We all love olive oil and we know that it’s good for our health, our skin and our taste buds! But what about our hair. Is olive oil good for hair? How do you use it to get the best results?
This article will answer these questions and more!
The truth is, it’s a great natural product for your hair. It’s great for colored hair because it moisturises and conditions, without damaging or drying out your tresses.
Plus, it can help keep your color in longer by protecting against UV rays and heat styling tools that fade color faster than normal.
And hey – if you’re already using it on other parts of your body as a natural moisturizer to keep your skin smooth, why not add some into the mix? Let’s find out why it’s so good for hair.
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Table of Contents
- What is olive oil and what does it do for hair?
- How to use olive oil on your hair.
- #1 As a deep conditioning mask.
- #2 Massage in to your scalp.
- #3 As a conditioner after shampoo.
- #4 As a styling serum.
- TOP TIPS for using olive oil on hair.
- The Thickening Power of Olive Oil
- Olive Oil and Combatting Hair Loss
- Colored Hair’s Best Friend: Olive Oil
- Olive Oil vs. Argan and Coconut Oils
- Watch and learn: Benefits of olive oil for your hair.
- Best olive oil products you can use at home.
- Best olive oil products for your hair
- Parting words
What is olive oil and what does it do for hair?
Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil.
It’s a natural beauty treatment that can be used to make your hair look and feel healthier, as well as provide nutrients for the scalp that may help prevent dandruff or itchiness.
A scientific study into the effects of oils on hair on PubMed tells us that olive oil has several amazing benefits for you hair including:
- Moisturizing: Olive oil deeply moisturizes hair, making it softer and reducing dryness.
- Sun Protection: It offers some protection against sun damage, helping to maintain hair health and color.
- Scalp Health: Olive oil has properties that can help reduce scalp issues like dandruff and itching.
- Soothing for Scalp Conditions: It can be beneficial for soothing conditions like scalp psoriasis, reducing redness and irritation.
- Rich in Antioxidants: Packed with antioxidants, olive oil helps protect hair from environmental stress and damage.
- Nourishing: Olive oil contains compounds that nourish the hair, improving its overall health.
For years now it’s been used as an ingredient in many different skincare products due to its ability to moisturize skin cells without clogging pores. Add some into your shampoo routine once every few weeks for healthier-looking tresses!
It’s an excellent natural way to add softness and shine without added weight or grease that other products like silicone-based ones might otherwise cause.
Expert Insights
“Whether olive oil is good or bad for hair depends a lot upon the type, texture and condition of the hair. Olive oil may or may not work for some people while it can work great for others.”
Karen Marie Shelton, Hairboutique.com
How to use olive oil on your hair.
What we love about olive oil is that it’s completely versatile. You can use it right out the bottle from your kitchen cupboard.
Here a few ways you can use olive on your hair to keep it vibrant and lustrous!
#1 As a deep conditioning mask.
If you’re skipping the salon and want to keep things natural, try using it on your tresses as a deep conditioner, just like Cleopatra did!
The liquid gold doubles as both moisturizer for frizzy ends or lacklustre strands while also acting as a strong conditioner that helps them retain moisture.
- Apply 2-4 tablespoons (more if you have long or thicker hair) and rub it gently into your hair from root to tip to saturate your hair.
- Leave it in for 1-2 hours to let the oil really penetrate your hair shaft.
- If your hair is particularly dry, pop on a shower cap and leave it overnight.
In the morning, wash it out with shampoo at least twice to remove all the oily residue and condition as normal if needed. Voila! Soft, silky hair.
#2 Massage in to your scalp.
Its healing properties make it fantastic as a scalp moisturiser. Use it like this if you have a dry, flaky or itchy scalp to help restore your natural oils.
A good time to use it like this is by massaging a small amount into your scalp before bedtime or after washing and conditioning.
#3 As a conditioner after shampoo.
It can also be applied directly onto your hair after washing away any sulfate-free shampoo residue on wet strands to create luscious locks without weighing them down too.
Rub 2 tablespoons into your hands then work through damp locks starting at tips before brushing out any tangles with fingers – no comb needed!
#4 As a styling serum.
You can also put some on your fingertips and run them through the ends of your hair in place of a hair serum as well!
TOP TIPS for using olive oil on hair.
Too much oil may leave the scalp greasy or weighed down with product build-up.
To avoid this problem use small amounts on damp strands before styling them into new looks.
Keep an eye out for flakes that could indicate overuse which leads to dryness.
If you’re worried about build-up from chemical treatments such as coloring, it can help with this because it penetrates deep into the follicle instead of just sitting on top- so no more buildup!
Know your hair type – some swear by its ability to maintain moisture and add shine while others say it leaves their locks feeling weighed down and greasy. If you have fine or thin hair, it might be too much for you.
The Thickening Power of Olive Oil
Olive Oil can give your hair a thicker appearance because it’s full of goodness and fatty acids like Omega-3. These can promote thicker hair by saturating your hair shafts with moisture for a thicker appearance.
Don’t expect miracles. It might not work for you, especially if you have very fine hair as it might weigh it down and make it look greasy. There’s no scientific evidence it really works so it’s a case of trying it and see!
Olive Oil and Combatting Hair Loss
Olive oil is great for nourishing your hair and scalp and strengthening your hair.
It has a positive role to play in improving your hair condition, so it can also prevent hair loss. This is because your hair will be healthier and in better condition – it’s not a magic hair loss solution.
However, if the cause of your hair loss is hereditary or if you are using extreme styling equipment or processes, it’s unlikely to help prevent hair loss.
Colored Hair’s Best Friend: Olive Oil
Olive oil is actually an excellent conditioner for color-treated hair.
It moisturises, conditions and can help keep those pesky flyaways under control. It also helps with dryness and styling.
Let’s face it, colored hair is beautiful, but it’s also a lot of work.
If you color your hair regularly (about every 4-6 weeks), you need to be careful not to damage your locks.
Bleaching your hair is also hard on your strands, especially if your hair has been through more than one bleaching process.
If you have colored hair, natural oils like this can help maintain the color. It’s best for thicker, dry hair as its oily properties can weigh finer hair down.
It contains vitamins A & E which are antioxidants that help prevent dryness and breakage by restoring elasticity in those tresses we love most.
As we said, it’s a great way to nourish your hair and keep it looking healthy, but if you’re wondering if it will give your colored hair an extra boost, the answer is sadly no!
It doesn’t contain any of the pigments that can help color hair look vibrant. So although this natural beauty product might make your locks softer and shinier, it won’t make them more colorful!
Olive Oil vs. Argan and Coconut Oils
It’s the great debate: olive oil or argan oil? And what about coconut oil?
You’ll find many people on either side of the issue and will likely be confused as to which is best. To clear things up, it helps to know what each does for your hair!
Argan oils are made from cold-pressed Moroccan kernels that have been extracted using a heat process.
These types of oils tend not to only condition but also nourish damaged locks. They’re especially popular among those with curly tresses because their moisture can help tame frizziness without weighing out curls too much.
Olive Oil’s fatty acids promote healthy cell growth. They can be used as an anti-inflammatory treatment at home and have conditioning properties like protein – all important in repairing damage done by styling tools, hair dye and wind.
Coconut oils are rich in antioxidants that can help strengthen brittle strands while adding quality shine into dull locks.
An unsaturated fat found within these types of fats called monounsaturates is primarily responsible for improving dry scalp conditions like dandruff.
So, olive oil has a lighter consistency than the thicker argan oil, and it’s easier to sink into your hair and has more healing properties than coconut.
However, olive oil is thinner than both of these in consistency. Meaning less time on your locks before you need another application!
Watch and learn: Benefits of olive oil for your hair.
Here’s a great video tutorial that guides you through the benefits of olive oil for your hair.
Best olive oil products you can use at home.
Olive oil-based products are the latest trend in hair care. They work to nourish, protect and condition your strands while adding a natural sheen that makes you look like you’ve been on holiday all year long!
What’s even better is that these products don’t just stop at repairing damaged locks—they also help fight frizziness if used sparingly or add an extra dose of shine for when blow-drying seems too much hassle.
So go ahead, pick up one of our favourite products below!
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Best olive oil products for your hair
Parting words
So now you know – if you’re looking for a new way to condition your hair that’s different from your regular routine and will leave it feeling healthy and smooth then we highly recommend it.
It is rich in vitamins A and E which are both fantastic for the scalp as well as containing omega-3 fatty acids which provide all-round conditioning treatment.
Plus it smells amazing! Just remember to use sparingly so that you don’t end up with greasy locks but instead soft, silky tresses.
