I already have a routine that works for me. Why change?

If your current routine is genuinely working, keep it. We're not in the business of fixing what isn't broken. What we'd ask is whether your skin is actually being fed what it needs to be its healthiest, or whether it’s just being maintained. You may not want to rock the boat, but a routine built on preservatives and lab-made ingredients may not be best for your skin long term — because your skin absorbs what you put on it, every single day. If you want to test the waters, don't have to swap everything at once. Add one product to what you already use and see what your skin does with real nourishment

Will I break out?

Probably not. But a small percentage of people experience a brief adjustment period in the first week or two as their skin recalibrates - particularly if it's been relying on synthetic ingredients for a long time. This isn't breaking out in the traditional sense. It's your skin finding its balance. Olive oil is non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn't block pores, and its anti-inflammatory properties actually work to calm irritation rather than cause it. For the vast majority of people, the transition is smooth. If you have highly reactive or acne-prone skin, we'd suggest starting with one product and going from there.

Does it expire?

As our products are completely natural, once the oils have been exposed to light and oxygen their properties begin to break down. That is why we pack each formula in an eco-friendly box that protects it from UV light. Once a product has been opened it typically has a 12 month shelf life. To optimize shelf life, we recommend keeping your product away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.

How long has Olive + M been around?

Olive + M was founded in Austin in 2013, after years of watching skin react to the industry's promises and looking for something simpler. We've been making the same olive oil-based products, in small batches, for over a decade.

Has anyone really been using olive oil on their skin for that long?

Yes. Cleopatra reportedly made it a cornerstone of her beauty routine. Ancient Egyptians used it as a cleanser and moisturizer. Greek athletes rubbed it into their skin before competition and used it to cleanse afterward. Roman women used it to remove makeup and nourish their skin. For centuries across the Mediterranean, olive oil wasn't a wellness trend or a marketing angle — it was simply what people used, because it worked. The beauty industry would like you to believe that skincare only became sophisticated recently. The evidence suggests otherwise.

Is Olive + M really just olive oil?

Our products contain Tunisian olive oil as a main ingredient. Other nutrient dense plant oils and botanicals are also included - but only if they provide additional, natural benefits for the skin. 

Why olive oil?

Because people have been putting it on their skin for roughly two thousand years. Longer than any ingredient on any modern shelf, and without a reformulation cycle. It has amazing skin benefits that we believe more people should experience.

Won’t it be greasy?

No! Seriously, no. Good olive oil, cold-pressed absorbs cleanly. It absorbs right into the skin because the skin recognizes the oil like its own.

What is “No More Snake Oil”? 

It’s our position. The skincare industry has spent a century inventing problems so it could sell solutions for them. That’s the business model, and it’s run out of road. Olive+M is the alternative: ingredients that are grown, not made, that simply keep the skin healthy and doing what it knows how to do. No fixing needed when skin is well-nourished. “No more snake oil” is a wake up call - we need to think about what our skin really needs and not what the industry tell us we need to fix about it. 

What does “snake oil” actually mean? 

Nineteenth-century slang for a remedy that doesn’t work. The bottle that promised the cure and delivered a placebo. We borrowed the phrase because the modern skincare shelf has earned it back. 

Are you calling other brands snake oil?

We’re not naming anyone, and we don’t need to. If you’ve ever bought a serum that burned, a cream that did nothing, or a routine that asked more of you than your skin ever did, you already know what we mean. We’d rather spend our time showing you what works than cataloging what doesn’t. 

What is the Snake Oil Swap (SOS)?

It's a playful challenge that asks people to bring us the half-empty bottles that didn’t deliver, the burning serums, the broken-promise creams, the routines you gave up on, and we’ll trade them for an Olive+M sample on the spot. Tour dates run through May and June, announced on our channels. 

Where should I start with the Snake Oil Swap kit?

The SOS Kit gives you four of our best selling products to use in place of the skincare  products you've been using. Use the Cleanser in place of your soaps, washes and  cleansers. The Face Oil instead of facial creams, lotions and serums. The Body Oil instead of hand and body lotions. And the Antioxidant Balm for extra rough places and on-the-go moisture.