Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask: What Is It and How It Is Made

We all know how great eggs and olive oil are as ingredients. Eggs are a breakfast staple but they can also be used to bake cakes and pastries. Olive oil, on the other hand, is a cooking basic, be it for frying, baking, or making dips and sauces.  Put them together and you have an egg and olive oil hair mask that will work wonders for your hair.

But eggs and olive oil have uses beyond the kitchen: they each have certain properties that find a purpose in homemade beauty products, especially hair care. Since both of them are rich in fat, they make perfect natural moisturizers.

See? You don’t even need to purchase expensive hair products to moisturize your hair.

Why Would You Need an Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask

People who swear by homemade and natural hair masks don’t just throw ingredients together then apply it to their hair for no reason at all. They are usually trying to accomplish something with their hair.

In the case of egg and hair masks, the problem being solved is that of dry hair. How do you determine of you have dry hair? There are two tests you can perform:

• The Strand Test. This involves taking a stand of your hair, wetting it, and stretching it. If it doesn’t stretch much, that means your hair needs moisture.
• The Feel Test. As the name suggests, you have to go by touch. Your hair needs moisture if it feels dry, tangled, and weak.

Other than knowing how to test for dry hair, it’s also important to know why it happens. There are two common causes:

• Not enough moisture in the scalp. Since your hair doesn’t have natural lubrication, it relies on the oils produced by the hair root for moisture and for looking like those model’s hairs in shampoo commercials. Dry hair is caused by the insufficient production of oil in the scalp.
• Moisture is escaping. A protective layer called the cuticle is a component of healthy strands of hair. They are responsible for keeping hair protected from sun damage. However, they let moisture escape when their layers separate.

Benefits of Using an Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask

You might not be too convinced with the idea of putting eggs and olive oil on your hair, and need a little convincing. How can you be persuaded into using such a mixture?

• It is made with easy-to-find ingredients. You don’t need to hunt around to find eggs and olive oil; you can easily find this in your local grocery store. Even better, these items are basic cooking ingredients so you might just find them in your kitchen.
• It is inexpensive. It’s not an added expense if you regularly include eggs and olive oil as part of your grocery list. Plus, you don’t need much to make a mask so that bottle of olive oil will last a while.

Creating an Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask

You’re not using the whole egg to make this hair mask, just the yolk (this contains the fat and protein needed to bring hair back to life). If you’re concerned about throwing away perfectly good egg whites, there are lots of things you can make with it, including making a meringue, icing, or just tossing it into a cocktail (gives it more body).

Here’s what you need to make this hair mask:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• add an extra tablespoon if your hair is thick and long
• reduce a tablespoon if your hair is short
• 2 small bowls
• wide-toothed comb

A few reminders when making and using this mixture:

• It works best if your hair is a bit damp because the mixture distributes easily that way. So consider spraying your hair with water or wash it before you start making the mixture.
• If you didn’t use up all the mixture, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container and leave it in the refrigerator. That mixture can last for about a week.
• It might be best to do this on days when you are sure you have nothing planned.

Follow these directions to make an egg and olive oil hair mask:

1. Separate the yolks from the whites. Crack open the egg using the rim of the bowl. Hold the egg over the bowl while gently removing its top half. Pour the yolk from the the other half into the empty shell while making sure the whites fall into the bowl. Once done, drop the yolk into the empty bowl. Repeat this procedure for the other egg.
2. Whisk the yolks with olive oil. Pour olive oil into the bowl with the yolks then whisk it until it looks smooth and creamy. You will have a mixture that measures about half a cup, which will be enough to coat hair that is medium in length.
3. Apply the mixture to your hair. Use a wide-toothed comb to make sure the mixture coats every strand. If you have dry ends, make sure to apply more of the mixture there than at the roots.
4. Let the mixture soak for about 20 minutes. Put your hair into a loose bun and cover it with a shower cap. Find something else to keep occupied while the mixture works its magic on your hair. Set a timer so you don’t forget about the mixture still being in your hair.
5. Rinse the mixture off with cool water. It’s important to use cool water because the last thing you want is for the yolk to cook. Apart from rinsing with water, you may have to use shampoo to make sure everything is removed.

Variations of Egg and Olive Oil Hair Masks

The beauty of using natural products is that you can innovate, just as long as you know how they work. For instance, if you want more moisturizers in the hair mask, you can add the following moisturizers:

• aloe vera
• honey
• milk
• ripe avocado or banana (needs to be very ripe)

Aloe vera acts as a strengthening agent, which when combined with eggs can really bring your hair back to life. Banana and honey also enhance the moisturizing effects of the yolks. Milk mixed with olive oil provides strength and shine.

Another variation of this mixture is using a different kind of oil. Here are some of the best options:

• almond oil
• coconut oil
• castor oil

You can also mix both almond and coconut oil (the real thing, not the processed ones) to create a stronger mixture that can add life to your hair. Castor oil is great if you want healthy hair growth in addition to better-looking hair.

An olive oil and egg hair mask isn’t exactly a scented wonder. So if you want the mixture to have a fancy fragrance, try adding about five to ten drops of any of the following essential oils to the mixture:

• lavender
• lemongrass
• rose
• thyme

The Verdict on Egg and Olive Oil Hair Masks

It’s important to care for your hair, and sometimes the reason it’s dry is not entirely your fault. Some have hair loss that has to be treated with nettle shampoo. Frequent exposure to the sun can damage hair, but making this inexpensive hair mask out of eggs and olive oil provide a lifeline for your hair.

Sure, a mixture of eggs and olive oil may not be so, fancy as those that come in aesthetic bottles and containers. But it is just as effective. And it helps you save on costs too since the ingredients are usually found in the kitchen. Even better, you can create variations of it to suit your needs and preference.

Making a hair mask on your own sounds like an odd thing to do in this age of ready-made products, but it may be worth a try if you haven’t noticed positive results after trying out other hair care products.