How to Use Sweet Oil

Co-authored by Aimée Shunney, ND

Last Updated: October 29, 2024 References

Sweet oil, another name for olive oil, is a great all-natural product that has a multitude of health benefits, from anti-aging properties to medicinal qualities. While it doesn’t work well as a home remedy for any ear issues, there are still a ton of ways you can still incorporate sweet oil into your skincare and beauty treatments. Have fun discovering new ways you can use sweet oil in your daily life—you may be surprised at how many different functions it can have!^{[1]
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1

Remove makeup with a cotton ball and sweet oil.

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Sweet oil can also improve your skin tone and clear up acne.^{[2]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

Go to source} Sweet oil can be used as a substitute for a myriad of skin and beauty products, reducing the number of containers you have on your counter. Instead of using a store-bought makeup remover, add a few drops of sweet oil to a cotton ball and gently wipe away your makeup.^{[3]
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- Most makeup products are oil-based, which is why they can be hard to remove with gentle cleansers or soap and water. Luckily, oils can dissolve other oils, which is why sweet oil works so well to take off makeup.^{[4]
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Tip: Be sure to purchase a sweet oil or olive oil made specifically for skincare. Oils meant for cooking may have a slightly different composition and be less effective.^{[5]
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2

Mix sweet oil in conditioner.

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Add a few drops of sweet oil can add a lot of extra moisture. Keep a small dropper of sweet oil in your shower so it’s easy to access. When you’re ready to condition your hair, put the conditioner in the palm of your hand and add 3-4 drops of sweet oil to it. Mix them between your hands before continuing to condition your hair like you normally would.^{[6]
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- This may be especially helpful to do every day if you’re dealing with dry, damaged hair.

3

Repair hair damage with a hot oil mask.

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Carefully warm up about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of sweet oil in a small microwave-safe bowl for 15-30 seconds. Let it cool down so it’s warm to the touch but not super hot, then gently comb it through damp hair. Clip your hair up out of the way and let the sweet oil work its magic for about 15 minutes before shampooing and conditioning your hair as usual.^{[7]
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4

Exfoliate your skin with sweet oil and sugar.

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The oil and sugar help remove and soften dead skin. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons (25 grams) of sugar and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of sweet oil. Gently rub the exfoliator over your skin, focusing on areas that are especially dry or rough. When you’re done, rinse the scrub away with warm water.^{[8]
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- If you want to make a bigger batch of scrub to keep in your bathroom, simply use a 2:1 sugar to oil ratio. Store the scrub in an airtight container and mix it before each use.
- Be careful using this exfoliator on your face! It can be more abrasive because the sugar doesn’t dissolve in the oil at all. If your skin is uber-sensitive, you may want to use it primarily for your body and skip your face.
- Blend sweet oil with coconut oil or almond oil to help make it more moisturizing for your skin.^{[9]
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  Aparna Ghosh
  California Licensed Esthetician & Electrologist
  
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5

Substitute sweet oil for shaving cream.

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For your face or smaller areas, like your bikini line, just 2-3 drops should be enough. For your legs, you may need to reapply or add more oil as you go to make sure you don’t shave dry skin, which could cause irritation. The sweet oil ends up costing less than shaving cream because of how long it lasts.^{[10]
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6

Condition your cuticles with sweet oil.

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Rubbing a drop of sweet oil on them once a day prevents your nails from cracking. After you shower or wash your hands, take a minute to gently rub sweet oil over the bottom of each nail to moisturize and soften your cuticles. 1-2 drops should be all you need for all of your nails. Keep rubbing in the oil until it’s been absorbed into your nail and the surrounding skin.^{[11]
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- This helps keep your nails looking nice and also prevents them from getting dry and cracking.

7

Avoid using sweet oil to prevent or treat stretch marks.

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Sweet oil won’t do much to reduce the appearance of stretch marks. If you’re looking for relief, you may want to talk to your dermatologist about getting a prescription for hyaluronic acid or tretinoin.^{[12]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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- Stretch marks are easiest to treat when they’re still pink and before they’ve turned white. It’s really hard to treat old stretch marks, and some stretch marks are inevitable because of your genetics.
- Try using vitamin E oil instead of sweet oil if you're treating stretch marks.^{[13]
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  Aparna Ghosh
  California Licensed Esthetician & Electrologist
  
  Expert Interview}

8

Relieve constipation by using an olive-oil enema.

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Olive oil helps heal your colon, relieve constipation, and soothe IBS. Use 8 ounces (230 g) of olive oil in an enema bag, and follow that up with a simple warm-water enema. To give yourself an enema:^{[14]
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- Lay down on your left side and pull your knees up toward your chest.
- Lubricate the end of the enema tube and gently insert it into your rectum.
- Gently apply pressure to the enema bag to allow the olive oil to enter your colon.
- Wait about 5-10 minutes before going to the bathroom to release the olive oil.
- Repeat this process with warm water to help clear out the olive oil.

9

Cook with olive oil.

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Olive oil is a great fat to use since it has vitamins and minerals. For optimal health benefits, choose an unrefined extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) when you’re cooking.^{[15]
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- Whisk together 3 parts EVOO with 1 part vinegar (red wine vinegar is a classic choice) and add salt and pepper to taste to create a heart-healthy salad dressing.^{[16]
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- Use olive oil to make a homemade hummus.^{[17]
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- Mix together olive oil and dried spices, like basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, rosemary, red pepper, and salt, to create a delicious dipping oil for bread.^{[18]
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10

Sub olive oil in for other fats.

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Using olive oil lowers your risk of heart disease compared to butter or lard. If you’re attempting to eat a heart-healthy diet, you’re probably trying to avoid saturated and trans fats, like butter or margarine. Switch those cooking fats out for olive oil, which is a monounsaturated fatty acid.
- Olive oil can help lower your blood pressure.^{[19]
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- Of course, never use olive oil as a substitute for medication prescribed by your doctor.

11

Include olive oil in your diet to prevent type 2 diabetes.

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Olive oil can help your body metabolize glucose better. Combined with other healthy habits, including olive oil in your daily diet can lower your risk of developing this type of diabetes.^{[20]
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- If you already have diabetes, olive oil can also help you manage and stabilize your blood sugar levels.

12

Avoid using sweet oil to dislodge earwax.

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Stick with over-the-counter drops instead. Using sweet oil to remove blockages is a common home remedy, but it doesn’t do much to soften earwax and make it easier to remove. It’s also possible that the wax could grow fungus on it and cause an infection.^{[21]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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- If nothing helps, have your doctor flush it out for you.^{[22]
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Tips

Use olive oil to remove sticky gum from hair! Saturate the gum with the oil and let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then gently remove the gum.^{[23]
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American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

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Warnings

While it may sound like a good natural option, you should never use sweet oil as a sexual lubricant, especially with latex condoms. It can break down the material and cause the condom to break.

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