Yahoo Finance 9 best hair oils that lock in moisture, prevent damage and add shine
With so many different styling products available these days, it can often be overwhelming – or just all out confusing – to know what’s best for your particular hair type and texture, and what will deliver the best results.
That’s where hair oils come in. “They’re the modern day serum,” says celebrity and editorial hair stylist Liam Curran. “I’m such a huge fan of them because they have so many uses; they can be used to add shine, moisture and gloss, and even if somebody’s hair is extremely damaged or dry, using an oil can make it look so much healthier.”
In short, they cover a multitude of hair sins and, while the idea of putting oil on your hair might not appeal, there really is a whole spectrum of products out there; most are lightweight and barely traceable, others have long term benefits, and some work to add instant shine and make hair more manageable.
The other great thing about oils is that they’re suitable for all hair types and textures. “They can be used on everybody, whether you have coily, curly, fine, fragile, dry, thick or healthy hair,” says Liam, who adds that he often mixes oils into conditioning treatments to add extra luminosity.
But how do you know which products are worth spending the money on? Here, we’ve done the hard work for you; we’ve tried and tested some of the very best, highest -rated products to see which ones really do make a difference to hair.
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How we tested
Each oil was used at least three times, and was applied directly into freshly washed hair, after wrapping it in a microfibre towel to absorb excess moisture and before brushing it through. Our tester washes her hair every other day, and although she has fine hair there is a lot of it, and it has a natural curl to it – but she blow-dries and straightens it after every wash.
The hair oils for 2021 are:
Best overall – L’Oreal Professionel serie expert absolut repair 10-in-1 leave in oil, 90ml: £20.40, Lookfantastic.com
Best value – L’Oreal Elvive extraordinary oil miracle hair protector, 50ml: £4, Boots.com
Best for texture – Bread Beauty supply everyday gloss hair oil, 100ml: £22, Selfridges.com
Best for long-term results – Augustinus Bader the hair oil, 30ml: £38, Spacenk.com
Best scent – Oribe gold lust nourishing hair oil, 100ml: £52.50, Spacenk.com
Best for hydration – Ouai hair oil, 45ml: £24, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Best for fine hair – Living Proof no frizz vanishing oil, 50ml: £31, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Best for all hair types – Redken oil for all, 50ml: £17.20, Lookfantastic.com
Best for sustainability – Davines oi oil, 135ml: £37, Davines.com
L’Oreal Professionel serie expert absolut repair 10-in-1 leave in oil, 90ml
Best: Overall
Rating: 9/10
This is a midweight oil that doesn’t feel entirely weightless but doesn’t weigh hair down either. It absorbs easily without leaving it feeling greasy and was the standout product out of all that we tested. The size of the bottle immediately impressed us, especially considering we only needed to use one or two pumps at the very most, so we think one bottle would last a good eight months or more, making cost per use minimal.
Add to that the fact it smells great, detangles hair while adding a seriously impressive shine, and ensures hair looks and stays smooth until the next wash, we noticed that it really does help to minimise the appearance of both split ends and flyaways (which is no mean feat considering our tester is somebody who seriously neglects their hair). Plus, it’s formulated with wheat germ which works to deeply hydrate every strand. It’s a must-try if you ask us.
Buy now £20.40, Lookfantastic.com
L’Oreal Elvive extraordinary oil miracle hair protector, 50ml
Best: Value
Rating: 7/10
If it’s an affordable, nourishing oil that you’re looking for then this is the one for you – it’s also a great place to start if you’re new to using oils in your hair. At under £10, it’s the cheapest of the bunch but that’s not a reflection of the product at all. Enriched with a blend of six flower extracts, it’s completely non-greasy and left our hair feeling smooth.
It’s excellent at taming flyaways and smoothing frizz, but if it’s long-term hair strengthening benefits that you’re looking for then it might be best to try a different oil; through our testing we learnt that this one has more cosmetic benefits rather than long term, especially in comparison to others we tried. That said, it does offer heat protection up to 230°C, and we found it was ideal to apply sparingly through the ends once hair was dried and styled, not only to disguise split ends and frizz but to add a little extra shine, too.
Buy now £4.00, Boots.com
Bread Beauty supply everyday gloss hair oil, 100ml
Best: For textured hair
Rating: 8/10
Fresh from cult American hair brand Bread Beauty Supply comes this incredible hair oil. The packaging alone is seriously chic, and the silicone-free formula has been created to shower curls and coils in hydration. Best for people with 3c to 4a hair types, the oil doesn’t feel overly thick or heavy, which is incredible considering it’s formulated with a blend of superfruit oils, including kakadu plum and starflower.
As well as using it in freshly washed hair, it’s also suitable to use as a pre-wash conditioning treatment or in between washes to help boost moisture and refresh curls. It smells beautiful, too, and our only complaint is that we would have liked a pump to help apply it. There is a stopper in the top of the bottle to stop too much being poured out, but a pump would be much easier to use. The hydration this oil gave to our seriously dried out ends was enviable though, and for that reason alone we say it’s worth a try.
Buy now £22.00, Selfridges.com
Augustinus Bader the hair oil, 30ml
Best: For long-term benefits
Rating: 9/10
A brand known and loved for its skincare, Augustinus Bader has recently branched out into hair care and alongside a shampoo, conditioner, mask and scalp treatment sits this hair oil. Every product in the Bader range utilises a patented complex, called TFC8, and in this oil its purpose is to help repair brittle, breakage-prone hair, tame frizz and boost shine.
Although billed as an oil, it’s actually a fairly watery texture, but we really liked it – it feels like nothing once applied to hair, but the squalane and argan oil-infused formula adds luminosity and moisture, and over time it works to optimise the cell structure of hair to strengthen it. The only issue we had was using the pipette; it didn’t seem to be able to pull up much product, so although it’s only a minor problem, for the price we would expect a seamless experience – but that doesn’t take away from the quality of the product itself.
Buy now £38.00, Spacenk.com
Oribe gold lust nourishing hair oil, 100ml
Best: Scent
Rating: 8/10
Expensive, yes, but the thing about Oribe means that once you’ve tried it there’s no going back. This hair oil is no exception; part of its gold lust range, it’s a real treat and that signature Oribe scent (if you know, you know) really comes into its own here. You can smell it from the moment you pump the oil out of the bottle right up to the next wash. It smells as decadent and as lavish as you’d expect for its £52 price tag, but it’s never overpowering.
The oil itself doesn’t disappoint either – it’s lightweight and absorbs instantly. The potent blend of ingredients, including jasmine, edelweiss flower, lychee, sandalwood and argan extract, work together to deeply penetrate hair, nourishing it from within and adding a mirror-like shine. Our only complaint is that, although the packaging has a pump and it’s easy to use, it doesn’t feel like it’s worth the money it costs – which, if you ask us, is important when you’re parting with that much cash.
Buy now £52.50, Spacenk.com
Ouai hair oil, 45ml
Best: For hydration
Rating: 8/10
This is the product that has the heaviest texture, but don’t let that put you off. Two pumps raked through the mid-lengths and ends of our tester’s hair was enough, and the smooth, shiny hair that followed was nothing short of a miracle. Packed with a blend of African galanga, ama and Asian borage oils, it’s powerful but it didn’t leave hair feeling weighed down or looking greasy in the slightest.
This oil also helps to stop colour from fading and offers incredible heat protection (up to 232°C – about the maximum temperature of most styling tools), so if you’re like us and always forget to use a separate product, this is a great multi-tasker. Plus, it smells incredible – it has top notes of violet on a base of white musk that’s paired with gardenia and ylang ylang – so be warned if you’re not a fan of heavy white florals. That said, the scent didn’t linger once hair was dry.
Buy now £24.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Living Proof no frizz vanishing oil, 50ml
Best: For fine hair
Rating: 9/10
There’s a reason that our tester’s bathroom is filled with Living Proof products – and that reason is because they do what they promise. This vanishing oil is no exception. Silicone-free, it combines Living Proof’s patented “healthy hair molecule” with a lightweight blend of five oils that mimic those found naturally in healthy hair. Together, they work to defend against humidity whilst also targeting frizz, while also working to hydrate and smooth dry hair.
Two drops was enough to notice a difference – after drying, our hair was less frizzy than usual, plus it felt obviously smoother and the ends looked less dry. It’s suitable for all hair types, but it’s especially good for anybody with finer hair because it won’t ever leave it feeling greasy, and it’s so lightweight that it won’t leave any residue. If your hair is thicker or more textured, the oil can be mixed into your usual conditioner or hair mask for a more intensive treatment.
Buy now £31.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Redken oil for all, 50ml
Best: For all hair types
Rating: 9/10
The clue’s in the name here, but Redken’s oil for all really is good for every hair type. It has a whole host of benefits, from giving instant shine and smoothing frizz to locking in moisture, providing heat protection and even reducing blow-dry time, making it a real one-stop-shop.
It’s easy to apply through the mid-lengths and ends – two pumps was enough – and it definitely made hair look salon-fresh and healthy and shiny, as well as making it more manageable when it came to brushing and styling. Remember that a little bit goes a long way though; use too much and you might be able to feel it in your hair, but used sparingly it’s virtually invisible.
Buy now £17.20, Lookfantastic.com
Davines oi oil, 135ml
Best: For sustainability
Rating: 9/10
A brand built on its passion for the planet, Davines is a cult brand thanks to its hardworking products and its focus on both the environment and sustainability. Alongside pledging to minimise its impact, the brand is mindful about the ingredients and raw materials it uses in products. Plus, every product in the oi range is made with carbon neutral packaging.
The oil itself is beautiful: everything from the packaging to the texture, even the name and the way it makes hair feel is second to none. It’s a truly lovely product, and it’s made with roucou oil, an ingredient loved by native Amazonians who rely on the fruit it comes from to protect their hair against the sun. It’s replenishing and nourishing, and it works to help smooth and detangle dry, damaged hair. We really noticed a huge difference, both instantly and over time, through using it.
Buy now £37.00, Davines.com
Hair oils FAQs
What does hair oil do?
Hair oils have a lengthy list of benefits that all hair types can incorporate into your routine. Oils can help lock in curls, combat dehydration, add shine, reduce split ends, protect from heated tools and pollution and add moisture.
What to look for in a hair oil
If your hair is naturally fine, look for a lightweight oil that can protect your hair without weighing it down or leaving it greasy. However, if you have thicker, curlier hair you can afford to apply it less sparingly and it can de-frizz and boost shine.
There are many different types of oils you can reach for too. One of the most popular is argan oil, a lightweight texture that suits all hair types and is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids that will nourish dehydrated, lackluster tresses. Jojoba oil is another common choice that works well on dry hair in need of added moisture.
If you’re struggling with brittle locks, look for manketti oil, that’s rich in nutrients, protein, and fatty acids that strengthen damaged strands and leave them feeling soft with a healthy shine.
Can I use hair oil every day?
How frequently you apply hair oil is dependent on your hair type. If you have Afro, thick or very curly hair, it can be applied daily, but if you have fine, straighter hair, then it’s best to limit it to two to three times a week on wet, clean hair after your shower.
This will dilute the oil evenly throughout strands and will also protect from heated styling tools, such as hair dryers or straighteners.
The verdict: Hair oils
Overall, we were extremely impressed by every oil that we tried – it’s easy to think that using a product like oil in your hair will weigh it down or make it feel greasy as soon as it’s been washed, but the reality is the complete opposite. L’Oreal’s Professionel impressed us the most thanks to its multi-purpose benefits, but if you don’t want to invest a lot of money then L’Oreal Paris’ offering is a good place to start. If scent is important to you, then Ouai or Oribe will leave your hair glossy and smelling incredible.
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