Although there are hot-oil hair treatments available at both drugstores and spas, you're not limited to those when you want to treat your hair to a deep conditioning. Regular olive oil that you probably already have in your kitchen will do the trick as well. It's also less expensive than the commercial hot-oil treatments, easy to use, effective on any hair type and free of synthetic chemicals.
History
The website Olive Oil Source notes that the olive tree originated in Asia Minor and spread to the Mediterranean region 6,000 years ago. According to Epikouria, a website and magazine focusing on the food and drinks of Greece, Mediterranean women may have been using olive oil to condition their hair as early as the year 3000 BCE.
Methods
Depending on how long your hair is, you'll need about 2 to 3 tbsp. of olive oil per treatment. You can heat the oil for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top, but you can also put equal parts oil and boiling water in a blender and process them together until the oil is broken up into tiny blobs throughout the water. Apply the heated oil or oil-and-water mixture to your dry hair, starting with the ends and working up toward your scalp. Cover your hair with a plastic bag or shower cap, wrap a hot damp towel around your head, then let it all sit for 20 to 30 minutes. At the end of that time, shampoo and condition as you normally do. You may need to lather the shampoo twice to remove all the oil.
Warning
When heating the oil, take care not to get it so hot that it will burn or scald you. If the oil is too hot at first, let it cool for a minute or two, then check it again before you apply it to your hair. Take the same precautions with the hot damp towel.
Benefits
The natural mono-unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E in olive oil act as deep conditioners , leaving hair smooth, silky, shiny and easy to manage. Also, you can enjoy the side benefit of relaxing with a book or cup of tea as you wait the 20 to 30 minutes for the conditioner to work.
Frequency
You only need to apply a hot olive oil hair treatment occasionally, such as once a week or once every two weeks. More frequent applications won't hurt your hair, but they won't give you any additional benefits. Experiment to see what schedule gives the best results for your hair.
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