Does Olive Oil Help Eyebrows Grow

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “does olive oil help eyebrows grow?”, is it safe to use olive oil on eyebrows, how you can use it to help your eyebrows grow, and what other options are available to boost eyebrow hair growth.

Does Olive Oil Help Eyebrows Grow?

The use of olive oil in cosmetics has ancient roots. In Egyptian culture, olive oil was used for hair care and to counter wrinkles; the Greeks applied oil to the bodies of athletes to highlight their esthetic perfection and Galen suggested the use of olive oil to lighten the face and hands, but also to stimulate hair growth and long‐lasting use to counter alopecia and dandruff (1). However, there is no scientific evidence proving the effects of olive oil on the growth of eyebrows or eyelashes.

However, homemade medicine, based on observations, is the cradle of clinical cosmetology and helps to identify herbs, gather roots, distill their essences, and compound simple skin remedies” producing homemade cosmetics that combine the arts of beautifying with the science of bodily care (2).

Olive oil is, therefore, believed by the homemade medicine to help eyebrows grow thicker and faster.

Simply massage a pinch of warm olive oil into your eyebrows for about five minutes before bedtime. Do this daily and you’ll see results within days.

But remember: using olive oil to enhance eyebrow growth might be successful for certain people, but there is no scientific proof that it can help prevent the thinning of hair or rejuvenate sparse-looking eyebrows.

What does science know?

  • Zizyphus jujuba, commonly known as the jujube, is a plant that is widely distributed in Europe and Southeastern Asia. Fruits of this plant are edible and possess multiple medicinal properties such as antifertility, analgesic, and antidiabetes. The essential oil of the seeds of this fruit possesses hair growth promoting activity (3).
  • A study demonstrated that a gel made of a combination of extracts, from two plant species, ie, Coffea arabica (coffee) and Larrea divaricata (Jarilla) could significantly increased the thickness of eyebrows (20% in 80% women) and eyelashes (19.44% in 100% of women). The gel also increased the  appearance of new hairs, total area with hair, and length (4).
  • The use of peptides, chains of less than 50 amino acids linked by peptide bonds, has shown to be effective for eyebrow and eyelash growth. A study indicated that the daily topical application of the peptides extract solution was able to elongate the eyelash and increase the density of the eyebrows and stimulate the growth of new eyebrow follicles (5).

Chef Intro

Is It Safe To Use Olive Oil On Eyebrows?

Yes, it is absolutely safe to use natural oils such as olive oil on your eyebrows. As we’ve mentioned, it contains vitamins A and E which help moisturize, soften, protect, and repair hair and hair follicles.

However, there are certain things you should watch out for when using olive oil on your eyebrows:

  • Oil tends to clog pores which cause breakouts, particularly among people with oily skin. Hence, individuals with acne-prone skin should avoid or limit the use of oils.
  • Olive oil can cause skin irritation and redness among individuals with sensitive skin. If you experience any such side effects, this remedy might not be right for you. 
  • In light of the above-mentioned points, it is recommended that you do a patch test before applying olive oil directly to your eyebrows. Apply a small quantity of oil on your forearm or behind your ear to see how your skin reacts to it.
  • Be careful not to get any oil in your eyes. In case this happens, rinse immediately with cold water.

How Should You Use Olive Oil To Help Eyebrows Grow?

Just follow these steps if you’re using olive oil to enhance your brows.

  1. Exfoliating The Brows

Exfoliation helps remove dead skin, which is extremely important for facilitating skincare ingredients to work and be readily absorbed. Basically, exfoliation helps the olive oil work effectively and efficiently on the brows. 

Just use your index finger or small finger to brush your eyebrow hair upwards every night for a few minutes.

  1. Selecting The Right Olive Oil

Certain olive oils have additives that can irritate the skin. So to improve the oil’s effectiveness and reduce the chances of an adverse reaction, always use extra virgin olive oil – it is the least processed type of olive oil.

  1. Adding Other Ingredients

If you want to further increase the chances that this remedy will work, you can mix other hair-healthy ingredients with olive oil. For instance, honey may provide additional nourishment, and other oils such as argan oil can improve hydration.

  1.  Massaging Your Brows

It’s recommended that you apply the oil at night so that it can be absorbed and do its thing without disturbance. However, you can choose to apply olive oil to your eyebrows in the morning or evening as well.  

Applying the oil is easy: just dip your index finger or small finger into some oil and gently massage it into your eyebrows for a few minutes. Avoid scratching or touching your eyebrows once the oil is applied. You can either leave the oil overnight (which is best) or cleanse your face after a few hours.

It’ll only take a few days or a week of daily application for you to notice a difference; however, for some people, it can also take up to two weeks. 

Other Options To Improve Eyebrows

If you find that olive oil doesn’t work for you, here are a few other options you can try to improve your eyebrow’s health and help them grow. 

  • You can try using other oils, such as coconut oil, to add moisture and vitality to your eyebrows (7)
  • Applying petroleum jelly can help as well. It forms a protective layer over the eyebrows, helps hydrate the follicles, and encourages hair growth (6).

Conclusion

In this brief article, we answered the question, “Does olive oil help eyebrows grow?”, is it safe to use olive oil on eyebrows, how you can use it to help your eyebrows grow, and what other options are available to boost eyebrow hair growth.

If you have any more questions or comments please let us know.

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References

1.-

Gorini, Ilaria, et al. Olive oil in pharmacological and cosmetic traditions. J Cosmetic Derm, 2019, 1575-1579. 

3.-

Yoon, Jung In, Sharif M. Al-Reza, and Sun Chul Kang. Hair growth promoting effect of Zizyphus jujuba essential oil. Food chem toxicol, 2010, 48, 1350-1354.

4.-

Alonso, María Rosario, Silvia Pérez Damonte, and Claudia Anesini. Jarilla–Coffea extract: a natural cosmetic product that improves eyelash and eyebrow growth in women. Clin Cosmetic Invest Derm, 2019, 12, 47.

5.-

Alvin, Glen, Volodymyr Chernykh, and Mike Chan. Peptides: A Novel Approach to Enhance Eyelash and Eyebrow Growth. J Dermatolog Clin Res, 2020, 8, 1137.

6.-

Zhang, Yan, et al. Hair growth promotion effect of cedrol cream and its dermatopharmacokinetics. RSC adv, 2018, 8, 42170-42178.