Instant quick fixes are rare in life, let alone in the beauty sphere. Usually, commitment is necessary to see any tangible results, whether we’re talking supplements, skincare routines or hi-tech tools like LED face masks or contouring gadgets.
Hair oils are the exception to this rule. These nutrient-packed elixirs can transform lacklustre manes in just one use - and all without leaving you with greasy locks.
The key is to find one specifically designed for your concerns, and in this case, we’ve deep-dived into dry hair, the causes and the formulas that will breathe new life into your strands.
What causes dry hair?
Dry hair can be caused by a number of reasons and before you invest in potentially costly haircare products, it’s important to find what is leaving your strands parched - be it thermal, chemical or environmental. Hadley Yates, a hairstylist and founder of his eponymous Covent Garden salon explains “Environmentally; the sun, the sea and chlorine can dry your hair out. Also, hot tools, chemical treatments, or if you’re using harsh shampoos. Separately from this, dry hair could also be a sign of an underlying illness”.
How do you avoid hair dryness?
Creating an arsenal of moisture-enriching products will counteract brittleness and breakages. Yates adds that you should also “Try to avoid using heat on your hair multiple times a week – and if you do use heat, make sure to always use a heat protector”. While oils make for a great finishing product or overnight treatment whether on wet, damp or dry hair, he suggests incorporating more intensive solutions too, “Hair masks are a great way of giving your hair that extra nourishment”.
Is it worth adding an oil to your routine?
In short, yes. Yates agrees “Adding oil can be so beneficial for your hair! Oils help to nourish and moisturise the scalp, which can promote healthier hair growth and reduce dryness”.
What ingredients should you look out for in an oil for dry hair?
With so many different options on the market, it can be hard to know where to start. Yates recommends looking out for “aloe vera, which moisturises the scalp and promotes hair growth, while jojoba oil protects the hair from the harmful effects of UV radiation and controls oil production”. He continues “Avocado oil can help fight against oxidative damage and prevent scalp inflammation and coconut oil is a great option for curly hair as it adds hydration and nourishment”.
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Champo Weightless Hair Oil
Champo’s Weightless Hair Oil is unlike other oils on the market, apparent from its look alone. The almost clear texture is super lightweight, making it the ideal formula for those concerned about adding a potentially greasy product into their haircare routine. The naturally-derived composition is a smooth, moisture boost that gives a healthy finish without overloading the locks, with no greasy residue included.
Use it as the last step in your routine, once your hair is dry, to tame flyaways - and less is always more. It’s free from silicones, preservatives and synthetic fragrances, has a vegan, cruelty-free composition and can be used by all hair types.
Buy now £28.00, Harrods
Living Proof Curl Moisturising Shine Oil
Curly hair has a harder time retaining moisture - the way it grows means that the hair’s natural oils find it more challenging to travel down the shaft. Creating an arsenal of hydrating heroes is essential whether you have a 2A or 4C pattern.
Counteract dryness, breakages and frizz with this oil from Living Proof. The brand has called upon scientists and experts in the field to create a formula that improves the health of the hair with each use.
This elixir is made up of five oils that are renowned for providing a glossy but crucially, non-greasy sheen. It remains lightweight and there are no silicones in the formula so it should enhance your wavy or coily locks instead of disrupting their natural shape.
You only need a very small amount as it’s a thicker texture than some of the other oils on the market and leaves a lovely aroma that you’ll catch a whiff of throughout the day.
Buy now £19.45, Amazon
PHILIP B Rejuvenating Oil
If PHILIP B is a brand you are not yet familiar with, consider this your official introduction. It was born out of Hollywood and created by one of the leading haircare specialists in Tinseltown. Botanical ingredients and plant extracts form the basis of each of the products, bringing with them nourishing, reparative benefits that dry hair will soak up in an instant.
The Rejuvenating Oil is a conditioning product that uses featherweight essential oils so that all hair types can maximise their goodness - even those with ultra-fine strands. It has a plumping effect on the shaft and thus counteracts the likes of frizz and flyaways. Using this product feels like a luxury experience and you’ll relish the ritualistic process, delightful scent and protective benefits.
Buy now £38.00, Space NK
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil
Olaplex is one of the most sought-after haircare brands on the market and the entire range has been created using the label’s signature and patented technology.
The oil, No7, is designed as one of the last steps in your haircare routine and as you may predict, follows the pre-wash treatments, No4.Shampoo, No.5 Conditioner, and No.6 Bond Smoother.
It can be used on all hair types to leave your locks feeling soft, glossy and most importantly, healthy. The weightless formula uses the bond-repairing technology that has converted hair stylists and customers around the world in order to strengthen the strands from within and prevent split ends, flyaways and frizz as well as boost colour. It will come particularly welcome for those with dry or dehydrated tresses. Use sparingly for best results.
Buy now £28.00, lookfantastic
Rahua Legendary Amazon Oil
Rahua’s unique Amazon Oil has earned the brand a cult following. The ingredients come from, you guessed it, the Amazon rainforest and include the brand’s signature rahua which forms the basis of its product line-up and is harvested with respect for the environment.
It is set alongside sacha inchi and morete oils where the trio provides a nutrient-rich combination that will transform brittle broken strands back to life. In just a few uses and with only one pump needed, you’ll notice a healthy shine as it gets to work strengthening and repairing.
Buy now £42.00, lookfantastic
Larry King Hair Spoilt for Choice Hair Oil
Rosemary oil has been lauded with such benefits as encouraging growth, counteracting flaking, calming and soothing and so it should come as no surprise that the ingredient has gone viral on TikTok.
This is the component at the heart of the Spoilt for Choice Hair Oil from Larry King, expert hairstylist to the stars. The naturally-derived formula includes this antimicrobial ingredient as well as the nourishing and hydrating cocktail of jojoba, argan and squalene that combine to fortify each individual strand - all without leaving a greasy seal.
To apply, simply add a few drops from the pipette applicator and massage it into the scalp. Leave for three minutes before you shampoo or overnight to soak up the goodness. It can also be incorporated as a finishing oil too, just use less.
Buy now £28.00, Cult Beauty
Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil
Gisou founder Negin Mirsalehi harnessed the expertise of six generations of beekeepers in her family to create a haircare line that spotlights honey. The ingredient is chosen for its hydrating properties as well as its ability to strengthen the strands and act as both an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Across the range, it is derived from a sustainable source.
This Hair Oil is a multitasking product that works triple duty on wet hair to repair fragile tresses, on dry for the finishing touch to your expertly coiffed style or coated from root to tip overnight as a deeply nourishing treatment.
Buy now £35.00, Harrods
K18 Molecular Hair Repair Oil
As the name suggests, this hair oil is designed to work at a molecular level. It comes from one of the most sought-after scientifically-backed haircare labels K18. The brand biotech-engineers its line-up to reach deeper into the hair fibre. The trademarked K18PEPTIDE works on damaged, dry and stressed strands to counteract the effects - whether that’s caused by thermal, chemical or environmental reasons.
The star ingredient is combined with locks-loving ingredients like sunflower and avocado oils and squalene and hemisqualane for further nourishment and to leave your hair smooth, silky and free from frizz and flyaways. It also provides heat protection when applied on wet, damp or dry tresses.
Buy now £65.00, Space NK
Augustinus Bader The Hair Oil
Augustinus Bader may have already dominated your skincare routine but now the brand is coming for your haircare too with this hair oil. The label has a long celebrity fan base that includes Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham and more and is known for its use of a science-backed proprietary delivery system that ensures the potency of the nutrients and that it is brought to where it needs to go.
The luxurious addition to your bathroom cabinet is packed with nourishing oils like argan, pomegranate and baobab that have an instant effect on your locks, while also working long-term to seal split ends and provide deep conditioning.
The formula is quickly absorbed and can be used on wet or dry hair alike and at each stage of your routine - whether prime or post - to make it feel silky smooth and greasy-free.
Buy now £38.00, Augustinus Bader
Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil
This botanical-powered product will infuse the nutrient-richness of argan oil, bergamot and cassis that work to condition the hair without weighing it down or adding additional hair washes to your existing routine. Fight against UV and environmental damage with the protective oil, while also strengthening against breakage and the typically harmful effect of heated styling tools.
While the formula gets to work, it also provides a pampering experience from the attractive bottle, to the luxurious feel of the oil itself. This is one you’ll want to display and it will last a while too as it just requires a small pump for even long hair.
Buy now £35.00, Space NK
OUAI Rose Hair and Body Oil
Restore the sheen of your precious locks with this oil from hair stylist to the stars Jen Atkin’s OUAI label. While leaving your mane silky smooth, it also offers luminosity from the neck down, leaving in its wake a beautifully scented rose aroma.
Not a case of fragrance over function, it combines absinthium, shea and rosehip oils that will be soaked up by stressed-out skin and hair by hydrating, sealing in moisture and leaving behind a welcomed shine.
Buy now £28.00, Cult Beauty
