Olives symbolize peace, hope, love, and friendship, and they hold a special place in Mediterranean culture and cuisine by bringing families and friends together. This versatile fruit, with around 500 different varieties enjoyed worldwide, is a key component of the Mediterranean diet. At Irene Forte Skincare, we embrace this diet in our formulations, harnessing the nourishing power of olives to create truly effective skincare. We describe our products as the Mediterranean Diet for your skin for a reason. Widely considered one of the healthiest diets in the world, the Mediterranean Diet features olive oil as a star ingredient.
At Irene Forte Skincare, we take pride in our dedication to quality and sustainability. Central to our philosophy is our own organic farm in Sicily, Verdura Società Agricola. Picture a quintessential Sicilian farm: the sun shining, crickets chirping, and the air filled with the scent of fresh herbs. Verdura spans 230 hectares and hosts 2000 olive trees, 20 lemon trees, 3000 orange trees, as well as pomegranates, almonds, prickly pear cacti, and rows of vegetables and botanicals. This farm is where we lovingly grow and harvest the principal ingredients for our skincare products, including our olives.
The Olive Harvesting Process at Verdura
Our olive harvesting process is a meticulous blend of tradition and care including:
- Preparation: Large nets are placed under the trees to catch fresh olives.
- Handpicking: Using a small rake called a 'manina,' we gently comb through the branches.
- Collection: The olives are gathered in hessian jute sacks and transported to the mill the same day to preserve their freshness.
- Processing: The olives are washed, ground into a paste, pressed, and separated to extract the oil.
- Final Touch: The emerald green oil flows into stainless steel tanks, ready for use in our skincare products.
- Celebration: We celebrate with family and friends, enjoying the new olive oil with warm 'muffuletta,' anchovies, and caciocavallo cheese.
The Variety of Olives at Verdura
At Verdura, we cultivate three of Western Sicily's most prized olive species:
- Cerasuolo: Intense with medium fruitiness and a bitter, spicy taste.
- Biancolilla: Lightly bitter with hints of artichoke and a subtle spiciness.
- Nocellara: Vibrant and robust, with a grassy, herby, and very spicy flavor.
The Power of Olive Oil in Skincare
Olive oil is a star ingredient in our skincare line, rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants like Vitamin E and polyphenols. It helps improve skin hydration, protect against free radicals, and promote cellular renewal. We also use the unsaponifiable part of olive oil, which is rich in squalene. This powerful antioxidant helps reduce wrinkles, fade scars, reverse UV damage, and stimulate the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, essential for defying aging.
In honor of National Olive Day, we’re spotlighting our olive-infused products:
Olive Eye Cream: Reduces dark circles and puffiness with the Penta-Phyto Complex, smooths fine lines with B Vitamin Complex and Hyaluronic Acid, deeply hydrates, and protects with upcycled Olive Seed Oil.
Almond Cleansing Milk: Gently cleanses while maintaining skin hydration with the nourishing power of olive oil.
Hibiscus Night Cream: Combines the benefits of olive oil with Myoxinol™, green pea polypeptides, and hyaluronic acid to smooth wrinkles, increase elasticity, and hydrate the skin.
Prickly Pear Face Cream: Harnesses the moisturizing properties of olive oil to provide deep hydration and skin barrier protection.
Rose Face Oil: Enriched with olive oil to deeply nourish and rejuvenate the skin, promoting a radiant complexion.
Hibiscus Serum: Utilizes olive oil’s hydrating and antioxidant properties to smooth wrinkles and protect the skin.
Almond Face Scrub: Gently exfoliates while olive oil helps to maintain moisture and softness.
Pistachio Face Mask: Olive oil enhances the mask’s hydrating and nourishing effects, leaving the skin soft and refreshed.
White Wine Body Cream: Olive oil works to deeply hydrate and smooth the skin, enhancing the cream’s moisturizing properties.
Pistachio Lip Balm: Olive oil helps to keep the lips hydrated and protected, ensuring they stay soft and smooth.
