Olea europaea (fruit oil)

Olive oil

Eaten as part of a Mediterranean diet, extra virgin olive oil has moderate evidence for heart health: in the PREDIMED trial the diet cut major cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 0.69) in high-risk adults, and large cohorts link higher intake to fewer heart events, though olive oil on its own has not been tested in a trial.

On skin the trials point the wrong way: it damaged the adult skin barrier and did not help babies, so it is not a good moisturiser for eczema-prone skin or infants. We found no human trial for hair, and only limited evidence for ear wax drops.

Written by

Healthy and Herbal editorial team

Reviewed by

Healthy and Herbal editors

Updated

10 October 2026

A glass bottle of olive oil beside green olives and bread

At a glance

Last reviewed 10 October 2026

Evidence

Moderate

Best for

Heart health (diet)

Typical form & use

Extra virgin olive oil in the diet

Onset

4+ weeks

Safety

Not for baby or eczema-prone skin; not in a perforated ear. No interactions in our data.

Check with your medications →

What it's used for

Evidence is rated per use. The same ingredient can be strong for one thing and traditional for another.

Use	Evidence	What the research shows
Heart health (as part of a Mediterranean diet)Compare remedies for heart health →	Moderate	PREDIMED randomised 7,447 high-risk adults to a Mediterranean diet with free extra virgin olive oil, the same diet with nuts, or advice to cut fat. Over about 4.8 years the hazard ratio for major cardiovascular events was 0.69 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.91) with olive oil. The original 2013 report was withdrawn for randomisation errors and this is the re-analysis; a Cochrane review judged the evidence for death from any cause to be little or no effect (HR 1.0) and for stroke to be reduced (HR 0.60). The trial tested a whole diet, so the benefit cannot be credited to the oil alone.^1,2
Lower risk of heart disease and early death (long-term intake)	Limited	A 2024 meta-analysis of 30 prospective cohort studies (2.7 million people) linked higher olive oil intake to lower cardiovascular disease (relative risk 0.85) and all-cause mortality (0.85), with the risk reduction levelling off around 18 to 22 g a day. Cohort studies show association, not cause, and people who use olive oil tend to eat and live differently.³
Softening ear wax	Limited	The NHS suggests 2 to 3 drops of olive or almond oil, 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days. The Cochrane review of ear drops (10 studies, 623 people) found no high-quality evidence that any drop is better than another, and none that oil beats water or saline. One study found active drops cleared wax in 22% of ears against 5% with no treatment after five days. There were no serious harms.^6,7
Dry skin and infant massageCompare remedies for skin →	Traditional	The trials suggest harm. In 19 adults, olive oil applied twice daily for 4 weeks significantly reduced skin barrier integrity and caused mild redness, while sunflower oil did not. In 115 newborns, olive oil or sunflower oil twice daily for 4 weeks improved hydration but left the skin's lipid layer less well-formed than no oil. The infant trial was a small pilot not powered to show clinical effects, so the authors advised caution.^4,5
Hair care and hair growthCompare remedies for hair & nails →	Traditional	We found no clinical trial of olive oil on hair. Use as a conditioner or hot-oil treatment is traditional and rests on how it feels, not on trial evidence.
Face (moisturising or cleansing)	Traditional	We found no trial on the face. The only skin-barrier trials we found were on the forearm and in newborns and found harm, so it is not a good guess for eczema-prone or sensitive facial skin.⁴

How much

Ranges below are what studies used and what supplements commonly contain. They are not a recommendation for you. Start at the low end.

Dietary intake linked to benefit

About 18 to 22 g a day (roughly 1.5 tablespoons)³

In cohort studies the drop in cardiovascular and overall mortality risk levelled off around 18 to 22 g a day. This is an observed range, not a target set by a trial.

Ear wax drops (NHS)

2 to 3 drops, 3 to 4 times a day, 3 to 5 days⁷

Lie on your side for 5 to 10 minutes after putting in the oil. The NHS says wax should fall out over about 2 weeks.

Timing · For ear wax, use the oil up to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days, then see a nurse if symptoms have not cleared after 5 days (NHS). There is no timing guidance for diet.With food? · In the diet trials and cohorts olive oil replaced other fats. It is calorie-dense, so count it as part of your fat intake rather than adding it on top.How long to trial · For diet, effects on heart events took years to show in PREDIMED, so it is not a remedy you can judge in weeks. For ear wax, judge after 5 days.

How people take it

Extra virgin olive oil, eatenAbout 18 to 22 g a day in cohortsPREDIMED used extra virgin olive oil as part of a Mediterranean diet. It replaced other fats in the diet.

Ear drops2 to 3 drops, 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 daysNHS advice for earwax build-up. Do not use if you have a perforated eardrum.

Skin or baby massage oilNot recommendedTrials found olive oil weakened the skin barrier in adults and reduced lipid layer structure in newborns, so sunflower oil or a proper emollient is a safer bet.

Hair oil or maskNot establishedNo clinical trial supports a dose or benefit.

Safety

Who should avoid

Babies and newborns — trial suggests it reduces skin barrier structure; skip it for massage
Eczema or eczema-prone skin — it damaged the skin barrier in adults with and without eczema
A hole in the eardrum (perforated eardrum) — the NHS says not to use ear drops
Ear symptoms not cleared after 5 days, or a badly blocked ear — see a nurse (NHS)

Known interactions

No interactions in our data. Absence of a flag is not clearance.

Questions people ask

What are the benefits of olive oil?

The best-supported benefit is heart health as part of a Mediterranean diet: PREDIMED found fewer major cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 0.69) and a 2024 meta-analysis of cohorts linked higher intake to lower cardiovascular and overall mortality. Those cohort studies cannot prove cause, and the trial tested the whole diet, not olive oil alone.

Is olive oil good for your skin or face?

Probably not for sensitive or eczema-prone skin. In 19 adults, 4 weeks of olive oil on the forearm reduced skin barrier integrity and caused mild redness, while sunflower oil did not. We found no trial on the face.

Is olive oil good for baby skin?

Not on the evidence so far. In a pilot trial of 115 newborns, olive oil improved hydration but left the skin's lipid layer less well-formed than no oil. The trial was small, but the authors advised caution about using oils on neonatal skin.

Does olive oil work for ear wax, and is it safe?

The NHS advises 2 to 3 drops, 3 to 4 times a day for 3 to 5 days, and says wax should fall out over about 2 weeks. Cochrane found no high-quality evidence that any drop is better than another, including water. Do not use drops with a perforated eardrum, and see a nurse if it has not cleared after 5 days.