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The Olive Oil Antioxidant for Skin
Extra virgin olive oil has been valued for thousands of years, not only as a food, but also as a traditional ingredient in skin and body care.
Today, scientists are taking a closer look at the naturally occurring compounds found in olive oil to better understand what makes this ancient ingredient so interesting.
Among them is hydroxytyrosol, one of a family of olive polyphenols that has attracted growing scientific interest for its antioxidant activity.
What Is Hydroxytyrosol?
Hydroxytyrosol is a naturally occurring phenolic compound found in olives and extra virgin olive oil. It belongs to a wider group of plant compounds known as polyphenols.
In the olive, these compounds form part of the tree's natural defence system, helping it respond to environmental stresses.
Fresh, early-harvest extra virgin olive oil can be particularly rich in naturally occurring polyphenols. Alongside hydroxytyrosol, it contains a diverse range of olive phenolics, including oleuropein derivatives, oleacein, oleocanthal and tyrosol.
The precise balance of these compounds varies according to the olive variety, growing conditions, harvest timing and production methods.
In other words, every oil has its own character.
Why do olive polyphenols matter in skincare?
Our skin meets environmental factors every day, such as UV light, pollution and other external stressors. These can contribute to the formation of free radicals and oxidative stress, which are among the factors associated with visible skin ageing.
Antioxidants are widely used in skincare because of their ability to help protect against oxidative stress and support the skin's natural defences.
Hydroxytyrosol is one of several olive polyphenols that has attracted attention for its antioxidant activity, making it an interesting ingredient for skincare research.
It's part of what makes olive oil so much more than an emollient or carrier oil. Its naturally occurring compounds give it a chemistry worth looking at in its own right.
Why does early harvest matter?
Harvest timing can have a significant influence on the natural polyphenol content of olive oil.
Olives harvested earlier in the season generally produce oils with higher concentrations of many naturally occurring phenolic compounds than olives harvested later.
Harvest is the starting point, and there's more to the story.
Gentle extraction and proper storage also matter. Polyphenol levels are shaped by processing and by the life of an oil, which is why the journey from tree to bottle matters as much as the starting fruit.
For producers looking for naturally polyphenol-rich olive oil, early harvest is therefore one important part of the equation.
Our approach
We formulate with carefully selected early-harvest extra virgin olive oil, chosen for its naturally high polyphenol content.
That profile reflects a combination of factors: the olive variety, the growing conditions, the timing of harvest and the care taken during extraction and storage.
We're interested in the whole picture: the naturally occurring mix of olive phenolics that makes high-quality extra virgin olive oil so distinctive.
Hydroxytyrosol is one part of that story.
Nature meets modern skincare
Hydroxytyrosol is just one of the many remarkable compounds found in premium extra virgin olive oil. As research into olive polyphenols continues to grow, these naturally occurring antioxidants remain an exciting area of interest for skincare science.
For us, the approach is simple: start with an exceptional ingredient, understand what makes it interesting, and let its natural chemistry do the talking.
No reinvention required. Just a very good olive oil, looked at a little differently.
Find out more
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