The 9 Best Hair Oils to Nourish and Smooth Your Ends (We Tested Each One)

Best Overall

Olaplex Bonding Oil

$30 $21 at Amazon $21 at Sephora $30 $21 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Grapeseed and fermented green tea oils | Size: 1.01 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This Olaplex Bonding Oil has been a Byrdie favorite for some time now, and it's easy to see why. The product features a lightweight formula that nourishes the hair without leaving a thick or greasy film. In addition to a bonding complex that works to strengthen damaged hair, the formula also contains nourishing grapeseed oil and fermented green tea oil to help with moisture absorption and tame flyaways (or other signs of breakage).

Aside from the weightless texture, we loved that we were able to work it through our hair with ease—it made combing and brushing feel effortless. After a few passes with a comb, our hair had a shiny, soft hair with a salon-like finish. In our experience, this is a great option for all hair types and comes in a compact bottle for easy storage, regardless of your bathroom vanity size.

Emma, tester: “This product absorbed really quickly and didn’t leave any sticky residue on my hands. My hair is so shiny and soft—it looks like I just left the salon!”

Best Budget

L'Oréal Paris Deep Nourishing Treatment

$19 $18 at Amazon View on Ulta $39 at Walmart

Key Ingredients: Coconut and sunflower seed oils | Size: 3.38 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

If you’re newer to hair oil and want to get started at a lower price point, this is a fantastic option for you. It’s affordable, accessible, and works for all hair types. It has a midweight texture (so, not super lightweight but not heavy) and it works to condition the hair and minimize flyaways.

It made our hair feel soft and nourished without being sticky or leaving a thick film behind. We found that just three drops were enough to work through the hair, so keep in mind that a little bit goes a long way. While we didn't notice a significant boost in shine, we loved that it appeared sleek and smooth (read: no flyaways), and felt incredibly soft to the touch.

Leslie, tester: “This oil is very hydrating and soft on my hair, and I only used three drops. It’s lightweight but very moisturizing—absolutely amazing!”

Best for Thick Hair

Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil

$46 at Amazon $25 at Sephora View on Gisou.com

Key Ingredients: Honey | Size: 0.67, 1.6, 3.38 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Applying a few drops of luxe hair oil can serve as a moment of self-care, and this indulgent one is great for that. Between the chic packaging, honey scent, and rich texture, using this hair oil feels like an elevated experience. Just a  few drops will quickly absorb into the pores of damaged hair and help to create a smooth finish. Our hair felt incredibly soft when we tried it for ourselves, almost as if we'd applied a deep conditioning mask. The dropper is also fantastic; it dispenses just the right amount of product every time—we love to see it. One thing to remember is that this formula is rich in consistency. While this could be a major bonus if you have thick hair, those with thin hair should start by applying just one or two drops to avoid a greasy finish. 

Mary, tester: “My hair feels so soft and hydrated like I just used a deep conditioning mask. This formula is thicker than a traditional hair oil, but to me, that equates to it being extra moisturizing.”

Best for Fine Hair

Verb Ghost Weightless Hair Oil

$20 $14 at Amazon $14 at Sephora $20 $14 at Target

Key Ingredients: Bamboo extract, moringa seed and argan oils | Size: 2.02 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you have thin or fine hair, you might cringe at the thought of applying hair oil, but this one could actually be a great fit for you. Despite its fairly rich texture, a few drops absorb quickly into fine hair sans filmy residue. After applying the product and blow-drying our hair, we found that our hair was shiny and soft. The only downside is that we wish it would have more of a smoothing effect to handle broken ends and flyaways.

Maggie, tester: “I thought this product would be very heavy since it was very thick, but the oil absorbed beautifully into my thin hair! It was easy to coat all my hair with minimal product, so a little goes a long way.”

Best for Breakage

Living Proof Hair Oil

$33 at Amazon $33 at Sephora $33 at Ulta

Key Ingredients: Living Proof Healthy Hair Molecule | Size: 1.69 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Heat-styling can be quite damaging, so relying on an oil to prevent hair breakage while you style it is a great choice. This one in particular from Living Proof is formulated with squalane and amaranth seed extract (to reduce breakage and add moisture), while a blend of five nourishing oils gives the hair a soft look and feel. Those of us with fine hair found that four drops yielded beautiful results, leaving hair smooth, hydrated, and shiny. Note: The product has a subtle rose scent, and while we found it quite lovely, it's not for everyone.

Best for Shine

JVN Nourishing Hair Oil

$26 $19 at Amazon $26 at Sephora View on Jvnhair.com

Key Ingredients: Hemisqualane, meadowfoam esters, hibiscus extract | Size: 1.69 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Using hair oil can be a great way to add shine to dull hair. If that’s your main goal, then this is a great option for you. The lightweight formula utilizes the power of hemisqualane (squalane derived from sugarcane) to strengthen your strands, while other ingredients like meadowfoam esters and hibiscus extract provide gloss, moisture, and antioxidant protection. During testing, our tester, Sydney, loved how lightweight the texture felt and how it added shine to the lengths of our hair. It’s worth noting that using more than a few drops on fine hair can become a bit greasy.

Sydney, tester: “It was very light and spread easily throughout my hair. Loved the fragrance too! It easily smoothed my lengths, but the edges needed a little more TLC.”

Best for Curly Hair

Rizos Curls Nourish Oil

$25 $19 at Amazon $23 at Ulta View on Thirteenlune.com

Key Ingredients: Castor, carrot seed, grapefruit peel and orange peel oils | Size: 1.01 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you have curly hair, chances are you experience some dryness occasionally. This product is a great option for those with any curl pattern or density because it’s formulated with a blend of moisturizing oils (like moringa, sunflower, castor, and more) to give hair the hydration boost it needs. In addition to its moisturizing benefits, we appreciated that the formula was quick to absorb and, once dry, added shine and softness. We also loved the dropper applicator, which makes applying to the scalp a breeze. Also nice: Aside from being excellent for curly, dry hair, it can also nourish the scalp and skin on the body. Bonus points!

Ethan, tester: “This oil feels very nice, and my hair is soft and moisturized. If this is the biggest size they offer, I would make a larger-sized bottle.”

Best Serum

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Serum

View on Amazon $7 at Target $7 at Walmart

Key Ingredients: Keratin, marula oil | Size: 3.27 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you deal with flyaways and want to smooth them out, this drugstore hair oil might be just what you need. It’s formulated with keratin and marula oil to strengthen and nourish the hair, while the lightweight formula helps to smooth strands and add shine. With just one pump before blow drying, we were able to achieve a sleek, shiny finish. While we loved the woody fragrance, some online reviewers find it overpowering. 

Leslie, tester: “My hair looks very shiny. I used one pump and it was very lightweight with a soft scent to it as well.”

Best for Dry Hair

Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Pure Oil Blend

$42 at Amazon $22 at Sephora

Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, argan and baobab oils | Size: 8.01 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you have very dry hair (or hair with a low porosity), your best bet is to find a hair oil that adds moisture without weighing it down. The lightweight formula one has a near-perfect rating at Ulta, so it wasn't surprising that we loved it too. It can be used on the lengths of your hair like a traditional hair oil, on wet or dry strands, or, as the brand says, for the skin too. The nozzle applicator makes it easy to dose and apply the product precisely, and the light texture spreads through the hair easily and absorbs quickly. After using it, our hair felt hydrated and looked smooth.

One thing to note is that some online reviewers who applied it directly to their scalps mentioned that they experienced some irritation. While this was not our personal experience, we recommend applying it to the lengths of the hair to help improve dryness, and if you’re going to apply it to your scalp, be sure to patch-test first. 

Ethan, tester: “This oil was lightweight and easy to get an even application. Overall, it looks nice, but could have added more shine.”