13 best hair oils for healthy, hydrated hair

Hair oils come with a long list of benefits for all hair textures. For curly textures, oils can help ensure your entire hair strand is receiving adequate moisture, from scalp to ends. “Although curly hair is like a sponge, it has the tendency to be dry since the natural oils that the body produces may not always trickle down through the strands as easily as it would be the case for straighter and looser hair textures,” says Peace. Hair oils can also benefit those with dry hair, whether the dryness stems from UV exposure, hot tools or chemical treatments. “When hair is dry and brittle, it’s much more prone to breakage,” says Yadav. “A hair oil will deeply penetrate the hair strand, nourishing it and plumping it from within to make it more resilient.”

Hair oils can also support new hair growth if it’s massaged for 11 to 20 minutes when applied, according to one study. This helps “promote blood circulation and brings better blood flow to the hair follicles, promoting healthier hair growth,” says Yadav. 

If your scalp is experiencing inflammation, whether it be from eczema or psoriasis, anti-inflammatory oils like olive and argan oil can help, according to Yadav. She also recommends tea tree oil, which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and “can be very soothing on the scalp.”

Finally, hair oils are a great way to compensate for daily activities that decrease our hair’s natural oils, like shampooing. “Cleansing our hair and scalp strips them of their natural oils, and if you have curly or processed hair, this can be especially dehydrating,” says Yadav. “Restoring that moisture can go a long way towards maintaining a healthy skin barrier on the scalp and keeping the hair smooth, conditioned and tangle-free.”

Hair oils are useful for all hair types — especially those with natural hair. Natural and textured hair types tend to lose moisture quickly due to high porosity (which refers to how well the hair can hold on to water and therefore, hydration), according to Hardges. “Oils will seal in hydration where it would normally escape through raised cuticles on the hair strand.”

Those with protective hairstyles will also benefit from incorporating a hair oil into their regimen. While protective hairstyles are great for preventing breakage, they can lead to dryness because the natural oils on the scalp don’t get a chance to travel down the hair strand, says Hardges. Hair oils offer lubrication and allow you to reap the benefits of a protective style without drying out your hair in the process, says Hardges.

When searching for the right hair oil, our experts recommend considering several factors, including your specific hair type and the consistency of the formula. Below, we highlight their shopping suggestions.

It may be tempting to pick up any hair oil, slather it onto your strands and hope for the best, but it’s crucial to think about your product’s consistency and its ingredients when shopping. “Using the right type of oil for your specific hair texture, density and condition can make all of the difference in achieving the best results,” says Peace.

You’ll first want to consider the weight and consistency of the oil you’re using, which will impact  how it performs on your hair.

“A thick oil applied on fine hair will most often weigh down the strands, leaving them looking limp and greasy,” he says. Likewise, “a lightweight oil on thick, curly hair may not offer the fortitude needed to lock in moisture, which can result in dryer hair.”

The market is full of different types of hair oils. When it comes to ingredients, Yadav recommends considering options with castor oil since it’s full of fatty acids that condition your hair, and helps promote hair growth (with consistent use). 

Yadav also recommends products with argan oil because it can help protect hair from damage caused by environmental factors such as UV rays, humidity and cold, dry air — which is especially important if your hair is processed or color treated, she says. She advises against using coconut oil on your scalp, since it’s comedogenic and may congest the hair follicles, which can cause breakouts and inhibit healthy hair growth.

While hair oils and hair serums are typically applied similarly, they function differently on the hair. “Hair oils penetrate into the hair to nourish it from within whereas hair serums sit on the surface and form a protective layer against heat damage,” says Hunziker. “Oils are better for moisturizing the hair and scalp.” 

Hair oils are typically made of botanical-based ingredients, such as olive oil, grapeseed oil and avocado oil, while hair serums are usually synthetic-based, according to Peace. Generally speaking, scalp oils are the same as a hair oil you’d apply to your ends, but some formulas, like the Fable & Mane HoliRoots Pre-wash Hair Treatment Oil, specifically target the scalp. 

When using a hair oil, be sure to follow the directions on the bottle and take your unique hair texture and your hair goals into account. In any case, you should apply most formulas on wet hair — though it shouldn’t be sopping wet, says Hunziker. “Applying a hair oil to damp hair can help seal water into the hair cuticle to leave lasting moisture in the hair,” says Yadav. Apply two to three drops from the tops of your ears working your way down toward the tips. 

You can also use some formulas on dry hair, which is helpful if it’s extra dry or damaged and needs added nourishment after cleansing and conditioning routine, says Yadav. Applying hair oil to dry hair also has some benefits — it can help tame flyaways and frizz. When doing this, rub a few drops in between your hands to warm up the product, then apply it from the tops of the ears down toward the tips, says Hunziker. “If you feel like you still have flyaways, you can apply oil to the hair around the face sparingly,” she says. To prevent your roots from appearing oily, avoid applying hair oil to the scalp when it’s dry — unless it’s a hair oil formulated particularly for the scalp, in which case you should apply a few drops to your scalp, let it sit for a few minutes, then shampoo your hair, making sure all the oil is out, says Hunziker.

If you have natural or textured hair, Hardges says you can apply hair oil onto wet hair prior to heat styling. While Hardges says that hair oil benefits don’t differ between curl types, its usage does. “Hair types two and three are not often very dry and would be better served by doing a hot oil treatment instead of a daily oil,” says Hardges. “Hair type four is typically drier and needs the daily oil for lubrication, as well as doing an intensive hot oil treatment once a month.” Hot oil treatments involve heating oil in a double boiler, massaging it into the scalp and brushing through the hair with a wide-tooth comb to ensure even distribution. Then cover your hair with a shower cap and let the oil sit for about 15 to 45 minutes (or overnight, depending on how damaged your hair is) before shampooing it out in the shower. 

Whether you’re doing a daily application or a hot oil treatment on natural hair, even distribution of product is key, according to Hardges. With either application method, you’ll first want to split your hair into sections and work a drop of product into each part, says Hardges. “Be sure to comb or finger rake your hair through after you have applied the oil to disperse it even more thoroughly.”

Applying more than a few drops of hair oil per application session can clog pores on the scalp and hairline, and can also lead to dehydration if they become blocked with oil and dead skin cells, says Hardges.

Hunziker recommends using a hair oil after every wash one to two times a week on either wet or dry hair, except if your hair tends to be on the oilier side. In that case, she recommends using one after every other wash cycle. “If you use a lot of oil everyday, it can definitely cause buildup on your hair and scalp,” she says. Buildup on the scalp can inhibit healthy hair growth, according to Yadav. It can also make your hair appear dirty faster than it ordinarily would, since oil makes it easier for dirt and daily grime to stick onto the hair, says Yadav.

Those with oily hair can still benefit from using a hair oil — it can balance the scalp and prevent your hair from being too oily — though how you use it may look different from someone with dry hair. “In some cases, people have oily hair because they’re using shampoos that are too drying, which causes the scalp to produce excess oil to counteract the stripping effects of the shampoo,” says Yadav. 

Avoid using a hair oil every time you style your hair if you’re prone to oiliness, says Hunziker. Also, choose lightweight oils like jojoba oil, which function like our scalp’s natural oils instead of richer oils like coconut or castor oil that can make the hair very oily, especially if you have fine hair, according to Yadav.

At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. 

• Dr. Geeta Yadav is a board-certified dermatologist based in Toronto. 
• Katelyn Hunziker is an award-winning hair stylist and owner of Mane Local Salon.
• Darrius Peace is a natural hair expert, beauty instructor, author and international speaker based in Birmingham, Alabama.
• Dr. Dylan B Alston is a board-certified dermatologist in Utah.
• Leigh Hardges is a hair stylist and natural hair expert based in Chicago.

Select writer Michelle Rostamian has more than 10 years of experience covering beauty and hair care topics. Rostamian has tried dozens of hair products over the years, including oils. For this story, Rostamian spoke to hair stylists Darrius Peace,  Katelyn Hunziker and Leigh Hardges as well as board-certified dermatologists Dr. Geeta Yadav and Dr. Dylan B Alston. Based on their guidance and recommendations, Rostamian reviewed the features of several hair masks from brands like Living Proof, Unite and K18.

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