Repair Your Hair With Olive Oil

Want gorgeous, healthy hair? Add this kitchen staple to your hair care routine.

When it comes to repairing your damaged hair, forget pricey salon treatments and mass-market products. The secret to healthy, shiny hair worthy of a shampoo commercial may be as close as your kitchen cabinet: olive oil. Turns out it’s not just good for your heart — it’s good for your hair too. When incorporated into your hair care routine, olive oil can help fight everything from frizz to dandruff to (eek!) head lice.

“Women all over the world use hot oil treatments for their hair,” says Dawn Gallagher, coauthor of Naturally Beautiful: Earth’s Secrets and Recipes for Skin, Body and Spirit. “Oils are great for treating dry, overworked, or lifeless hair.”

Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil — organic, if possible — is great for repairing dry, over processed hair, but other oils, such as jojoba, sweet almond, and avocado, work well too. The procedure is simple:

• Warm one to two tablespoons of oil until it’s lukewarm.
• Massage into dry hair and scalp thoroughly using your fingertips, working out from the roots to the ends.
• Cover your hair in plastic wrap, then with a plastic shower cap or two or warm, moist towels, to deep condition your hair. Heat is an important part of the process because it helps the oils to better penetrate into the hair shaft to repair damage.
• Leave on at least 30 minutes, or overnight if your hair is particularly dry or damaged.
• Rinse the oil out of your hair and shampoo — more than once, if necessary — and use conditioner. (Be careful if you’re doing this in the shower — the oil can make the tub slippery!)
• Repeat every two to four weeks.

“Your hair will be noticeably shinier and softer,” Gallagher says. In addition to the method described above, she also recommends the following olive oil hair treatments:

Apennine Olive Oil Treatment

Some of the finest olive oil in the world comes from the hilly regions of central Italy, Gallagher says. “This oil has a deep, rich green color and a characteristic nutty fragrance.”

1 Tbsp. olive oil (more if hair is long) from Tuscany or Umbria, if possible
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Warm the olive oil and gently massage into your scalp and hair, covering the whole head. Wrap your head with two plastic shower caps or a hot, wet towel. Wait 15 to 20 minutes, then wash hair with an herbal shampoo. Apply the shampoo without adding water to cut down on the oil. Rinse with apple cider vinegar.

Lavender and Rosemary Treatment

1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 drop of lavender essential oil
2 drops of rosemary essential oil

Combine ingredients and rub the mixture into hair’s dry ends, or massage into your scalp. Wrap your hair in a hot towel or cover with a plastic shower cap. Let the oil soak into your hair for about an hour, then rinse with a natural shampoo.

Caribbean Queen Conditioner

1 to 2 eggs
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. glycerin
1/2 cup of purified water
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Mix all ingredients together and whisk thoroughly. After shampooing, use as a conditioner. Massage through hair and leave on under a plastic shower cap for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.

No matter what your hair type, treating it with olive oil can help repair damage and give you healthy, shiny hair. So go ahead, pour it on.