What Are the Characteristics of Dark Olive Skin?

Dark olive skin is common for individuals of a number of ethnicities, such as Latinos and those from Mediterranean countries. This skin is not prone to acne, scarring, sunburn, or dryness. It is less likely to wrinkle than the skin of fairer individuals, yet wrinkles that do appear are often deeper. This type of skin should be moisturized daily with a product that includes sunscreen.

Individuals with dark olive skin may claim any number of ethnic heritages. People of Mediterranean origin, who are from Italy, Spain, or Turkey, often have olive skin tones. Scandinavian countries like Finland and Norway also produce olive skin, as do Native Americans, Latinos, and some African Americans.

Some claim that this type of skin is the most desirable skin tone as it is easy to care for. Olive skin is rarely too dry, neither is it as sensitive as fairer skin or as prone to acne. Since the skin is dark, scars and marks that do occur are less noticeable than on lighter skin.

As those with dark olive skin often have a very even skin tone, they are less likely to have visible scars or to suffer from wrinkles. These individuals often wear less makeup than their fair skinned counterparts, and they may not need to wear foundation or concealer at all. Instead, blushes and bronzers are recommended to enhance the wearer's natural glow.

One of the drawbacks and benefits of having dark olive skin is that it does not burn easily in the sun. This is beneficial for obvious reasons, but because it burns less easily, individuals with olive skin are often less likely to apply sunscreen. Although sunburn is less common, the ultraviolet rays from the sun can still cause skin damage even if the skin is not visibly burnt. This can result in premature aging or skin cancer. In order to avoid this and protect the skin, a moisturizer that contains sunscreen should be applied daily.

If cared for, dark skin tones, such as brown and dark olive skin tones, age more slowly than their lighter counterparts. Fair skin is more likely to show wrinkles at an earlier age than olive skin. Those with dark olive skin do not appear to have wrinkles until later in life, yet when these wrinkles do appear they are usually much deeper than the fine lines or wrinkles that appear on fair skin. Also, later in life, dark skin is more likely to sag and droop than is light skin.