You can use olive oil as a salad dressing, an ingredient to cook a favorite dish or as a hair treatment. Yes, a hair treatment.

Olive oil offers several health benefits for your hair. Antioxidants in olive oil can repair chemically damaged hair and can strengthen the scalp. The oil can be useful in preventing and curing hair loss by stopping production of DTH, a hormone that causes hair follicle shafts to decrease in size.

For those who have problems with dandruff, olive oil contains antibacterials that can get rid of the embarrassing problem. A mixture of lavender and olive oil gently massaged into the hair can also reduce stress caused by daily activities.

Using olive oil as an all-natural hair conditioner will leave it shiny and soft without expensive commercial hair products. Use a half-cup of olive oil mixed with a small amount of another oil, such as coconut, and massage into the scalp using the tips of your fingers, working toward the ends of the hair. After applying, cover your hair with a shower cap for 10 to 30 minutes and then shampoo as usual.

SOURCES: http://www.oliveoilsource.com; http://www.care2.com; http://www.oliveoilsource.com