I'm 26 years old, and I have the same problem... Except I have deep creases and heavy bags under my eyes... Nasty, dark circles too. I've tried numerous products on the market, but nothing has seemed to work. I recently purchased St. Ive's Cucumber & Elastin Stress Gel because I saw a celebrity in a magazine say she used it. Anyway, I found the following info regarding both Emu Oil and Olive Oil from Paula Begoun, The Cosmetics Cop. Hope it helps!!!
OLIVE OIL
In the world of skin care, startling antiaging and antiwrinkling properties can be attributed to almost any plant-sourced ingredient. One of the latest is olive oil. The concept of olive oil having antiaging properties stems from some evidence that diets high in olive oil may help prevent heart disease (Sources: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2002, pages 72–81; Lipids, November 2001, Supplemental, pages S49–S52; Lipids, November 2001, pages 1195–1202). There are also a small number of animal tests showing that topically applied olive oil can protect against UVB damage (Sources: Carcinogenesis, November 2000, pages 2085–2090; Journal of Dermatological Science, March 2000, Supplemental, pages S45–S50).
It does seem that olive oil is a good antioxidant and assuredly it's a good moisturizing ingredient. But research shows similar results for other oils as well. How olive oil's status got elevated so that it's now a showcased ingredient in expensive skin-care products epitomizes the caprice of the cosmetics industry.
EMU OIL
The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a large, flightless bird indigenous to Australia, and emu oil has become an important component of the Australian economy. As a result there is research from that part of the world showing it to be a good emollient that can help heal skin. But along with the evidence that emu oil is a good emollient and the parade of companies promoting it for that, there are also companies promoting products containing emu oil for its antiaging, antiwrinkling, and wound-healing properties. So does emu oil live up to these acclaimed properties? Regrettably, none of these promises are supported by research.
A study published in the Australasian Journal of Dermatology (August 1996, pages 159–161), looked at the “Cosmetic and moisturizing properties of Emu oil … assessed in a double-blind clinical study. Emu oil in comparison to mineral oil was found overall to be more cosmetically acceptable and had better skin penetration/permeability. Furthermore it appears that Emu oil in comparison to mineral oil has better moisturizing properties, superior texture, and lower incidence of comedogenicity, but probably because of the small sample size these differences were not found to be statistically significant. Neither of the oils were found to be irritating to the skin.†That’s good, but it’s hardly a reason to run out and by a product containing emu oil.
Another study, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (December 1998, pages 2404–2407), concluded that applying emu oil on a fresh wound actually delayed wound healing which is not a good thing.
On the other hand, a more recent study compared the anti-inflammatory ability of emu oil with several other oils, including olive and flaxseed. The oils were applied to mouse ears after their skin was irritated with a volatile oil, and cellular irritant response was measured several hours later. The results showed emu oil had somewhat better anti-inflammatory properties than the other oils in the study, though not by a substantial margin compared to more readily available oils, including olive (Source: Lipids, June 2003, pages 603-607). Reducing inflammation is a valid reason to consider emu oil, but other oils (and several antioxidants) perform the same function. Moreover, none of this means emu oil is the answer for aging or wrinkled skin. Like many ingredients, it has soothing, emollient properties, but it isn’t the miracle marketers make it out to be.
Bottom line: Emu oil’s reputation is driven mostly by claims made by companies selling products that contain it, and not by any real proof that it is an essential requirement for skin.