I’ve been using clean beauty for the past eight years and while I liked my skin, I’ve never loved my skin more than when I switched to Oliveda’s waterless skincare earlier this year. I am constantly getting messages from our team and customers who have switched to Oliveda and are raving about the transformation in their skin. Here, I’ll share more about the Oliveda brand, what sets it apart, a few skin transformations from our community and where to start.

What is Oliveda?

Oliveda is a German-based luxury skincare brand that has a 20+ year reputation in Europe, but launched a little over 18 months ago in the US. It is a safe, clean and effective brand that utilizes the incredible benefits of the olive tree. More specifically, Hydroxytyrosol, a molecule from olive leaf extract. One simple Google search of this powerhouse ingredient, will result in some pretty remarkable benefits to the skin and body. As a side note, this molecule is the primary reason olive trees can live up to 4,000 years! It provides cellular protection to the tree—imagine the internal and external benefits for our bodies.

Below is a 4 minute video providing an overview of the brand:

What Sets Oliveda Apart?

Oliveda has replaced the water found in most skincare lines with an elixir made from Hydroxytyrosol. By replacing water in their beauty products, they eliminated the need for preservatives and developed products with a much higher percentage of bioactive ingredients. Due to the bioactive nature and high concentration of anti-oxidants from the Hydroxytyrosol found in every single product, Oliveda’s products yield extremely corrective results.

Waterless skincare refers specifically to products without the use of water as a base ingredient. Oliveda replaces up to 70% of the water found in mainstream brands with Hydroxytrysol. This, along with the 25% bio-active arbequina oil (instead of processed refined oils common in most skincare products) makes Oliveda products 3,000X more concentrated, and therefore, that much more effective in nourishing the skin. Note, you will see water listed on the ingredient label, but this is because water is a byproduct of extracting ingredients from the olive leaf, but Oliveda never adds water to their products. The EU requires them to include it on the label.

Oliveda also has internal elixirs that supply the body with the same anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits that are found in the skincare. These elixirs contain the Hydroxytyrosol, bio active collagen peptides that the body can actually absorb and Hyaluron to hydrate and support the body from the inside out—a healthy glow comes from within. The internal elixirs are some of my personal favorite products!

Among Hydroxytyrosol’s many benefits, it’s found to be:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-cancer (full of powerful anti-oxidants)
• Anti-microbial, anti-viral and anti-parasitic
• Reduces blood clots
• Improves vision

If it seems like a miracle ingredient—that’s because it really is. But don’t just take my word for it! Try out a few products for yourself and see if you notice a difference in your skin and overall health.

Is Oliveda a Clean Brand?

Oliveda meets the strict standards of the European Union, as well as, German regulations which are even more strict. In total Oliveda bans 4,080 ingredients. Additionally, Oliveda will NEVER use synthetic fillers, preservatives or fragrance or add water to their products. I would never recommend something that I wouldn’t personally use myself or recommend to my loved ones.

One thing to note: It can be a little confusing as a US consumer as you read through Oliveda’s ingredients. This is because things are labeled differently in Europe than they are in the US. Since Oliveda is an international brand, we just have to look at things with a different lens. I’ll break down some of the key things to know below:

Fragrance: In the US, the term “fragrance” is a loophole that brands use to hide hundreds of chemicals, including endocrine disruptors and allergens. In the EU, every ingredient in a skincare product has to be tested for safety, but once it’s approved to be used as fragrance, it doesn’t have to be disclosed. Oliveda uses the term fragrance on the back of their products, but everything they use has to be tested by the EU first, so it’s not a loophole to be wary of like it is in the US. All fragrances in Oliveda products are essential oils. If there is a potential allergen, for example linalool, it will be listed individually on the label.

Retinol: In the US, we’re instructed not to use retinol while we are pregnant or breastfeeding. So, when you see the term retinol on Oliveda products, it’s a bit jarring. But similarly to fragrance, in the EU, safe natural sources and alternatives to retinol (i.e. bakuchiol) are screened, deemed safe, and then labeled retinol. The Oliveda product called “Green Retinol” has bakuchiol on the ingredient list, not a derivative of Vitamin A.

Oliveda carries 4 products labeled with the term retinol:

• ​F65 Corrective Midnight Elixir: Vitamin A derived from fermented fish oil, also includes the Kahai Oil and Vegan Hyaluronic for added moisture
• ​F82 Green Retinol Face Elixir: Retinol alternative from the Bakuchiol plant
• ​F87 Corrective Kahai Elixir: Retinol alternative derived from Kahai oil found in the nut of the Cacay tree
• ​004 LA DOPE Your Wrinkles Face Oil Serum: Same as the Corrective Midnight Elixir with added hemp for super sensitive or acne prone skin

What Type of Results Can I Expect?

I wanted to share a few images from our community. These images serve as a powerful testament to the impact of Oliveda’s waterless skincare products and highlight the incredible transformations that our team and customers alike have been experiencing:

What do all the Letters and Numbers Mean?

Letters on the bottle: You’ll notice four different letters—F (Face), B (Body), H (Hair) and I (Internals).

Numbers on the bottle: The number on the bottle is representative of the number in which the product was created. For example, the F59 is the 59th product developed and it’s for the face.

Black vs. Gold label: The black label is the Olive Tree Therapy Line and the gold label is the Corrective Line. The Corrective Line is more concentrated with Hydroxytyrosol, contains more active ingredients and is most suitable for mature and conditioned skin. Whereas the black label is still based on the anti-oxidant powerhouse, Hydroxytyrosol, but is great for all skin types.

Where do I Start?

Oliveda has almost 90 products in their lineup, so deciding what to get can be a bit overwhelming.

The easiest way to find the right products for your skin type and concerns is to fill out my personal Skincare Questionnaire. I will send you my personal recommendations and thoughts for your exact skin type.

If you try these products, I think you will love them as much as I do! Please reach out if you have any questions. I love talking about clean beauty and helping you to find products that suit your needs.

Fill out a contact form or follow along with me at @girlinthebigapplenyc on Instagram.

Let’s glow together!