Open any kitchen cabinet and you’ll find a bottle of EVOO. Whether you cook every night or order takeout five nights a week, olive oil is the great kitchen equalizer. But somewhere between charred vegetables and hunks of crusty bread, you might be surprised to learn it's just as useful in your skincare routine as it is in your cast-iron skillet.
For good reason: Naturally rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamin E, plenty of research suggests olive oil helps support the skin barrier, lock in moisture, and maintain skin elasticity. And few brands have embraced that idea more than Wonder Valley. The California-based company launched in 2014 with a single product—extra-virgin olive oil—before expanding into skincare five years later. Today, olive oil remains the throughline across its cleansers, serums, and body-care products.
Wonder Valley might sell pantry staples and skincare, but what co-founders Alison and Jay Carroll are really betting on is the power of olive oil itself.
"Having a diet heavy in true extra-virgin olive oil has several benefits: healthy omegas for heart health, antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative stress, and anti-inflammatory properties," Alison says. Whether you, like Alison and Jay, take a shot of olive oil before your morning coffee, or just drizzle it over lunch, it’s long been valued for its nutritional benefits and is associated with supporting healthy cholesterol levels.
You don't build an entire skincare line around olive oil without being a little obsessive. Before co-founding the brand, Alison worked as the marketing director for the California Olive Oil Council in Berkeley. There, she ran a blind tasting panel of olive oil experts to help ensure that products labeled "extra-virgin olive oil" actually met the standard. The job also introduced her to the growers, millers, and producers who still shape the brand’s approach.
What separates Wonder Valley starts in the grove. The brand harvests its olives early, while they're still bright green, which Alison says produces an oil with a “higher concentration in polyphenols,” a plant-based antioxidant, and a vibrant herbaceous flavor.
I’ve had Wonder Valley in my bathroom cabinet for years, long before Jenna Lyons was gifting it on RHONY. From the olive oil that makes potatoes and salads unfairly good to the body scrub and face serum, my wife and I fight over to the last drop. Below are seven of Wonder Valley’s best products, all powered by olive oil and gentle enough for both your face and body.
Wonder Valley Products In My Rotation
This is one of the best-smelling shampoo-and-conditioner duos I've ever tried. The yuzu and tangerine scent really blooms in the shower, filling the room with a fresh, citrusy aroma. It's made without synthetic ingredients, and the lightweight formula works well for all hair types. It doesn't produce a rich, foamy lather, but it leaves my hair hydrated, soft, and with a healthy shine.
The brand's hinoki body wash is one of its standout products. It lathers well and hydrates without stripping the skin, thanks to ingredients like willow bark, ashwagandha root, aloe vera, and olive oil. Like the rest of Wonder Valley's lineup, it smells incredible. Better yet, because it's made again without synthetic ingredients, it's gentle enough for both my sensitive skin and my son's.
Whether I'm exfoliating dry winter skin or sloughing off the effects of one too many days in the sun, the brand's body scrub always gets the job done. I use this seaweed-based scrub at least twice a week from the neck down. The combination of alaria seaweed, sea salt, kaolin clay, and olive oil leaves my skin noticeably smoother and hydrated without feeling stripped, while bamboo stem powder provides gentle exfoliation.
The oil cleanser has a honey-like texture; it gently emulsifies into a milky consistency with water, making it easy to use twice a day, every day. One pump goes a long way, it spreads generously, and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. Sea buckthorn brings a boost of vitamin E, grape seed helps keep oil in check, and the star of the show, olive oil, delivers antioxidant-rich goodness that improves texture and tone. This cleanser lays the foundation for the Wonder Serum, helping skin better absorb the nutrients it needs to stay hydrated.
The serum comes with a triple-digit price tag, but it's one of the few skincare products I've tried that feels worth every penny. This is one of the few products where I notice a difference almost immediately. My skin feels softer the moment I apply it and looks noticeably more radiant afterward. When Alison formulated the serum, she wanted it to address the biggest signs of aging: dullness, fine lines, and dehydration. Ingredients like sea buckthorn, vitamin C, and rosehip do all the work, but what really sets it apart is that it works as both a treatment and a moisturizer.
After I cleanse and apply the serum, this is my final step. It’s lightweight and absorbs quickly, with ingredients like rosehip to help maintain an even complexion and sunflower seed oil, rich in vitamin E, to support skin repair. A little goes a long way since it’s olive oil-based, and for fellas, it’s especially great post-shave thanks to the vitamin E in the formula. This has been a savior for me. Not just on my face, but on my neck and even the back of my neck as well.