Olive oil is an edible oil extracted from olives, the fruit of the olive tree (Olea Europaea). The olive or olive tree is a fruit tree that is presumed to be native to Asia Minor and Syria, since wild olive trees have been common in this region since ancient times, forming forests on the southern coast of Asia Minor. It was here that the Greeks began to cultivate it, discovering its great properties, to which they gave the special name of ἔλαια, which the Latins renamed olea.
It has been used since antiquity for both food and cosmetic purposes: in ancient Mediterranean countries, the use of oil in cosmetics was a common practice. In Egyptian culture, olive oil was used for hair care and to combat wrinkles; the Greeks applied oil to the bodies of athletes to highlight their aesthetic perfection and to prepare them through heat massage.
It is one of the oils richest in oleic acid (about 62%), the most abundant of the long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids in our bodies, with great nourishing and emollient properties for the skin.
In addition to oleic acid, olive oil contains about 15% linoleic acid, 15% palmitic acid and 2% stearic acid. It also contains an unsaponifiable fraction of 1 to 2 % that provides the oil with a significant concentration of active antioxidant ingredients including: phenolic compounds, chlorophyll, Vitamin E, phytosterols with reparative and anti-inflammatory action and squalene, one of the main components of the skin’s surface. It is therefore ideal for treating dry and dehydrated skin as it has a strong emollient action and counteracts water loss from the epidermis, keeping it moisturised and soft.
It also has a soothing effect on redness and irritation of the lips and hands and is well tolerated by even the most sensitive skin.
Contained in Gen-Hyal Bioactive Lip Care for its nourishing, moisturising and emollient properties.
