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Ol

Olive Oil

Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil · Olea Europaea · Olea Europaea (Olive) OilBarrier

Plant oil rich in oleic acid (~70%). Feeds Malassezia and disrupts the lipid profile of compromised barriers.

What it does

Olive oil is roughly 70% oleic acid, a C18 monounsaturated fatty acid that supports Malassezia growth and has been shown to disrupt the lipid lamellae of compromised skin barriers in infants and atopic adults. Topical clinical evidence does not support olive oil for barrier repair, and routine use is contraindicated for fungal acne, seborrheic dermatitis, and active eczema-like flares. Cosmetics often use olive-oil derivatives (ethyl olivate, olive squalane) that don't carry the same free-fatty-acid burden — those are tolerated.

The evidence, graded

expert consensusFungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) is fed by fatty acids and esters with C11-C24 chain lengths. Oils in that range are frequently reported to worsen it, including oils marketed as pore-friendly or 'safe for acne-prone skin'. Squalane, MCT, and mineral oil fall outside the range and are typically tolerated.Rubenstein 2014 · Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology ↗
expert consensusSeborrheic dermatitis is associated with Malassezia overgrowth (similar to fungal acne). Anti-fungal ingredients (zinc pyrithione, ketoconazole, selenium sulfide, salicylic acid) help; lipid-rich plant oils typically worsen it.Borda 2015 · Journal of Clinical and Investigative Dermatology ↗

Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.

Also known as

olea europaea fruit oil, olea europaea

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