A GREEK TREAT FOR THE MOST DELICATE DRY SKIN. (George Skoulikas Oliva Pure Olive Oil Soap)

Member Name: saramac

Product:	George Skoulikas Oliva Pure Olive Oil Soap
Date:	18/08/09 (158 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pure, gentle, soap.

Disadvantages: No particular scent.

After a particularly "poorly time" suffering with my constant companion M. E, my immune system was so low it rendered my whole system all I can describe as extremely "delicate".

I could tolerate no chemicals or artificial ingredients whatsoever and couldn't even drink mineral water from a plastic bottle as chemicals from the bottle contaminated the water for me(it would have no ill effect on a healthy person, so don't worry).

All told this gave me a major challenge to source natural products such as soap that I could use without compromising my health even further.

This is how I happened upon this lovely bar of soap that I still use approx 6 years later.


Oliva ~ Pure Olive Oil Soap ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This soap is imported by ~

George Skoulikas Ltd,
998, North Circular Road,
LONDON,
NW2 7JR
www.skoulikas.com


I buy mine from G. N. C (health food shop) or Holland and Barrett and it costs approx 89p.


George Skoulikas began trading in 1977, importing olive oil and olives from Greece. They have since developed and extended their range to include a specialist range of natural and organic Mediterranean foods which includes the brands ~ Sunita and Hellenic Sun.


They now offer seven different varieties of olives from Greece, France, Spain and Italy.
Extra virgin olive oil
A range of friut juice
Pate, Tahini, Halva ~ and more

At present to my knowledge this soap is the only bodycare product they sell.


Packaging~
~~~~~~~~

It comes simply packaged in an "olive green" (no pun intended) box depicting an olive branch complete with black olives. It states "pure olive oil soap" ~ Oliva. Made in Greece by ABEA, Chania, Crete.
Made from pure unrefined olive oil, Oliva is kind and gentle to the skin.
Net weight 125g ~ 4.3oz

The address as above.
It's not tested on animals
Contains no artificial colours or perfumes
Completely vegetarian and vegan
100% Biodegradable

Ingredients~
~~~~~~~~~

Saponified Olive Oil, which simply means ~ fat or oil turned into soap by reaction with an alkali
Water
Mineral Salts.


The soap is a small, olive green brick with ABEA stamped in the top with a tiny olive branch and on the bottom OLIVA. It smells of soap... difficult to elaborate more, it's a fresh clean smell, not perfumed in any way as you can imagine by so few ingredients.


On usage it's great, it lathers well and cleans and softens the skin perfectly, it also lasts, with daily use/twice a day at times it lasts approx 6 weeks.


Conclusion~
~~~~~~~~

I Love scented soap as much as anyone and I do always have a bar of delicately infused, natural soap alongside my Oliva, which I use to lift my mood and give my senses a treat whilst in the bath. But let's be honest even the most highly scented soap only lingers on the skin for a short while(or the ones I use do), so I don't really feel I miss out with my "soapy scented soap" and as it does it's main job of cleaning me and not irritating my skin, Im very content with my little olive green brick of soap and it doesn't cost the earth.


The Ancient Greeks bathed in olive oil, I suppose with Greece dedicating 60% of their land to olive trees, the amount of olives they harvest it's no wonder they have found many uses for the olives.


Olive oil contains linoleic acid which helps lock in moisture and antioxidant nutrients which neutralize the nasty "free radicals" who when left to roam free damage the skin and can accelerate the aging process(and we DON'T want that do we?)


Oliva cleanses my skin with a gentle, creamy, moisturising lather making it a fabulous soap for dry and sensitive skin.


I can only think of two tiny disadvantages(neither of which bother me) the lack of scent and the fact it does leave a little patch of "green slime" when wet and sitting on the side of the bath, it does rinse away very easily though.


I award my trusty soap 5 stars as it's never let me down in my hour of need.

Thanks for reading my review.

Summary: A pure, natural, unscented soap excellent for the most sensitive skin.