Looking Good: A Remedy for Tough Times

Call me shallow if you must but I stand united with my Italian sisters and brothers in affirming the importance of the bella figura---your birthright to look good. Taking care of your looks, as it turns out, goes beyond mere vanity. Researchers have found that attractive people are seen as more confident—and that translates into a greater likelihood of getting hired, starting a new job at higher wages, or even getting that promotion you had your hopes on. One of the quickest, cheapest, and most effective ways to initiate your own beauty Renaissance is with a drop or two of what epic poet Homer referred to as “liquid gold”. Of course, I am referring to olive oil. Pure, replenishing, fragrant olive oil. Mix a drop in your palm with some sugar to form a delightful facial scrub. Put a few drops into your shampoo, or rub a dab between your palms and apply to styled, dry hair. For your complexion use olive oil alone on clean skin at before bed (it absorbs in nicely) or mix a drop or two with your favorite day cream, adding a touch more around the eyes. When you pamper yourself with a daily beauty routine you will look better, feel better—and even increase your chances of attracting love. Olive oil is an ancient beauty secret that has definitely stood the test of time, as evidenced in the drawings on the inside of tombs and on pottery dating back to the Etruscans, and the ancient Greeks and Romans. So forget emptying the last of your savings on exotic spa getaways. All you have to do is go to your cabinet right now, pull out that bottle of extra virgin olive oil, and experience the luxury of a spa treatment in the comfort of your home.