3 Surprising Ways Olive Oil Can Help Your Hair
Could the secret to soft, shiny, healthy hair be hiding in your kitchen? We all know olive oil works wonders on food, but the staple can also transform your tresses, providing much needed moisture and nourishment to your strands, thanks to a unique combination of nutrients and fatty acids (including oleic acid, palmitic acid, and squalane) that work together to seal the hair cuticle and lock in moisture, nourishing your hair in the process. Before you start slathering on olive oil from root to tip, read on to find out how to incorporate it into your hair routine and if it’s right for you.
What are the benefits of olive oil for your hair?
1. It’s extremely moisturizing.
The same fat that gives olive oil its unique taste makes it the perfect moisturizer for your hair. “It gives the hair slip and hydration,” says George Papanikolas, celebrity stylist for Matrix. From heat styling to highlights, many of us could seriously benefit from adding some hydration to our hair routine, and olive oil works to soften and strengthen, the same way a hair conditioner would. “Since we tend to strip the hair of its natural oils from chemical services and heat tools, replenishing and hydrating it with additional oil keeps it soft and shiny,” says Papanikolas.
Meet the Expert
George Papanikolas is the celebrity hair colorist and brand ambassador for Matrix and one of the top colorists in Hollywood. His past clients have included Kim Kardashian West, Penélope Cruz, and Hailey Bieber.
2. It can treat dandruff.
If you’re dealing with a flaky, dry scalp olive oil might be a soothing alternative for treatment as it works to moisturize your scalp and stop flaking, thanks to antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. “Olive oil can temporarily help with dandruff,” says Papanikolas. “It's best to use a product specifically made for dandruff care, like BIOLAGE R.A.W. Scalp System, which treats the cause of dandruff at the scalp.” You can also try one of our top rated, Ipster-loved dandruff shampoos here. Although using olive oil as a remedy is more of an old folks tale, those with dandruff know all too well how sensitive your scalp can be. An olive oil hair treatment can serve up an ample dose of moisture to dry areas, allowing them to finally heal. For best results, try massaging the mixture into your scalp and cover with a shower cap overnight. When you wake up, shampoo and condition as usual.
3. It prevents breakage & split ends.
Want to promote hair growth by stopping split ends in their tracks? Reach for this fortifying kitchen staple that contains antioxidants that minimize oxidative damage caused by styling and pollution, all while sealing the hair cuticle and taming flyaways. “Hair has the ability to absorb this kind of oil so it keeps it from being dry and rough, making it like a lubricant reducing friction which can cause split ends and breakage,” says Papanikolas.
What hair types can benefit from using olive oil?
While olive oil can work wonders for your tresses, unfortunately it isn’t for all hair types. “Curly and kinky hair tends to have the most benefit as their hair tends to be dry by nature,” says Papanikolas. Since it’s hard for natural oil to reach the ends, using an olive oil treatment can help.
If you have dry, damaged, or color-treated hair you might also want to reach for the EVOO. “Highlighted and bleached hair is always screaming for more hydration,” says Papanikolas. If you have an oily scalp or you’re acne prone, you should probably steer clear of olive oil treatments because they could clog your hair follicles. “More oil can cause additional breakouts,” says Papanikolas.
How to use olive oil on your hair
Before you start slathering on olive oil, be sure to read the bottle. “Extra virgin olive oil is the most pure,” says Papanikolas. It’s also unrefined and retains the most vitamins and minerals, which means you’ll be serving up a heaping dose of fatty acids to nourish, soften, and strengthen your hair. Since olive oil is quite thick, it’s important to remember that a little goes a long way. If you use too much you risk weighing your hair down.
If you’re ready to reap the benefits, you can DIY your own olive oil hair mask to soothe a dry scalp. Massage it in and cover your head with a shower cap for 15 minutes before you rinse out. “It can make your hair greasy and attract dirt if you leave it on too long,” says Papanikolas. You can also treat dry hair or split ends to a hot oil treatment. Simply warm 2-3 tablespoons of oil then apply, focusing about halfway down the hair shaft and on the ends.
If you have thick hair, suffer from frizz, or your hair is very long, you can use up to a quarter cup of olive oil as a conditioning treatment. Feel free to massage all over, working from root to tip. Comb it out in the shower and thoroughly shampoo and condition. Depending on how much oil you use, this might require a double shampoo. If you don’t thoroughly wash out all the oil before reaching for your blow dryer, straightener, or curling iron you could literally fry off your hair. “Be sure to fully wash it out before using heat tools as it can singe the hair and burn it if left on while heat styling,” says Papanikolas.
If you aren’t into trying a DIY treatment, you can also enjoy all the moisturizing benefits of olive oil by using hair products that contain the key ingredient, like the PETER LAMAS Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra Smoothing Shampoo and the PETER LAMAS Avocado & Olive Oil Ultra Smoothing Conditioner, which contain a unique blend of olive oil and avocado oil to tame frizzy, hard-to-manage hair.
While there are a bevy of health benefits of incorporating olive oil in your diet, there’s also quite a few reasons worth reaching for EVOO in your hair care routine, too. Have you added olive oil to your hair for added moisture? If so, upload a photo to Instagram or Twitter and let us know how it worked for you.
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