The Benefits of Olive Oil for Hair
Healthy hair
Although historians don’t know exactly who was the first to use olive oil as a hair treatment, it can safely be said it’s been part of beauty regimens for well over 2,000 years. Even Cleopatra, the legendary queen of ancient Egypt, was said to have used olive oil to keep her tresses shining.
Like many traditional herbs and extracts, scientists today are confirming what our ancestors already knew: Olive oil has a variety of benefits for maintaining an enviable head of hair.
Oxidative stressors like UV radiation, inflammation and cellular aging are some of the most common culprits in dry, dull and frizzy hair. But because it is high in antioxidants, olive oil, as well phenol-rich byproducts of olive oil production like milling wastewater, provide hair follicles with added protection. The result isn’t just average healthy scalp maintenance. Olive oil has been shown to be even more effective at promoting healthy hair than silicon, a microplastic commonly found in shampoo and other hair products.
Perhaps more surprising is the olive tree’s ability to aid in hair growth. Studies in mice have shown that when applied to skin, oleuropein, a compound found in olive fruit and leaves, induces the growth of hair follicles.
In people too, olive oil and its byproducts show promise for reversing hair loss. In one case, researchers found that olive oil was able to regenerate hair in patients affected by its loss due to Covid-19. It has also been shown to prevent hair follicles from falling out prematurely and to help hair to grow longer than it would alone.
Olive oil hair wrapped
Straight olive oil can be integrated into a natural hair care routine in a couple different ways. When massaged into the scalp, a few drops of EVOO straight from a bottle of culinary oil can hydrate and shine hair that’s parched and overtreated. For a deeper treatment, a generous helping of oil can be worked into the hair then wrapped with a towel and left to penetrate for minutes, hours or overnight.
If raiding the kitchen for hair care is less than appealing however, never fear. A number of beauty brands have heeded ancient and modern wisdom about olive oil, making it a primary ingredient in their formulas for shampoos, conditioners, hair masks and hair oils.
For beautiful, shiny hair, try these olive oil-containing products:
Korres Pure Greek Olive Nourishing Hair Mask
Korres ethically sources the olive oil for their hair and body products via a network of local micro farmers and agricultural cooperatives throughout the Greek islands. Included among them are nutritive shampoos and conditioners that replenish moisture with olive leaf extract and extra virgin olive oil. Korres’ most hydrating hair product though, is their Pure Greek Olive Nourishing Hair Mask, which takes just three to five minutes to restore dry hair with its natural antioxidants.
Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Shampoo $38 + Conditioner $28
Kiehl's Nourishing Olive Fruit Oil Shampoo and Conditioner
Century-old apothecary Kiehl’s used science and nature in their solution to perking up dry and unhealthy hair. The brand’s Nourishing Olive Fruit Oil Shampoo and Conditioner blend olive fruit oil with oils from avocado and lemon to produce rich, creamy formulas that cleanse and moisturize, leaving hair shiny and soft. Kiehl’s products are cruelty free.
Seek Bamboo Natural Shampoo Bar
The number of shampoo bottles that are thrown out each year, around 500 million, are enough to line the entire coast of California. With its Olive Oil Shampoo Bar, Seek Bamboo is fighting back against the growing landfill with zero-waste natural hair care. Swipe the bar across the scalp a few times then use your fingers to produce a lather that’s as rich and sudsy as a liquid shampoo. A single bar lasts up to 90 washes (that’s as many as three plastic bottles of shampoo) and its nourishing olive oil, bay oil, jojoba oil and avocado butter formula is deeply moisturizing, rich in antioxidants, and free of sulfates, dyes and synthetic fragrances. Make more room in your airport-approved bag of 3-oz travel products by picking up an aluminum tin to carry with you on the go.
ORS Olive Oil Exotic Scalp Oil
The moisture-rich olive oil products at ORS Hair Care—which range from hair gel to leave-in conditioner—are some of the most affordable on the market. Dry and dull hair will especially love their Nourishing Exotic Scalp Oil, an intensively hydrating but lightweight and non-greasy formula that also contains babassu, coconut and castor oils. Squeeze several drops onto hair and scalp for conditioning and a lustrous shine. The cruelty, paraben and sulfate-free formula can be applied to any hair type or texture, including braids, locs and twists.
Allpa Botanicals Olive Hair Oil
Allpa Botanicals Olive Hair Oil is about as close as any hair care product gets to the bottle of EVOO sitting on your kitchen counter. It has only one ingredient, 100% organic, cold-pressed olive oil harvested in Argentina. Use it the same way you would culinary-grade olive oil: Apply a few drops on damp or dry hair to control frizz and bring on shine, or get deeper hydration by applying a liberal amount and leaving it on for several minutes or even overnight.