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It took me a long time to figure out how to use hair oils. My hair is fine, color-treated, and damaged. A few pumps on wet hair made it oily and look like I hadn’t washed it at all. Now I know I didn’t need all those products. If you’re using a good quality hair oil, one or two pumps is all you need.
But how do you tell a good hair oil from a bad one? Besides an ingredients list packed with moisturizing oils, you also need to consider the viscosity. Do you want something thick to hydrate your ends before blow-drying, or something thinner to smooth out flyaways before washing your hair? Either way, I’ve tried dozens and consulted experts to come up with seven great options. Each oil has different strengths, but they’re all solid, expert-recommended choices for hair that needs a little extra care, help, and smoothing ahead of the dry, windy season.
Most hair oils are made from other oils, such as argan oil or moringa oil, jojoba oil or sunflower oil. Argan oil is a popular ingredient in hair oils. It has been used for centuries to smooth and soften hair, and is included in some optional ingredient lists here. Also, argan oil has small molecules, which is what I look for. Heavier oils, such as coconut oil, can make hair look heavy and oily.
We also looked for ingredients that would strengthen hair: Vitamins like biotin and tocopherol can increase hair strength over time.
Let me start by saying that hair oils aren’t cheap. Some can cost as much as $30 per ounce. But keep in mind that you only need to use a very small amount of hair oil. In most cases, one pump or a pea-sized amount is enough. So while the initial cost may seem a bit higher than something like shampoo, hair oils last a lot longer. To make it easier to understand, I’ve listed the price per ounce.
Ingredients: Moringa Oil, Argan Oil, Bamboo Extract | $10 per ounce.
Jen Trolio, senior editor at The Strategist, told me about Verb’s Ghost Oil. (I was already familiar with the line and had listed the conditioner as one of my all-time favorites, but I hadn’t gotten around to getting the oil yet.) The oil contains ingredients commonly found in hair oils, like moringa oil and argan oil, as well as the lesser-known bamboo extract. Bamboo is a great addition because it’s rich in silica, an ingredient known to strengthen hair. There were a few things that attracted me to Trolio’s recommendation. First, it can be used on wet or dry hair, meaning you can use it to moisturize freshly washed hair or to lock in that moisture on day two or three for longer. Importantly, Trolio says, the product doesn’t build up with daily use, which is key to preventing overuse of hair oils from making your hair look oily. “It’s slippery and slippery on your fingers, and it doesn’t make your hair look sticky or oily, it just makes it smooth,” says Trolio. She uses it on herself and her daughters, all of whom have fine hair, so they only need a small amount; those with thicker hair only need an extra pump or two to get the same results. All in all, this oil is my top recommendation because it’s suitable for all hair types (not too heavy for fine hair), is discreet, both occlusive and moisturizing, and is very reasonably priced.
Ingredients: Argan Oil | $2.60 per oz.
I was thrilled when one of my experts, stylist and salon owner Rogelio Cavalcante, recommended argan oil. The benefits of argan oil for hair have been known for centuries in Morocco, and ever since a trip to Marrakech as a teenager, I’ve always kept a bottle of argan oil on my bedside table. Although argan oil is also on the ingredients list of several other oils on this list (it’s a mainstay in hair oils), it’s also extremely effective as a main ingredient. It’s packed with moisturizing oleic and linoleic acids, which have been shown to protect hair from free radical damage and increase elasticity. And if you’ve ever applied it to the ends of your hair, you’ll know that it smooths out even the most tangled split ends. Argan oil has smaller molecules than other oils (like coconut oil), so it penetrates hair easily. That’s why it works so well. Cavalcante recommends this oil from Hask, saying that its thick consistency “distributes really well throughout the hair, leaving it soft and shiny.” She also claims that the formula contains argan oil and grape seed oil, which “instantly nourish and tame frizz, making it ideal for thicker hair types and dry ends,” though if you have super-thin hair like me, regular drugstore argan oil will do the trick.
Ingredients: Almond Oil, Sunflower Oil, Castor Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil | $13 per ounce.
To keep curls smooth and shiny without weighing them down, opt for lightweight oils like jojoba or almond. Freewill Oil contains both, plus stimulating castor oil and sunflower oil (both moisturizing hair oils with evidence to promote hair growth). Stylist Gregory Patterson loves this oil because it “strengthens delicate curls and edges that are weak and prone to breakage and dryness,” while still remaining lightweight. “I like it because it’s nourishing and targets specific hair zones, providing a more tailored care solution for delicate edges.”
Ingredients: Passion Fruit Seed Oil, Pracaxi Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Olive Oil | $30 per oz.
I remember this hair oil well ever since I smelled it at a press event last Christmas (it really is a botanical lavender scent). Not only is the scent great, but the ingredients are exactly what we were looking for. Lightweight passion fruit and pratica seed oils leave hair smooth and moisturized without building up and making it oily. But what makes this oil special is the additional ingredients it contains: avocado oil and olive oil. Both can withstand high temperatures and are common ingredients in hair protector products. Fellow Strategist writer Amber Pardilla is the biggest fan of this oil I know. “It protects your hair from the damage caused by the heat of a hair dryer and smoothes it to prevent frizz like the bride of Frankenstein,” she says. “I really love this oil. Just a few drops in the palm of my hand gives it that shine you see in shampoo commercials.” It’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth it (especially since in my experience, it goes on sale about every two months).
Ingredients: Moringa and Bixa orellana Seed Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) | $18.50 per oz.
Like Verb Ghost Oil, this R+Co oil is packed with ingredients that are both moisturizing and protective: Moringa and Bixa orellana oils moisturize, while tocopherol (a form of vitamin E) protects against free radical damage. The result is smoother, shinier, and healthier-looking hair in time. This is a favorite of Brenley Goertzen, a junior writer at Strategist, who began losing her hair in college and experienced severe breakage. “I use it as a finishing oil on freshly washed, dry hair to reduce breakage,” she says (it should be noted that the oil can also be used on wet hair). “I apply one to two pumps to just my bangs and the top layer of my hair to add smoothness and shine. I’m not naturally blonde, so highlighting my roots can be damaging to my hair,” adds Goertzen.
Ingredients: Annatto, Argan, Pumpkin Seed Oil | $14.16 per oz.
Our beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton decided to buy this hair oil thanks to their recommendation, but at about $14 per ounce, it actually sits in the inexpensive to mid-range range on the hair oil shelf. For that price, you get an ingredients list that includes argan (my favorite), pumpkin seed, and annatto oil. There is a ton of clinical studies that suggest pumpkin seed oil stimulates hair growth, and it’s known to be gentle on the scalp. Annatto oil is especially popular in Korean beauty products, where it can moisturize, soften, and add shine to hair, and even improve the vibrancy of your hair color. Overall, both Viera-Newton and I argue that it’s worth the slightly higher initial investment of over $60. “This is the best hair oil I’ve ever tried. The texture is so thick that it’s really easy to apply evenly to your hair, and it really works like a dream,” she says.
Ingredients: Biotin, Rosemary Oil, Peppermint Oil | $5 per ounce.
This is one of those bottles you might have sitting in your mom’s cupboard that really works. The ingredients list is simple: essential oils like rosemary and peppermint, plus the haircare staple biotin, which makes it effective and suitable for all hair types, says Patterson. It’s also versatile: it can be used as a hair oil for split ends, a leave-in treatment, a pre-shampoo treatment, and a detangler. The nutrient-rich oil blend is also gentle on the scalp, and oils like peppermint are thought to increase circulation to the scalp, encouraging healthy hair growth.
• Rogerio Cavalcante, stylist and salon owner
• Brenly Goertzen, Strategist Junior Writer
• Amber Pardilla, Strategist Writer
• Gregory Patterson, celebrity stylist
• Jen Trolio, Senior Editor, Strategist
• Rio Viera-Newton, Strategist beauty columnist and writer
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The Strategist aims to bring you helpful, expert recommendations on what to buy in the vast world of e-commerce. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors and you can learn more about it here. We update links when possible, but note that sales may expire and all prices are subject to change.
