Ozonated Olive Oil: What It Is and How It’s Made
Reviewed by Dr. Silvia Menéndez, PhD, Scientific Advisor — PhD in Chemistry, medical-ozone researcher since 1986.
Ozonated olive oil is olive oil infused with ozone (O3).The ozone reacts with the oil’s unsaturated fats to create ozonidesand lipid peroxides, which release active oxygen slowly when the oil touches the skin. The quality of the finished oil depends almost entirely on three things: the base oil, the temperature it is ozonated at, and how it is packaged. It is also spelled “ozonized” olive oil, and sometimes called “oxygenated” olive oil.
What is ozonated olive oil?
Ozone (O3) is a naturally occurring molecule made of three oxygen atoms. In medical and therapeutic applications it has been studied for over a century for its oxidative properties. When ozone is carefully infused into an organic oil, it forms a stable compound — ozonated oil — that keeps those properties in a form you can apply directly to skin.
The active compounds in ozonated oils are ozonides and lipid peroxides. They interact with the skin to stimulate local oxygen metabolism, support the body’s antioxidant defences and provide antimicrobial protection. Unlike a synthetic active, ozonated oil works with the skin’s own biological processes: the ozonides release active oxygen species gradually on contact, rather than all at once. You can read the longer version of the chemistry on our ozonated oil science page.
How is ozonated olive oil made?
The short answer is: slowly, and cold. Heat and speed are the two things that ruin an ozonated oil, because both degrade the very compounds the process is meant to create. Our cold ozonation process runs in five stages:
- Selecting the oil. Certified organic extra virgin olive oil from European producers. Each batch is tested for purity, acidity and polyphenol content before it is used.
- Generating the ozone. Medical-grade ozone is produced on site from pure oxygen, with the concentration calibrated per formulation.
- Cold ozonation. The ozone is bubbled slowly through the oil at controlled low temperatures. This can take several days per batch.
- Botanical integration (for blended products only). Extracts are added after ozonation, never during.
- Testing and bottling. Every batch is tested for ozone content, microbial safety and stability, then bottled in UV-protective glass.
What is ozonated olive oil used for?
It is used topically — on the skin. Research has shown that ozonated oils can support wound healing, reduce inflammation and help manage various skin conditions. In practice that means it turns up in three broad places:
- As a pure oil, applied directly — see our certified organic ozonated olive oil in a 30 ml violet glass dropper bottle.
- As the base of a cream. Ozonated olive oil is the active base of our ozone face cream and of the firming J Cream, which blends ozonated olive, sunflower and sesame oils.
- In cleansing and oral care. The same oils go into our facial cleansing bar and, at an alkaline pH, into an ozone oil toothpaste. Ozone has been used in dental medicine for decades for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties — more on our oral care page.
Ozonated olive oil is a cosmetic ingredient, not a medicine. Nothing here is medical advice, and none of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA.
Ozonated vs. ozonized vs. “oxygenated” olive oil
These are not different products. They are different words for the same one, and the confusion is worth clearing up because it changes what you search for:
- Ozonated and ozonizedolive oil — identical. Both spellings are in common use; “ozonated” is the more frequent one in US English.
- “Oxygenated” olive oil— an informal name for the same thing. Strictly speaking it is imprecise: the oil is treated with ozone (O3), not with ordinary oxygen (O2), and the resulting compounds are ozonides.
- “High ozonide oil”— a way of describing an oil with a high concentration of the active ozonide compounds, which generally means a longer ozonation.
- Ozonated sunflower oil— a genuinely different product: same process, different base oil. Our Sensioil line blends ozonated olive and ozonated sunflower oils.
Topical vs. ingestible ozonated olive oil
Most ozonated olive oil is made to go on the skin. A separate category is made to be swallowed, usually as a softgel capsule, and it is not interchangeable with the topical oil — different specification, different manufacturing standard, different packaging. Our ingestible ozonated olive oil is made under a separate brand, OzoVita, as organic ozonated olive oil softgels. If you are looking for capsules rather than a topical oil, start there.
How to choose an ozonated olive oil
“Ozonated olive oil” is not a regulated term, so the label alone tells you very little. Four things actually separate one product from another:
- Is the base oil certified organic — and by whom? Ozolabs was the world’s first company to produce certified organic ozonated oil; our oils are certified organic and vegan by bio.inspecta and BioVidaSana. A named certifier is a fact you can check; “natural” is not.
- Cold process or hot? Cold ozonation takes days and costs more. It is also the only way to build up ozonides without degrading the oil that carries them.
- Is every batch tested? Ozone content, microbial safety and stability should be tested per batch, in a facility that is accountable for it. Ours is FDA-registered and operates under ISO 9001, alongside ISO 14001 environmental practice and Leaping Bunny cruelty-free certification.
- What is it packaged in?Light and heat degrade ozonides, so a good ozonated oil comes in UV-protective glass — violet or amber — and never in clear plastic.
Two more things worth knowing about ours specifically: the formulations contain no parabens, silicones or petrochemicals, and the products are distributed in more than 40 countries. The science behind them is led by Dr. Silvia Menéndez, PhD, who introduced ozone therapy in Cuba in 1986, headed the Ozone Clinic at the Ozone Research Center until 2011, and has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles in the field.
How to use ozonated olive oil
Apply a small amount to clean skin and massage it in gently; a little goes a long way. Many people notice a difference in surface-level concerns within the first few applications, while consistent use over two to four weeks typically gives the best result. Store the bottle somewhere cool and dark, away from direct sunlight, and keep it tightly closed. Refrigeration helps for long-term storage but is not required. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your healthcare provider before starting any new skincare product.
Frequently asked questions
What is ozonated olive oil?+
Ozonated olive oil is olive oil that has had ozone (O3) infused into it. The ozone reacts with the unsaturated fats in the oil to form ozonides and lipid peroxides, which are the oil's active compounds. The finished oil is applied to the skin, where the ozonides gradually release active oxygen species.
Is ozonated olive oil the same as ozonized olive oil?+
Yes. “Ozonated” and “ozonized” are two spellings of the same thing, and both are in common use. “Oxygenated olive oil” and “high ozonide oil” are informal names people also use for it. All of them describe olive oil treated with ozone.
How is ozonated olive oil made?+
Medical-grade ozone is generated from pure oxygen and bubbled slowly through the oil at controlled low temperatures. At Ozolabs this cold ozonation can take several days per batch, which preserves the molecular structure of the oil while maximising ozone absorption. Every batch is then tested for ozone content, microbial safety and stability.
What is ozonated olive oil used for?+
It is used on the skin. Research has shown that ozonated oils can support wound healing, reduce inflammation and help manage various skin conditions. Our own topical products use it as the base for face creams, body milk, an aftershave, a lip care balm and an oral care line.
How can you tell a good ozonated olive oil from a poor one?+
Look for four things: a certified organic base oil, cold ozonation rather than a heated process, per-batch testing, and UV-protective (violet or amber) glass packaging. Ozone-derived compounds degrade with light and heat, so a clear plastic bottle is a warning sign regardless of what the label claims.
Shop certified organic ozonated olive oil
The pure oil, the creams built on it and the full ozonated skincare range are all in our store.
This article is for general information about a cosmetic ingredient. None of the statements on this website have been evaluated by the FDA. Ozolabs’ products are cosmetics and are not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any disease; if you have a skin condition, consult a physician.