Is this pantry staple item the secret to clearer skin?

Unfortunately acne is an unavoidable part of many of our lives. Whether your suffering occurred during puberty and adolescence, or you’re battling through the infuriating reality of adult acne, the frustration of dealing with breakouts is a feeling nearly all of us can relate to.

Which is why we tend to get so excited when a new Internet or celebrity-endorsed acne treatment emerges promising clear skin. The latest celebrity to reveal their skin care saviour is Chloë Grace Moretz. The actress spoke to Allure recently and shared the unorthodox cleanser she swears cleared her cystic acne.

The cleanser in question? Olive oil.

Yep, the kind that sits in your kitchen cupboard. While the concept of using oil to benefit our skin is not new – facial oils and oil cleansers are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to hydrate, nourish and plump the skin, while providing a boost of radiance – , most of us might be a bit hesitant to turn to the stock-standard extra virgin olive oil sitting in our pantries.

So, to find out once and for all if olive oil is a legitimate cleansing option and a helpful acne fighter, we spoke to facialist Tilly Barnett.

To start, Barnett stresses that there is no one acne treatment that will work for everyone. As we all have varying skin tones and types, an ingredient or product that clears one person’s skin might result in little or no benefits to another’s.

However, she does highlight that although using olive oil as a cleanser might not clear acne, using it won’t be detrimental to your skin’s health. “I’d certainly say it wouldn’t do any harm if used in moderation,” she says. “Oil dissolves oil and removes dirt and impurities, so to clean with oil can be quite effective especially for removing makeup. Olive oil also has anti-inflammatory properties and will leave skin calm, smooth and hydrated,” she explains.

She also mentions that it is the skin’s natural oils that help keep your complexion healthy and protected, and using an oil cleanser can actually promote this process. So while there are some benefits to turning to olive to cleanse your skin, there’s no definitive way to say if Chloë Grace Moretz’s secret to clear skin will work for you. The best thing would be to consult a dermatologist to identify your specific skin concerns and the products and ingredient that will work best for you.

It’s not all bad news for acne sufferers though! Here is one major silver lining of having skin that’s prone to breaking out.

Image credit: Getty