One Neapolitan bride, fashion stylist Roberta Astarita, embraced this tradition for her 2024 wedding at the city’s Duomo—even making it the central focus of her pre-wedding beauty routine. For this, she was assisted by her sister Angela Astarita, a facialist and makeup artist. “Every morning, Roberta washed her face with a bar of olive-oil soap, known for its highly hydrating properties,” Angela explains. “This choice was not only functional but also symbolic—it was passed down to us by our mother, who always taught us that oil represents purity, abundance, and blessing.” Olive oil was also used to help bring a lustrous shine to Roberta’s hair in the run-up to the wedding. “We chose an olive-oil shampoo that made her curls visibly more soft and defined,” says Angela.

Of course, it’s a tradition that any bride-to-be can try: Suitable for all skin types, you’re likely to see immediate results. Olive oil is rich in fatty acids (such as oleic and linoleic acid, phytosterols, and squalene) as well as oxidants and vitamins, meaning it has an emollient and regenerating action on the skin—not only nourishing it but keeping it elastic and serving as a protective layer. Its properties—in particular, vitamins A, D, E, and K—also make it effective against aging. For hair, it creates a similar protective barrier, thus reducing the risk of breakage and formation of split ends.