WHEN it comes to getting luscious locks, hair oil is the hero treatment you never knew you needed
Whether you're battling dry, damaged hair or just want to add some extra shine to your locks, hair oil is a secret weapon for shiny, healthy-looking tresses.
Whether your hair is frizzy, dry, or prone to split ends, the right oil can do wonders; taming flyaways, protecting hair from heat damage, and promoting overall hair health.
Using hair oil regularly can also stimulate blood circulation to the scalp, encouraging hair growth and leaving your locks looking fuller and healthier. There’s an oil out there to suit all hair types, and many use natural ingredients include argan oil to add shine, coconut oil to condition or apricot oil to prevent hair loss.
You can use oil at different stages of your haircare routine, too; it’s perfect as a pre-wash treatment, as a conditioning treat for dry ends or even as a scalp massage oil to stimulate growth. Some oils also have lovely scents, so they double up as hair perfume.
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There are hundreds of oil options on the market but we’re here to make your life easier, as we recently put 12 hair oils to the test to see if they're worth the hype.
Best hair oils at a glance:
- Best overall: Moroccanoil Treatment
- Best value: Wunderbar Soft Magic Oil
- Best mid-range: Cecred Nourishing Oil
- Best premium: Sasha Vara
- Best for dry hair: Ouai Hair Oil
Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Moroccanoil Treatment Original, from £14.45
Pros: Three sizes available, argan oil is fabulous for thick hair, long-lasting scent
Cons: Pricy
Rating: 5/5
Argan oil has a bit of a cult following in the hair world for its ability to smooth and soften locks, and if you fancy trying it out, Moroccanoil are all about putting this hero ingredient to work in different hair and skincare products.
This Treatment Original oil is the classic and comes in various sizes - we tested out the dinky 25ml travel size bottle, which is ideal if you’re travelling somewhere hot and need to keep your hair hydrated, and the 100ml size, which can be packed in your cabin bag.
Argan oil, which comes from the argan tree native to Morocco, is ideal for thick, frizzy hair. Pop it on split ends, smooth it through hair before styling or use it as a scalp treatment for instant results.
Hair type: all hair types; Main ingredient: argan oil, Capacity: from 25ml.
Cécred Nourishing Hair Oil
Cécred Nourishing Hair Oil, £43 from Cécred
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Pros: Designed for all hair types, great subtle scent, very conditioning
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 5/5
If Beyoncé did hair oil… Oh wait. The singer has turned her hand to hair products (is there anything she can’t do?) with new brand Cécred, and we were suitably impressed.
This elixir is expensive and comes in a dinky size, but it does do lovely things to your hair, instantly adding gloss without weighing hair down thanks to no less than 13 natural oils, and a little does go a long way.
This Nourishing Oil is developed for all hair types and textures and works nicely on curly and kinky hair. The bottle is a beauty, too.
Hair type: all hair types; Main ingredients: sea buckthorn, keratin; Capacity: 50ml.
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Ouai Hair Oil
Ouai Hair Oil, £26 from Amazon
Pros: Very conditioning for dry hair, works as a hair mask, light floral fragrance
Cons: Too thick for greasy hair
Rating: 4/5
Ouai has a loyal following of celebs with flowing tresses; perhaps this is their secret? This small bottle is packed with moisturising oils and does noticeably soften and condition hair.
We liked it brushed into hair before bed and then washed out in the morning to add serious shine or used before styling or on the beach to protect from heat.
Great for dry hair, but we reckon this oil is overkill for thicker or greasier hair. The light violet fragrance is a delight.
Hair type: Dry, damaged hair; Main ingredient: Ama oil, borage seed oil, Capacity: 45ml
Kérastase Elixir Ultime L’Huile Originale Hair Oil
Kérastase Elixir Ultime L’Huile Originale Hair Oil, £27.50
Pros: Adds instant shine, lightweight, great on frizz
Cons: Fragrance doesn’t linger
Rating: 4/5
Kérastase’s little gold hair oil is a bestseller, and after testing it out we aren’t surprised; this glossy bottle adds instant shine and smoothness to dry hair.
Argan oil works its magic on frizz and this oil feels lovely and light; one pump dispenses just enough to run through hair and leave it looking instantly better.
Kérastase reckon regular use will prevent premature pigment loss, so it’s good for delaying those first greys. The brand reckons the (pleasant) scent lasts 48 hours but we couldn’t smell it after an hour or so of use.
Hair type: dull hair; Main ingredient: amla, camellia and argan oil, Capacity: 30ml.
Olaplex No 7 Bonding Oil
Olaplex No 7 Bonding Oil, £28
Pros: Unisex, vegan-friendly, no weight, great on fine hair.
Cons: No discernible scent
Rating: 4/5
If you’re new to hair oil and want something simple, well-priced and that works, pick up this gold gem of a bottle. Olaplex’s oil feels light on hair, doesn’t leave a film, adds shine, and makes even frizzy hair instantly easy to brush and style.
In testing, we loved the dispenser ; one drop is enough to style even long hair. There’s no strong scent, which is great if you don’t want your oil to compete with perfume or you’re after a unisex product.
The weightlessness of this oil is ideal for fine or thin hair.
Hair type: thin/fine hair; Main ingredient: corn oil, sunflower seed oil, Capacity: 30ml.
Percy & Reed I Need a Hero! Wonder Treatment Oil
Percy & Reed I Need a Hero! Wonder Treatment Oil, £28 from Percy & Reed
Pros: Vegan friendly, soft and silky, great deep treatment
Cons: No discernible scent
Rating: 4/5
Is your hair calling out for a bit of help? We love that you can choose what your locks are craving from Percy & Reed’s menu of hair oils, from ‘Turn Up The Volume’ to ‘Give Me Strength’ and ‘Time to Shine’.
If your hair is just a bit unhappy, reach for our favourite; the ‘I Need a Hero! Oil’ is an instant pick me up for dry and damaged hair, and works especially well as an overnight treatment, with macadamia oil adding moisture and gloss. It's great for lacklustre hair in need of a treat.
Hair type: dry and damaged hair; Main ingredient: macadamia oil, sunflower oil, Capacity: 50ml
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Glossy Nourishing Hair Oil
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Glossy Nourishing Hair Oil, £33 from Beauty Bay
Pros: Fabulous long-lasting scent, vegan friendly
Cons: Too heavy for fine hair
Rating: 4/5
Add a bit of Brazilian sunshine to your ‘do with this truly amazing-smelling oil from Sol de Janeiro, makers of the legendary Bum Bum Cream.
This little number is perfumed with the brand’s signature 62 scent, a mix of caramel, vanilla and almond that lasts all day on hair; no need for perfume.
This oil delivers on care, too; it’s vegan friendly and cruelty free, softens and calms frizzy hair and works well when hair is in the sun, protecting tresses from UV.
A little really helps with styling or added to dry ends but is too thick for thin hair.
Hair type: thick hair; Main ingredient: Brazilian patauá Oil, pequi Oil, Capacity: 58ml
Sasha Vara Velvet Multi-Use Apricot Oil
Sasha Vara Velvet Multi-Use Apricot Oil, £60 from Sasha Vara
Pros: Pure apricot oil, stimulates hair growth
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 4/5
You’ve probably heard of argan oil, but did you know that pure apricot oil is also wonderful for hair?
This rich kernel oil is great for massaging a dry scalp and works to prevent hair loss; we found it really good for helping prevent postpartum hair loss on test.
Sasha Vara’s Velvet contains only apricot and is highly moisturising thanks to omega and oleic fatty acids.
Apricot is also great for use on your face and body, so ideal if you don’t think a hair-only oil is for you, this might be worth investing in for use as an all-over day or night oil.
Hair type: for hair loss or dry hair; Main ingredient: apricot oil, Capacity: 30ml
Hair Syrup Honey Dew
Hair Syrup Honey Dew, £24.99 from Hair Syrup
Pros: Smells wonderful, great for very dry hair, adds great shine
Cons: Can make hair greasy
Rating: 3/5
We loved the sweet scent of this honey-based concoction; if you’d like an oil that doubles up as a subtle hair perfume, this is the bottle to buy (there’s also a nice rose-scented version) and the pretty bottle would grace any dressing table.
Designed to strengthen damaged hair and leave it visibly smoother using honey and coconut extract, this oil was one of the thickest and most conditioning oil we tested.
It adds instant gloss and works really well on dry hair, but we did find it was easy to add too much and end up with greasy hair; a little goes a long way.
Hair type: all hair types; Main ingredients: honey extract; Capacity: 50ml.
All Sins All Skins Face, Body & Hair Glam Gold Therapy
All Sins All Skins Face, Body & Hair Oil Glam Gold Therapy, £55 from All Sins
Pros: Delicious smell, long lasting, multi-use oil
Cons: Leaves a film on hair and skin
Rating: 3/5
Add a bit of glam to your hair routine with this glitzy gold number from Spanish brand All Sins. If you’re not sure if you’ll use a hair oil too often, a multi-use skin, face and hair oil can be a better all-rounder to invest in.
This glam oil seems to shimmer, but that glitter doesn’t show up on hair or skin. It feels like a ‘dry’ oil and doesn’t weigh hair down, but it does leave it feeling like it’s been coated with a film, which you may not like the feel of.
The smell of argan oil is delicious, though and argan goes to work improving your hair’s elasticity and shine.
Hair type: all hair types; Main ingredient: argan oil; Capacity: 100ml.
Bouclème Revive 5 Hair Oil
Bouclème Revive 5 Hair Oil, £31 from Bouclème
Pros: Gives UV protection, designed for curls, great for styling and pre-wash
Cons: Scent might not suit everyone
Rating: 3/5
Meet Bouclème’s brand of ‘plant-powered curl care’. This Revive 5 oil is specifically designed for curly hair, whether you’re sporting soft waves or tight corkscrews.
On test this oil really stood out as a pre-shampoo or styling treatment; hair was noticeably more moisturised and glossier after just one use.
This oil also protects hair from UV light, so it’s perfect for summer and for holidays in the sun. Or run a bit through curls to define them and add bounce and weight. We weren’t sure about the lemon-y scent, but it does fade fast.
Hair type: curly hair; Main ingredient: moringa oil, mongogo oil, Capacity: 100ml.
Wunderbar Smooth’n’Soft Hair Oil
Wunderbar Smooth’n’Soft Hair Oil, £18.99 from Sally Beauty
Pros: Vegan, affordable, great on frizzy hair, instant results
Cons: Leaves a film on hair
Rating: 2/5
The clue is in the name: Wunderbar’s oil is here to smooth and soften unmanageable or damaged hair and works instantly, so if your hair needs a quick pick me up before you head out the door this is the bottle to reach for.
We like the gentle, baby powder-y smell of this lightweight formula. The oil does leave a noticeable film on hair, so avoid if you’re all about how an oil feels on your tresses. In general though, this is a great affordable argan-infused oil.
Hair type: dry, frizzy hair; Main ingredient: argan and abissinica oil, Capacity: 100ml
Why use hair oil?
Hair oils are a powerhouse of nutrients designed to deeply nourish your hair and improve its health as well as adding instant shine and suppleness.
And they aren’t just for dry or damaged hair; whether your hair is frizzy, dry, or prone to split ends, the right oil can tame your mane, protect it from heat damage, and promote overall hair health.
Using hair oil regularly can also stimulate blood circulation to the scalp, encouraging hair growth, preventing hair loss, and leaving your locks looking fuller and healthier.
How do I use hair oil?
There are lots of ways to add oil to your haircare routine. Apply a small amount to clean, damp hair from the mid-length to the ends, then blow dry or leave to dry naturally for added body and shine. Or apply a drop or two on the ends of dry hair to tame frizz.
Need a deep treatment? Rub oil in to scalp and through hair strands before washing or overnight.
What is the best hair oil for my hair type?
Pick an oil designed specifically for your hair type; some suit all hair types, while others are formulated with dry or frizzy hair in mind.
Argan oil is a great thirst-quenching choice for frizzy hair, while apricot oil can prevent hair loss.
Curly locks? Boucléme’s hair products are developed specifically with waves in mind. Cécred’s hair products are designed to work on all hair types, and their online quiz can help you work out the density, thickness, and porosity of your hair.
How we tested
We tested each oil out on normal, frizzy, and curly hair types and tried using oils before and after washing and to smooth down flyaway hairs.
We looked for added shine and softness without weight and a noticeable fragrance that lasted all day.
Where to buy hair oil in the UK?
Beauty websites, pharmacies, and individual brands all stock a wide range of hair oils. There’s a huge number of hair oils on the market to suit different hair types, so before you go shopping, we’d first recommend reading our reviews above, where we've put several to the test and rated them for frizzy, curly and dry hair types
If you're keen to shop now, we'd recommend the following:
Amazon
Boots
BeautyBay
Sally Beauty
How much does a good hair oil cost?
The best hair oils start at around £20. Our most expensive pick is Sasha Vara’s Velvet Oil at £60 for just 30ml, but you do get pure apricot oil, which is a bit of a wonder ingredient for hair and skin.
The best argan oil is from Moroccanoil, from £14.95, and a little goes a long way. If you’re on a budget we recommend Wunderbar’s Soft Magic, £18.99 for 100ml.