How to give yourself a hot oil treatment using olive oil

There seems to be no end to the kitchen products they say can be good for your hair: Apple cider vinegar rinses for shine; honey, mayonnaise, and avocado for conditioning; beer for… well, maybe it’s best to save the beer for drinking.

People have used olive oil for hair care for thousands of years. Advocates claim that it adds shine, body, softness, and resilience. This is because its primary chemical elements are oleic acid, palmitic acid, and squalene. These are all emollients, which means they have softening qualities. In fact, many shampoos, conditioners, and pomades contain lab-made versions of emollients.

There is very little scientific evidence to support olive oil’s popularity in haircare. However, some research on the effect of oils  coconut oil, in particular  show that they can have a major moisturizing effect. Olive oil could add softness and strengthen hair by penetrating the hair shaft and retaining moisture. Shine attributed to olive oil may be due to the oil smoothing the outer cuticle of the hair.

How to give yourself a hot oil hair treatment:

1. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds.
2. Dip your fingers into the warm olive oil. Massage the oil into the hair working from the scalp to the tips.
3. Cover your hair with the shower cap and leave it in place for 30 minutes. This gives the olive oil time to moisturize the scalp and roots of the hair.
4. Rinse the hair with lukewarm water. Some olive oil will remain in the hair following the rinse. Wash the hair with lukewarm water until the olive oil is removed completely. Overly hot water will dry the scalp.
5. Condition the hair with your conditioner. Use the wide-toothed comb to comb the hair after rinsing out the conditioner.