Olive oil is a fantastic conditioner for hair, but there are many other things about this essential oil that make it a great go-to for hair care.
It’s also one of the top emollients that can penetrate the hair better than others, and its lightweight nature makes it great for moisturizing.
Olive oil also contains anti-inflammatory properties that promote scalp health and prevent dandruff. Extra virgin oil is also rich in high levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, an antioxidant important for hair growth.
Olive oil is not likely to cause an allergic reaction, making it ideal for sensitive skin and hair.
DIY Olive Oil Hair Treatment
Another great thing about olive oil is that it’s a cheap and easy way to add moisture to your hair. Here’s a simple olive oil treatment you can try for achieving beautiful hair at home.
- Warm about a half a cup of olive oil in a microwaveable bowl or cup. The olive oil should be warm but not hot to the touch. If you have fine hair or prefer a lighter treatment, add coconut, sweet almond or jojoba oil.
- Pour one tablespoon of the olive oil mixture into the palm of your hands.
- Starting with your scalp, massage the oil into your hair in a circular motion using your fingertips. Finish by massaging the tips of your hair.
- Place your oil-drenched hair into a shower cap or wrap it with plastic wrap.
- Let the olive oil sit for between 5–45 minutes, then rinse and shampoo as usual.
Dry or Wet Hair?
Some women prefer applying olive oil treatments to wet and recently conditioned hair while others want their hair to be dry. If your hair is wet and conditioned, it will lock in the moisture and additional nutrients when the olive oil is applied.
The downside is that olive oil is already slightly more difficult to apply due to the hair’s slipper nature. If you apply olive oil to dry hair, it has a similar effect, but many argue it doesn’t lock in as many nutrients as the wet treatment. Even so, it’s less of a mess than the wet method.
Many users also recommend hopping in the shower and letting the steam do its thing to enhance the effects of the olive oil on the hair. Once you’ve washed it out, watch your step since the floor will be slick with oil.
Olive Oil in Hair Products
Although there are arguably more popular hair oils, olive oil is well-known as a culinary ingredient and easy to obtain in any average grocery store. For food and for hair, olive oil has been used since the dawn of civilizations, ranging from Mesopotamia to Ancient Egypt and Greece.
It’s no wonder then, that olive oil is found in a variety of hair care products. Olive oil penetrates the hair cuticle so that the necessary moisture and nutrients are absorbed, leaving your hair not only smoother, but shinier and healthier as well.
Ladies, how do you incorporate olive oil in your natural hair regimen?
I mixed olive oil with some leftover conditioner and I put it in my misted hair at night.
My hair HATES oil.. It gets so hard. It’s still a twa,but i’m battling to seal with oils. I’ve used less, applied on wet hair, on dry hair, used castor, coconut, olive oil, jojoba oil, whipped shea,sweet almond, grapeseed..my hair’s NOT having it. Anybody else had this issue
you can try sealing with aloe vera
YES! I’ve tried oil on dry hair, on wet hair, on damp hair, freshly washed, freshly cowashed … each time the result is the same: hay. Dry as straw.
I’ll give it another try, but I’m not holding my breath.
after adding oil to damp hair, not wet, u could try sealing with shea butter. maybe that will work.
Put a moisturizer first. It will be hare if you just put oil on un-moisturized hair.
Hey Ugonna, thanks for the advice. I always moisturize first. My hair seems to like conditioner only right now. I’ll keep trying, tho!
try mixing half cup of vegetable glycerin with half cup of water and adding a few drops of olive or jojoba oil in a spray bottle. spraying instead of directly applying the oil should make it lighter and therefore not cause stiffness
Do you apply a moisturizer before applying the oils?
Thank you Lulu. I hope that works for me. Mikxtr I’m so glad i’m not alone! Thought there was something ‘wrong’ with my hair. Val, I definitely moisturize first. I’ve always apply after cowashing.. I tried sealing after i rinse out all the conditioner, and when leaving conditioner in my hair. All silicone free, btw.
My hair is very coarse and tends to dry out easily. So far, olive oil is the only oil that really works for my hair. I tried organic coconut oil on my scalp and it completely rejected it, it even caused dandruff. I’m looking for another oil that would work as well as olive.
Olive oil breaks me out, and coconut oil makes my hair hard. I use avocado oil and mix that with either castor oil, or apricot oil..sometimes both. Works everytime on my super dry hair.
I know trying to find the oil for you is always a challenge i have tried Coconut oil and my skin was just not having it. So I went to Olive oil which has worked out well. I tried Avocado as an alternative and my hair wasn’t having. So each their own. I figure that the oils/butter for me are
olive oil
Shea butter (unrefined white)
castor oil
jojoba oil (primarily for my scalp)
I use extra virgin olive oil mix with coconut oil amla oil before cowash once a week. I use it on dry or wet hair.
I have no issues with oils.
I use olive oil mainly because I find its the only readily available essential oil in Malawi. it works great. I also use it as a substitute for body lotion, leaves my skin looking yummy
I hate the smell of olive oil so I stopped using it. I just can’t find a reason to use something that smells like a salad when there are better smelling options out there! Personally, I mix (wait for it….) Crisco!! and create my own hair oil/butter. I do a spoonful of crisco (which is just soybean oil and some other oils, my hair LOVES it) along with two spoonfuls of coconut oil, half a spoonful of honey, and a cap of castor oil. I apply however much I deem necessary directly after a shower. I let it sit and usually don’t need to apply more until 4-5 days later. It leaves my hair a little oily, but I work outdoors and I am wearing a hat most of the time so my hair is braided or bunned anyway. Winter has been a great time to really experiment with products and allowing heavier things that normally I don’t like sit on my head. Oils have been wonderful for my hair. It’s so much softer and shinier and feels thicker and healthier than ever before.
I use olive oil as a pre poo and detangling method once a week, on wash day. My hair loves it, i love it and it cuts detangling time by half. I drench my hair in it and then sit with a hot wrap so its hot oil treatment then wash my hair as usual.Since using this method my hair feels amazing after washing soft and manageable.
I use olive oil as a detangling prepoo along with my leave in cream. I use it as a sealant along with shea butter, and i use it occasionally to seal in moisture from my body lotion after a shower. I know the article mentions it anti-inflammatory and anti-dandruff characteristics, but it only exacerbates my dandruff and my scalp gets dirty and itchy quicker, so I have stopped oiling my scalp altogether. Other than that olive oil is my staple..have been using it ever since i stopped relaxing 2 years ago
Most of the products mentioned are not available in Nigeria. However, i will try olive oil and i hope it works 4 me.
Oils should be used in everyone’s hair care regimen. They do wonders for the hair and scalp, and feel great putting them in. whats not to love about them. After I have a coconut or olive oil head/hair massage I wrap my hair in a towel and let it sit for a bit(15-30 minutes). Rinse and see how your hair looks and feels healthier.
Olive oil works excellent on hair. I believe everyone should use oils because it makes your hair soft and smooth.