How To Prepare Olive Oil Hair Masks For Healthy Hair

An olive oil hair mask is one of the best and cost-effective ways to nourish your hair naturally. Olive oil contains a significant amount of vitamin E, polyphenols, and oleuropein (a chemical compound that gives a bitter taste) (1). So, applying this mask can help check hair fall, split ends, and induce hair growth. It also helps you get moisturized, healthy, soft, and shiny tresses.

In this article, we will explore the benefits of olive oil for hair and how to prepare hair masks with this oil at home. Keep reading.

Did You Know?

Olive oil was called ‘liquid gold’ by Homer and ‘the great healer’ by Hippocrates due to its medicinal properties.

How Olive Oil Works For The Hair

An olive oil hair mask can do wonders for dry, damaged, and brittle hair. Olive oil is a rich emollient that helps condition the hair and enhances skin elasticity and tensile strength (2). It revives dull hair, prevents breakage, and makes it healthy.

But does it work for all hair types? Find out below.

Does Olive Oil Work For All Hair Types?

Yes, olive oil works for all hair types. Olive oil is lightweight and enriched with hair healing properties. Whether it is straight hair or 4C kinky hair, olive oil moisturizes the hair without weighing it down. It is ideal for scalp massage and hair masks as olive oil in hair masks does not make the hair sticky. Olive oil also can also be used as a natural hair serum post hair wash.

Lets now take a look at these olive oil hair masks that you can easily prepare at home. Scroll down.

7 Best Olive Oil Hair Masks For Thick And Shiny Hair

1. Olive Oil And Honey Hair Mask

Olive oil and honey mask is recommended for people with dry, damaged, or combination hair. It can also be used for oily hair as these natural ingredients do not weigh the hair down.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 vitamin E capsule

How To Prepare

Mix the olive oil and honey in a bowl.
Pierce the vitamin E capsule and squeeze the oil into this mixture.
Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

How To Apply

Shampoo your hair and air dry it.
Section your hair and apply the mixture from the roots to the tips with your hands or a color applicator.
Cover your hair with a shower cap.
Wait for 30-90 minutes.
Shampoo your hair and follow up with conditioner.

Note: If you have dry hair, apply this mask twice a week. For oily hair, use it once a week.

Benefits

Honey is a humectant and helps condition the hair. It also has antimicrobial properties that help reduce dandruff (3).

Precautions

If you have oily or combination hair, apply this mask from the mid-lengths of your hair.
Do not use hot water to rinse the mixture out of your hair. Always use lukewarm water to wash your hair and cool water for the final rinse.
Honey contains natural bleaching agents that may lighten your hair color. If you do not want this to happen, this is not an ideal hair pack for you.
Honey is sticky and can make your curls messy. Thus, this mask is not recommended for coily and kinky hair.

2. Olive Oil And Egg Hair Mask

There are three ways to prepare an egg and olive oil hair mask, depending on your hair type. Follow the instructions below to make the right one for you.

Ingredients

For dry hair 2 egg yolks
For oily hair 2 egg whites
For normal/combination hair 1 egg
2 tablespoons of olive oil

How To Prepare

Depending on your hair type, choose the right parts of the eggs.
If you have dry or oily hair, separate the yolks and the whites. Crack an egg in the middle and pass it back and forth between the broken shells while holding it on top of the bowl. The whites will fall into the bowl, and the yolks will remain in the shell.
Whisk the eggs and olive oil in a bowl until the mixture is creamy.
Adjust the amount of olive oil as per your hair length.

How To Apply

Shampoo your hair. Skip the conditioner.
Section your damp hair with a wide-toothed comb and apply the mixture, concentrating on the tips.
Tie your hair up in a bun and wait for 20 minutes.
Shampoo your hair with water at room temperature. Cool water prevents the egg from getting cooked.
Air dry your hair or use a blow dryer on the cool setting.
Use this mask twice a week.

Note: You can pour any leftover mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate for a week.

Benefits

Eggs are packed with proteins, fats, and micronutrients that boost the health of your hair (4). The yolks are rich in fatty oils that help nourish and repair damaged hair. Egg whites contain enzymes that strip excess oils from your hair. This hair pack adds instant shine to your hair and makes it softer.

Precautions

Ensure that the ingredients are cold so that your hair does not smell eggy.
Use room temperature water to rinse your hair.
Add essential oils of your choice to the hair pack to control the eggy smell.

3. Olive Oil And Avocado Hair Mask

Olive oil and avocado help rejuvenate dry and damaged hair and make it soft, smooth, and silky.

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons of olive oil

How To Prepare

Mash the avocado in a bowl until there are no lumps.
Add the olive oil to the avocado.
Mix the ingredients well to form a smooth paste.

Note: You can also add two tablespoons of honey to this mixture for extra hydration.

How To Apply

Shampoo your hair to remove any buildup of dirt and grime.
Divide your damp hair into sections with a wide-toothed comb.
Apply the hair mask, concentrating on the roots and tips.
Cover your hair with a hot, damp towel or shower cap.
Wait for 45-60 minutes.
Shampoo your hair and finish with a conditioner.
Air dry your hair or use a blow dryer on the cool setting.
Apply this hair mask once a month. If your hair is extremely damaged or dry, apply it once a week.

Benefits

Avocados are rich in oleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins A, B, and E (5). This hair pack helps condition, nourish, and moisturize your hair. It eases tangles, imparts shine to the hair, and makes it manageable.

Precautions

Do not towel dry your hair. The friction might damage your hair and strip its moisture.
Use only lukewarm (not hot) water to wash your hair.

4. Olive Oil And Banana Hair Mask

An olive oil and banana hair mask is recommended for people with dry and rough hair. This hair mask makes the hair smooth, soft, and healthy.

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon of olive oil

How To Prepare

Roughly chop the banana and blend it into a smooth paste.
Add the olive oil and blend again.
Pour the mixture into a bowl.

How To Apply

Shampoo your hair to eliminate dirt or buildup.
Section your damp hair and apply the hair pack, concentrating on the ends.
Cover your hair with a shower cap and keep the mask on for 30 minutes.
Shampoo and condition your hair in cool water.
Do this once a week.

Benefits

Bananas are rich in antioxidants, which help repair hair damage caused by the sun. They moisturize and strengthen the hair and add shine. Banana contains potassium, carbohydrates, and natural oils. These nutrients protect the hair’s natural elasticity, reduce split ends, prevent hair breakage, and improve hair health. Banana also helps treat dandruff and minimizes moisture loss from the hair (6).

Precautions

Do not apply the mask to your roots if you have combination hair.
Use room temperature water to rinse the mask from your hair.
Do not use banana on curly and kinky hair as rinsing it out can get difficult.

5. Olive Oil And Mayonnaise Hair Mask

This is a good DIY beauty pack for dry, damaged, and combination hair types. It is also suitable for matted and super coily hair.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of full-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of olive oil

How To Prepare

Mix the olive oil and mayonnaise in a bowl.

How To Apply

Shampoo your hair and allow it to dry.
Section your hair and apply the mayonnaise-olive oil mixture.
Coat your entire hair with the mask, paying extra attention to the roots.
Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave the mixture on for 30 minutes.
Shampoo and condition your hair.
Air dry your hair or use a blow dryer on the cool setting.
Apply this hair mask once or twice a week, depending on how dry your hair is.

Benefits

Mayonnaise contains the goodness of eggs that are rich in proteins, micronutrients, and fatty oils (7). Anecdotal evidence suggests that vinegar can remove buildup, dirt, and grime from the hair. This pack helps condition your hair and form a protective barrier around the strands to prevent moisture loss.

Precautions

Do not use this hair mask on oily hair as it can weigh it down and make it greasy.
Use just enough of the mask to coat your hair so that it is easy to rinse out.
If you have combination hair, apply the mask from the mid-lengths of your hair.
Add a few drops of essential oil to this hair mask to block the mayonnaise smell.

6. Olive Oil And Coconut Oil

Olive oil and coconut oil work wonders for coily and kinky hair that is chemically treated and prone to breakage. This mask helps moisturize, soften, detangle, and smoothen rough hair. You can also apply it to straight or wavy hair to add luster.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil

How To Prepare

Warm the coconut oil in a bowl for 3-4 seconds.
Add the olive oil and mix well.

How To Apply

Use a wide-toothed comb to detangle your hair.
Divide your hair into six sections.
Massage the olive oil hair mask from the roots to the tips in a circular motion.
Wear a shower cap and leave it on for 45 minutes.
Shampoo and condition your hair and follow up with a serum.

Benefits

Coconut oil penetrates the hair and prevents protein loss (8). This hair mask helps rejuvenate color-treated, bleached, and heat-styled hair.

Precautions

Avoid using excessive coconut oil if you have straight and fine hair as it can weigh it down.

7. Olive Oil And Baking Soda

Baking soda and olive oil can help reduce scalp buildup and hydrate the hair.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons of baking soda
4 tablespoons of olive oil

How To Prepare

Mix the olive oil and baking soda in a bowl using a wooden spatula.

How To Apply

Section your hair and apply the mask to the roots.
Massage in a circular motion.
Leave it on for 10 minutes.
Shampoo and condition your hair. Apply serum.

Benefits

This hair mask is an excellent scalp cleanser. It helps remove impurities and product buildup from the scalp and prevents itchiness.

Precautions

Baking soda can irritate the scalp. Do a patch test at the back of your neck before applying the mask to your scalp. Do not use it if you experience a tingling sensation.

Quick Tip

You can use extra virgin olive oil as a heat protectant to prevent damage while blow-drying your hair.

These are the 7 best olive oil hair masks you can prepare at home as a part of your hair care routine to achieve strong, thick, smooth, and shiny hair. And its moisturizing and nourishing properties can also help improve the overall health of your hair, making it a valuable addition to your beauty routine. However, here are a few things to keep in mind while using olive oil hair masks.

Tips To Keep In Mind

Use sulfate-free or surfactant-free shampoos. They might not lather much but are gentler than regular shampoos.

Always rinse your hair with room temperature water to prevent moisture loss.

Do not rub your hair with a towel to dry it, as the friction can make the strands rough. Instead, wrap a towel and let it soak the water naturally.

Air dry your hair or use a blow dryer on the cool setting.

If you are in a hurry, use your blow dryer normally, but at a distance of 15 cm from your hair.

Wash your hair before applying a hair mask. This helps remove buildup, dirt, and grime that might prevent your hair from absorbing nutrients.

Maintain a good balance between hair conditioning and protein treatments. Using one without the other can make your hair brittle or frizzy.

Infographic: Top 3 Olive Oil Hair Masks For Healthy And Shiny Tresses

Olive oil offers a range of hair care benefits – from strengthening your locks to boosting their natural shine. This lightweight oil hydrates your strands without weighing them down and works for all hair types. Adding it to your daily hair care routine can help minimize hair fall and other hair and scalp issues and induce hair growth. In the infographic below, we have listed the top 3 olive oil hair masks you can start using. Check it out.

top 3 olive oil hair masks for healthy and shiny tresses (infographic)

Sergio Cardona, BSc, FWTS, Trichologist “Olive oil is a powerful oil to help repair and moisturize. I prefer to use it after a deep cleansing process because it will attach more easily to the open cuticle of the hair and deliver nutrients to the cortex.”

If you are keen on knowing what is the best homemade hair mask, it is definitely one with olive oil in it. Olive oil hair masks are one of the best natural ways to nourish your hair. It helps condition your hair, improves skin elasticity, prevents breakage, revives dull hair, and also helps in hair repair. Since it is a lightweight oil, it does not weigh your hair down. You can prepare an olive oil hair mask at home with honey, egg, avocado, banana, mayonnaise, coconut oil, or baking soda. Following the hair mask recipes and tips discussed in the article can help you pamper your hair with the goodness of this oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is olive oil a good hair mask?

Yes, olive oil is a good hair mask. It is loaded with vitamin E and polyphenols that help soothe the scalp and nourish the hair, making the strands smooth and soft.

Do you put olive oil on wet or dry hair?

You can do both. Olive oil is an excellent nourisher when applied to dry hair. It also acts as a serum when applied to wet hair.

How often should you do an olive oil hair mask?

You can apply an olive oil hair mask once a week.

Which type of olive oil is best for hair?

Extra virgin olive oil is best for hair as it is not chemically processed and, thus, retains all its beneficial properties.

Can I leave olive oil in my hair overnight?

Yes. In fact, it is ideal to leave it on overnight as a hair treatment so that the oil can penetrate deeper into the hair.

Can I put olive oil on my baby’s scalp?

There is no evidence to suggest that olive oil can harm your baby’s scalp or hair when applied. On the contrary, anecdotal evidence suggests that olive oil may help soften and nourish the scalp in the case of cradle cap. However, as there is a possibility that the oil may make the scalp too greasy, it is recommended that you consult your child’s pediatrician before applying olive oil to their scalp.

Key Takeaways

Olive oil conditions the hair, increasing its tensile strength. This ingredient nourishes the hair and reduces dullness and breakage.
It moisturizes all hair types without weighing down the hair or making it sticky.
You can prepare natural hair masks at home by mixing olive oil with honey, eggs, and avocados.

Discover the remarkable results of the olive oil and egg hair mask in this honest review video. Witness the transformation of dull, damaged hair into lustrous locks. Watch it now!

How To Prepare Olive Oil Hair Masks For Healthy Hair

How Olive Oil Works For The Hair

Does Olive Oil Work For All Hair Types?