Olive Oil for Hair: How It Nourishes, Smooths, and Revitalizes Your Locks for Pennies
A hair loss doctor shares the benefits of using the natural oil for strands
Many DIY beauty trends are running the gamut from egg-white and avocado hair masks to apple cider vinegar treatments. But one of the oldest and most reliable tricks in the book is likely sitting in your kitchen pantry and can do wonders for your hair health: olive oil. The ancient oil has been used for centuries not just for cooking, but for beauty treatments, thanks to its long list of nourishing benefits. And, it’s recommended by hair experts and doctors just as much as beauty editors and influencers. Keep reading for all of the strand-loving benefits of olive oil for hair, the best way to apply it and more.
Olive oil hair benefits
Natural oils have been used for years and years when it comes to treating dry, unruly hair and overall just making the hair and scalp healthier. Olive oil is certainly no exception. “I’ve seen some of my patients use it as part of their self-care routine, and for the right hair type, it works beautifully,” says Ross Kopelman, DO, a hair restoration surgeon.
Olive oil for hair: It nourishes the scalp
Scalp health is extremely important for healthy hair. One of olive oil’s biggest benefits is that it helps support a healthy scalp. “In my practice, I often have patients ask about natural remedies like olive oil,” says Dr. Kopelman. “I tell them that while it’s not a magic fix, olive oil can be really nourishing for the scalp.” He explains that it can help soften dry skin (you probably have experienced dry patches on your scalp at least once in your life) and reduce itching.
Olive oil for hair: It reduces flaking
Going off of the above on how olive oil can support your scalp, the oil helps to reduce flaking, says Dr. Kopelman. Flaking often comes from a dry scalp, and as aforementioned, olive oil softens the scalp.
Olive oil for hair: It prevents breakage
Another perk of olive oil for hair is that it “coats the hair to prevent breakage,” explains Dr. Kopelman. Breakage often happens with dry, damaged hair, and adding a “sealant” of moisture through olive oil helps to reduce the amount of breakage and split ends your hair endures.
Olive oil for hair: It reduces frizz
Whether you’re struggling with frizz from warm temperatures and humidity or just your natural hair texture, olive oil can help. “For patients dealing with brittle or frizzy hair, olive oil can act as a gentle, affordable conditioner,” says Dr. Kopelman.
A 2015 review of studies published in the International Journal of Trichology stated that oil has an important role in protecting your hair from damage. The oils can enter your hair strands and reduce the water absorption, which in turn helps detangle the hair and minimize frizz. Water is needed for moisturized, hydrated hair, and oil helps lock that water in.
Does olive oil help with hair growth?
While there certainly are hair oils out there that have been proven to help with hair growth (read: rosemary oil), olive oil isn’t backed by science to help grow hair. However, as mentioned prior, olive oil does support a healthy scalp, which is crucial for hair growth.
“I’m always honest about this: olive oil won’t regrow hair or reverse pattern baldness, but it can support a healthy scalp, which is foundational for hair health,” affirms Dr. Kopelman. “When I walk patients through treatment plans, I sometimes include scalp oils as supportive care—not for growth directly, but to optimize the scalp environment.”
Precautions of olive oil for hair
Olive oil can do wonders for some, but doesn’t work for everyone. More specifically, you’ll want to be more wary of using olive oil on your hair if you have fine or thin hair, says Dr. Kopelman. And, make sure you’re properly washing your hair and scalp after using olive oil. “I caution my patients that olive oil can be very heavy, especially for those with fine or thin hair. If you don’t shampoo thoroughly after, it can actually block follicles, which defeats the purpose.”
Plus, if you use too much, olive oil can make your hair/scalp look greasy and cause buildup or irritation, he warns.
How to apply olive oil to hair
Before washing your hair, add a small amount of olive oil—remember a little goes a long way and too much can lead to greasy-looking hair—to your scalp and hair. Apply from root to tip (if you have oily hair, you may just want to stick to mid-lengths to ends), massaging in as you go. “Leave it on for 30 to 60 minutes max, then shampoo out. If someone’s using it overnight, I advise using a silk wrap or shower cap and washing it out thoroughly in the morning,” says Dr. Kopelman. A silk wrap, hair bonnet or shower cap will not only protect your hair, but it will also help reduce the amount of transfer to your skin and pillowcase.
When it comes to olive oil hair products, Dr. Kopelman says he typically recommends just using plain old 100% extra virgin olive oil that you’d find at the grocery store. However, he says, “if patients find it too heavy, I recommend cutting it with a lighter oil like jojoba or argan.”
If you’re looking for a hair product made with olive oil, try Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Deeply Repairative Hair Mask. Dr. Kopelman says he often recommends it “especially post-procedure or for those on topical medications that dry out the scalp.”
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