Hair care is an integral part of our hygiene, and when it comes to achieving that healthy-looking, stylish hairstyle, choosing the right product is a must. Among the must-have items for effortless styling are hair oils.
Aside from stimulating hair growth, these oils are known for taming frizzy hair to help keep your hair’s natural sheen.
If you want to try using some but can’t decide which fits your hair type, today’s guide will help you narrow down the options.
Our Top Picks
Here’s our list of favorite hair oils that fit different styles and address most concerns like damaged hair.
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- TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Anti Frizz Serum – Best Drugstore Option
- Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil – Best for Heat Protection
- Uhai Oil Blend– Best All-Natural Option
- Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil – Best for Damaged Hair
- Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hydrating Hair Oil Serum – Best for Hydration
- Living Proof No Frizz Vanishing Oil – Best for Frizzy Hair
- Pattern Beauty Jojoba Oil Blend – Best for Curly Hair
- Moroccanoil Treatment Hair Oil – Best for Moisturizing
- Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil – Best for Overall Nourishment
Top 9 Best Hair Oils for Different Hair Types
1. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Anti Frizz Serum – Best Drugstore Option
This product is a go-to drugstore hair oil for people who want to tame frizzy hair, add shine, and keep the cost at less than $10. It has a non-greasy anti-frizz serum formulation, perfect while on the go.
The combined keratin and marula oils make an excellent combo for adding softness and detangling knots. People with coarse and thick hair will find this a great addition to their hair care regimen.
One thing to be wary of is the product’s silicone-based ingredients, which can be harder to wash off than natural elements. The buildup of the product can cause irritation and allergies over time.
Pros
- Affordable and easy to find
- Excellent smoothening effect for all hair types
- Boosts shine minus the greasy feel
Cons
- Woody fragrance may be too intense for some
- Not recommended if you’re sensitive to silicone ingredients
Bottom Line
TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Anti Frizz Serum is a budget-friendly hair oil that offers add-on shine and eliminates frizz in a single application.
2. Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil – Best for Heat Protection
This hair oil offers UV and heat protection, perfect for anyone who’s often outdoors or loves using a hair iron. It’s cruelty-free and has a rich combo of six essential oils and two plant extracts.
The macadamia nut oil and sweet almond oil give an excellent moisturizing effect for dry hair, while its argan oil blend keeps your hair feeling soft all day long. The product also has grape seed extract, a natural heat protectant essential for anyone using heating materials to style their hair.
A potential downside is its heavy feel on the hair upon consistent application. Combining oils and extracts makes the product’s consistency thicker than most items. And at $43, this product is pricier than drugstore brands.
Pros
- Quick-absorbing formula
- Prevents heat damage
- Excellent moisturizing effect
Cons
- Formulation can feel heavy for finer hair types
- A bit pricier than other options
Bottom Line
Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil is a great pick for anyone who spends most of the day outdoors and wants an oil that blends fast with the hair.
3. Uhai Oil Blend – Best All-Natural Option
If you’re looking for natural oil at an affordable price, Uhai should be on top of your list. It’s packed with a lightweight blend of seven essential and natural oils like tea tree oil, soybean, rosemary, and grape seed oil.
Combining these oils produces a superior moisturizing effect that can last hours. Uhai also has Vitamin E extracts that act as a protective barrier for your scalp. It’s perfect for all hair types, particularly those with thick hair.
Pros:
- Superior moisturizing effect
- Great for scalp protection
- Eco-friendly, all-natural ingredients
Cons
- Not always available in mainstream shops
Bottom Line
Uhai Oil Blend is perfect for users who prefer oils made with all-natural ingredients and can fit all hair types.
4. Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil – Best for Damaged Hair
Olaplex No. 7 is an ideal match for people with damaged hair. It’s formulated with grapeseed oil, which has an excellent moisturizing effect for dry hair. Its plant leaf extract helps tame frizz without the heavy feel during application.
Olaplex No. 7 is a weightless hair oil that remains a top favorite for users who want a salon-like finish with just a single product.
Its core ingredient, Bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, is efficient in repairing broken bonds during bleaching.
Pros
- Helps keep your hair stronger
- Mild fragrance
- Excellent moisturizing effect
Cons
- May not produce dramatic results for people with healthy hair
Bottom Line
Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil works great if you have damaged hair that requires constant moisture to keep a fresh and healthy look.
5. Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hydrating Hair Oil Serum – Best for Hydration
This hair oil is a favorite pick among hairstylists dealing with damaged hair. It’s formulated with nourishing hair oils that hydrate and provide shine to dull hair.
It has camellia oil, which is perfect for conditioning and helps protect your mane from UV and environmental damage. It can also be used during pre-cleanse, pre-blow dry, finishing, and touch-up.
While this product’s serum-like texture absorbs quickly, it tends to leave excess oil on your hair and hands. You’ll need to work this through your hair ends to prevent buildup.
Pros
- Long-lasting shine
- Excellent for hydration
- UV protection
Cons
- Slight residue after application
Bottom Line
Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hydrating Hair Oil Serum keeps your hair feeling hydrated and is a flexible hair oil that can be used in all stages of styling.
6. Living Proof No Frizz Vanishing Oil – Best for Frizzy Hair
If frizzy hair is a constant concern, this hair oil is a must-have. It has elements like jojoba oil and moringa oil, both efficient for smoothing out flyaways and split ends. It’s silicone-free and keeps your hair bouncy throughout the day.
Living Proof’s trademark Healthy Hair molecule locks in your tresses’ humidity, giving off that soft and shiny look even with constant exposure to the sun.
While it’s superior at taming frizzy hair types, its hydrating effect leaves something to be desired. If you suffer from dull hair due to constant styling and outdoor activities, you might find its hydration feature lacking.
Pros
- Fast-absorbing
- Superior anti-frizz effect
- Enhance shine for everyday gloss
Cons
- Minimal hydrating feature
Bottom Line
Living Proof No Frizz Vanishing Oil is an excellent solution for taming frizzy hair. It feels lightweight and is fast-absorbing, making it an essential item for quick touch-ups.
7. Pattern Beauty Jojoba Oil Blend – Best for Curly Hair
This hair oil is best for users with curly or coily hair. Its safflower oil stimulates hair growth and provides antioxidant benefits, while its jojoba component ensures your hair shaft and scalp are flake-free.
While most hair oils feel stuffy for curls and tend to leave a visible residue, this hair treatment oil doesn’t have that issue. This also works well with damp hair.
Its lavender oil component gives that familiar sweet, floral scent with a tinge of herbs, though some users may find it a bit too concentrated.
Pros
- Great scalp protection, reducing the potential for itchiness
- Residue-free
- Lightweight and highly moisturizing
Cons
- Lavender scent may be too strong for some users
Bottom Line
Pattern Beauty Jojoba Oil Blend is best for keeping your hair and scalp healthy. It doesn’t leave any residue, ensuring itch-free application.
8. Moroccanoil Treatment Hair Oil – Best for Moisturizing
This Amazon best-seller boasts a Professional Beauty badge. Moroccanoil is a straightforward solution to keeping dry hair out of the equation with its excellent hydrating capability.
It also has antioxidant-rich argan oil and essential fatty acids that moisturize hair follicles while enhancing your hair’s natural shine.
While its premium argan ingredient gives the oil a nice tinge of amber hue, it may stain colored-treated hair over frequent use.
Pros
- Long-lasting hair shine
- Great for thick hair
- Lightweight and alcohol-free
Cons
- Product consistency might be too heavy for fine hair types
- Amber hue can stain blonde hair
Bottom Line
Moroccanoil Treatment Hair Oil is an essential addition to anyone’s hair care kit, especially for those with dry hair. It keeps your hair looking shiny for hours, minus the heavy feel.
9. Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil – Best for Overall Nourishment
This luxe hair oil smells great and has one of the best moisturizing effects on the market. Its argan and coconut oil combo enhances your hair’s natural shine while providing extra hair nourishment and conditioning treatment.
This honey-infused hair oil also helps strengthen hair to avoid breakage and detangles wet hair easily. This key ingredient also works well for thick hair by allowing the substance to absorb fully throughout the layers without settling in one place.
Add a few drops to your hair mask for an overnight treatment to enjoy supple, shiny hair in the morning.
Pros
- Great for thick and textured hair
- Superior moisturizing effect
- Fast absorbing
Cons
- Can weigh down hair when too much is applied
Bottom Line
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil offers a luxurious feel and smell that doesn’t overwhelm you. It has a steeper price than the other brands but delivers a long-lasting, full-on nourishment effect to your hair.
Things to Look for When Buying Hair Oils
Hair oils don’t just enhance your styling routine but also help restore your hair’s natural glow. But achieving this requires considering a few factors to maximize the use of your preferred product.
Here’s what to look for before buying any hair oil.
Oil Type
Several natural oils are used in hair care, each intended to address a need. Before committing to a product, it’s best to look at the formulation to confirm if the ingredients fit the benefits you’d want to get.
- Argan Oil – for smooth and shiny hair
- Coconut Oil – for strengthening your hair’s weak spots
- Rose flower Oil – for moisturizing and strengthening hair to avoid breakage
- Almond Oil – for stimulating hair growth
- Olive Oil – for restoring hair elasticity and shine
- Jojoba Oil – for preventing hair loss and promoting hair thickness
Hair Type
Do you have thick or thin hair? Some of the best hair oils are formulated to fit specific hair types. Others are compatible with all types, though the efficiency level may vary.
Part of this consideration is the styling you do to your hair. Frequent coloring or chemical treatment can cause hair damage, so you’d want an oil with some nourishment component.
Scent
Multiple oils and extracts added into one product often produce a mild or strong scent. If you’re sensitive to strong fragrances, you’re better off finding items with muted aromas.
Lavender, for instance, smells great. But dense concentration from some brands may be overwhelming the longer you’re exposed to it.
Lifestyle
It isn’t easy to keep your hair shiny if you’re always out during the day. UV exposure and dust buildup make your hair look dull and damaged. If you’re outdoors most of the time, having a nourishing hair oil handy is perfect for quick touch-ups.
On the contrary, a lightweight oil works great when you’re often indoors.
Cost
Hair oils vary in price, often based on their ingredients. This isn’t to say that low-priced products are inferior, but other factors, like manufacturing costs, play a role.
When choosing a brand, consider comparing it with others featuring similar benefits. You don’t always have to stick to one, so keeping your options open is best.
FAQs
How Much Hair Oil Should I Use?
It depends on factors like your hair length and product efficiency. You can start with a single pump, then work on adding more to achieve your desired result.
The key is to spread the product evenly so it doesn’t feel greasy and heavy.
How Often Should I Apply Hair Oil?
Oiling twice a week is sufficient; using oils daily isn’t often recommended as it strips your hair of natural oils. If you have a frizzy hair type, you can use it thrice a week.
Oiling your hair too often also attracts more dirt in the long run. It may also increase the chances of hair breakage.
Can You Leave Hair Oil in Overnight?
Yes, you can. Some hair experts even recommend leaving oil overnight to allow your hair shaft to absorb the nutrients better.
However, if you see residue and feel greasy, wash the oil off and reapply it at a lighter consistency.
Wrapping Up
Hair oil formulations will continue to evolve, and our list will likely see more updates in the future. But for now, we’ve rounded up our best picks for the year.
Take time to go through our selection and see if anything fits your current hairstyle. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Hair Oil is an easy pick for starters because of its affordability and wide availability.
If you want a luxurious salon-like finish and don’t mind splurging a bit, then Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil is a lovely fit. Its excellent strengthening, moisturizing, and nourishing properties make it one of the best hair oils of 2023!
Choose the best oil and keep your hair looking fresh on the go.