5 Favorite Olive Oil Alternatives

For a long time my go-to oil was olive oil. I used it for cooking, moisturizing, for my hair- pretty much everything. However, long gone are those days! 5 amazing olive oil alternatives are constantly stocked in my pantry (and bathroom cabinet!) and, no offense to olive oil, but they rock its socks off!

I love anything Emile Noël. The story behind the company is amazing, (it is still run by generations of the Noël family!), the company has a commitment to organic and Fair Trade, and their selection of products is amazing. So, my first two alternatives to olive oil (even though the company has two olive oil varieties of their own!) are Nut Oils from Emile Noël.

1. Organic Sweet Almond Oil (Emile Noël) Sweet almond oil has a wonderful nutty taste and is a great alternative for olive oil in dressings and marinades. Ingesting sweet almond oil is said to reduce cholesterol and nourish the brain and nervous system! I use sweet almond oil (not bitter olive oil- not such a pleasant taste!) as a component in my The Spiral Collective lip balms! It is also a great skin moisturizer- use it for chapped lips and dark circles!

2. Organic, Fair Trade Hazelnut Oil. (Emile Noël) Hazelnut oil has such an amazing, sweet, delicate taste that reminds me of the holiday season! Just like sweet almond oil you can use it in dressings and marinades. (I like to top roasted vegetables with a drizzle!) Also, when used as a moisturizer hazelnut oil gives the skin a slight protection against harmful UV rays, how cool is that? Hazelnut oil is super light, especially this brand which uses a hydraulic press, so it is perfect for sensitive skin.

3. Shea Butter (Key West Health and Beauty) I used to use olive oil to smooth my very curly, often rather frizzy hair. Now, I love Shea butter- used as a hair mask or a moisturizer for my damaged ends, and my purple-dyed hair! This Key West Health and Beauty variety is unrefined, organic, and is sourced from a women’s co-op in Ghana! I love knowing exactly where my products are coming from and when it comes to putting something on my skin or hair- it needs to be organic and unrefined!

4. Coconut Oil (Dr. Bronners) Fair Trade and Organic, I love Dr. Bronner’s coconut oil as my alternative to olive oil in cooking! Try scrambling your eggs in it- DELICIOUS!

5. Avocado Oil (Olivado) Full of great fats, antioxidants, and vitamin E, avocado oil is great raw on foods (try dipping bread in it!) and a wonderful moisturizer!

Do you have a favorite alternative to olive oil? Let me know in the comments below!

I was compensated with product, payment or both in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own.