needs some extra loving.
watch out for shea butter–it contains latex, and if you’re allergic to it(many people are), your skin will get red and burn.