# Olive oil in hair **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411 "2005-07-13T21:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/41 "2005-07-15T01:46:00Z")
People with straight hair who want [dreadlocks](http://www.knottyboy.com/) generally use waxes to help hold the hair togehter while it’s knotting up. I don’t think oil would be good for dreadlocks because it’s slippery–you want someting sticky like wax, so it the dreads don’t slide apart. ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/42 "2005-07-15T02:33:35Z")
Pullet, oily haired folks don’t need oil treatments, just shampoos with a generous amount of glycerin in them. I use Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap, lol. Most commcerical shampoo makers produce their products too harsh which in alot of cases causes worse dandruff. Natural stuff or “organic” as it’s called alot seems to target the person more in my experience than the “customer”… From what I’ve read and what I experience it’s actually the added oil that makes dandruff situations flare-up more, you _can_ overdry your scalp as well, but that’s more of a winter problem. Btw, the bible story with the woman using her hair was not done so for her follical ecstacy. It says although Jesus was not made to feel comfortable by his guests that the one they accused as a sinner(a prostitute) washed his feet with her tears and dried his feet with her hair and annointed his feet with very expensive perfume (probably some oil content in it)(most things expensive involved oil so it’s almost a given) and this story was one that stands out. Alot because of the fact that it was not very \*normal \*for people to use their tears and hair, and expensive perfume to wash, dry and perfume anybody’s feet. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/43 "2005-07-15T03:26:05Z")
In the ancient Middle East, they didn’t have the techniques available today for extracting essential oils by distillation. They made perfume by infusing flowers and other aromatic substances in olive oil. Spikenard was one such preparation, the one used in the Gospel story. One interpretation of the story has Jesus being a priest acting out the role of the Dying King and Mary Magdalene as a priestess who gives him the ritual anointment before this. They then probably consummated the Great Marriage. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/44 "2005-07-15T03:31:21Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > In the ancient Middle East, they didn’t have the techniques available today for extracting essential oils by distillation. They made perfume by infusing flowers and other aromatic substances in olive oil. Spikenard was one such preparation, the one used in the Gospel story. One interpretation of the story has Jesus being a priest acting out the role of the Dying King and Mary Magdalene as a priestess who gives him the ritual anointment before this. They then probably consummated the Great Marriage. _There’s_ a take on those verses Bob Jones U. isn’t going to be teaching anytime soon… ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/45 "2005-07-15T10:22:51Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > My hair is nearly two feet long. 2 _feet_?! I keep my hair short, rarely longer than an inch, and I cringe at the thought of showering oil out! All this talk of massages has got me waiting for the weekend. Sunday morning will find me at the local barber shop - one chap there gives the most relaxing head massage evar! ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/46 "2005-07-15T16:59:42Z")
Thanks, **ThinkTank** and **Mirror!** ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/47 "2005-07-15T17:27:52Z")
**Pullet** – I understand that it was traditional in ancient Egypt to put a “cone” of perfumed oil/grease on a guest’s head. the oil/greasde would melt and carry the oil and the scent over the person’s body. It was also traditional, of course, to pour oil on the head of one newly elected, or to honor them (“anointing”). A book explaining the Psalms had an interesting take on this – oil was good for treating the skin and to get rid of parasites. Ancient people used to “wash” with it, too, rubbing on oil and then scraping it off (along with the raised dirt) with a scraper called a _strigil_. I’m sure oil was massaged into feet. Heck, I use oil to massage **Pepper Mill** ’s feet, and it helps. ---
**Author:** ![jfarrell\_bellind.com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7bcc69/32.png) [@jfarrell\_bellind.com](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jfarrell_bellind.com)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411/48 "2005-07-16T06:02:32Z")
I have been told that olive oil smothers lice. In that day it may have been a common practice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/olive-oil-in-hair/312411.md?page=2)