When your hair is feeling dry, damaged, and just plain uncooperative, it can be tempting to give up and whack it all in an updo for days. But this can promote tangles and end up causing you grief when you have to brush it all out in the shower.
If you commonly end up with tangles in your hair, you could have hair that is very dry or damaged. Damage can accumulate in your hair in various ways, including when it lacks moisture, is exposed to chemicals, or is physically pulled or ripped to get rid of tangles. It can also just develop damage as it grows and is especially prone to damage without regular maintenance in the form of cutting split ends.
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One of the best products for dry and damaged hair is hair oils. These are very hydrating and can help coat the strands to separate the hair and prevent damage. But not all hair oils are built the same, and some may be more suitable for restoring hair.
Hair oils can also be used for styling, adding shine to hair, promoting growth, or helping out the scalp, so it’s important that you choose the right hair oil for your hair and for the particular problem you are trying to address.
Thus, we have come up with this list of the 15 best hair oils for dry, damaged hair to make it as easy as possible for you to find the perfect hair oil to help out your hair. We will also go through how to tell when your hair is damaged and dry.
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This hair oil is sensitive enough to also be used as a body or face oil. It is created by Blu Atlas, a skincare brand that aims to use 100% natural and 100% vegan, and cruelty-free products, so you can feel great about purchasing from this brand.
This hair oil uses saw palmetto oil, which is full of antioxidants, as well as helping to regrow hair by countering hair loss hormones. It can also help to hydrate your scalp. The Blu Atlas Hair Oil also contains sweet almond oil, which has vitamins E and D and can help protect the hair from UV radiation and lock in moisture.
The star ingredient of this blend is argan oil. It is packed with antioxidants and can help to rejuvenate the hair with its fatty acids. It can also help control frizz, a frequent side effect of damaged or dry hair.
All the products created by Blu Atlas are developed in conjunction with a panel of medical professionals, so you know that the products are trustworthy. They also have a money-back guarantee for your satisfaction.
This hair oil definitely deserves the top spot on our list of the 15 best hair oils for dry, damaged hair.
2. Premium Nature Argan Oil Hair Oil
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Premium Nature’s Argan Oil Hair Oil is 100% cold-pressed virgin argan oil. Argan oil is amazing for hair because it can help hydrate the hair and the scalp. It is non-greasy and can penetrate deep into the hair follicle.
Hair can grow longer and thicker when argan oil is used to treat it. In addition, Argan oil can help strengthen brittle hair, which often occurs when hair is chronically dehydrated and leads to breakage and damage.
Argan oil is often used in hair serums and treatments, including shampoos and conditioners. Because it is such a great ingredient, you can use 100% pure argan oil to give your hair extra hydration.
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It’s hard to go wrong with pure argan oil, so we have given this product spot number 2 on our list of the 15 best hair oils for dry, damaged hair.
3. Maple Holistics Pumpkin Seed Oil Hair Oil
Maple Holistics is a small business that is climate pledge friendly. This means it has a certification to highlight the fact that the brand is sustainable. In this case, it has the USDA Organic Certification.
This hair oil is pure pumpkin oil, which helps to moisturize the scalp and restore volume to dry or damaged hair. In addition, it is rich in naturally occurring hair oils, which means it is great at restoring your hair to its naturally beautiful self.
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This product is also able to be used for more than just hair. Because it is just pure pumpkin seed oil, it can also be used on the face or as a carrier oil for mixing with essential oils to make your own specially formulated oil.
4. Elixir Naturals Ultimate Nourishing Leave in Hair Oil
This hair oil has been formulated with 23 natural oils, including coconut, argan, jojoba, castor, and vitamins such as vitamin E. The Elixir Naturals Ultimate Nourishing Leave in Hair Oil aims to hydrate, reduce frizz, and strengthen the hair.
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It can be applied to the hair in all stages of the day. This includes freshly washed, dry, wet, before styling, as a mask, post-styling, and as an overnight treatment. In addition, the adaptability and convenience of this product make it a great choice for a hair oil, as you don’t need to worry about using it incorrectly.
The formula of the nourishing leave-in hair oil helps restore damaged hair by creating shine and giving strength to the strands. It is touted as the perfect hair oil for dry, damaged, or frizzy hair. It is also suitable for all hair types, including those with chemical treatments or dyes.
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The Elixir Naturals Ultimate Nourishing Leave in Hair Oil is also sustainably produced in Canada, with recyclable packaging, as well as being vegan and cruelty-free.
5. HerStyler Evolution Argan Oil
HerStyler Evolution’s Argan Oil is a serum infused with argan oil, vitamin E, and aloe vera. It has been created specifically to help soften dry hair and protect hair from damage such as heat damage during the straightening process.
This serum should be used all over the hair and helps to make your hair shiny and conditioned. Damaged hair is very prone to tangles, so HerStyler Evolution’s Argan Oil can help to reduce the frequency of these tangles and help to get rid of them without causing further damage.
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It is also very hydrating, with both argan oil and aloe vera infused into the serum. This helps to restore the cuticle of the hair strand, which helps to hold moisture and hydration in the deeper part of each strand and helps to make the hair stronger.
It is a non-greasy formula that has been created specifically to help treat dry and damaged tresses and has vitamin E to give your hair the extra shine it deserves.
6. Perfect Hair Focus Coconut Oil Hair Serum
This product from the small business Perfect Hair is designed to help treat dry and damaged hair of all curl types. The serum helps tame the flyaway hairs common in frizzy and damaged hair and help you to look more put together.
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It uses coconut oil for the fatty acids that can help to invigorate and stimulate the hair follicle. Coconut oil can also help create fuller growth, protect the hair from heat damage, and give it a silky smooth finish.
On top of coconut oil, this hair oil is formulated with aloe vera, raw virgin olive oil, vitamin E, keratin, and sweet almond oil. These products help with hydration and renewal of the hair and are particularly well suited to treating dry or damaged hair.
This unisex product is alcohol-free and scented with coconut. The lack of drying alcohol makes it perfect for hair of all types, giving you manageable and glossy locks. It is easy to use. Just apply one pump of the hair serum on clean and damp hair.
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7. Nature Elixir Rehab Regime
Another small business, Nature Elixir, has produced a hair serum for frizzy and damaged hair that helps repair the hair while promoting easy styling. It has been developed so you can get salon-looking hair right from your own home.
Nature Elixir’s Rehab Regime hair serum is formulated with tsubaki oil, which hydrates and provides nutrients to the hair to promote repair and restoration. In addition, it helps to keep the nutrients locked in all day, so your hair looks great as time passes.
The hair serum also helps to repair damage by smoothing out imperfections in the cuticle. This allows the individual scales of the cuticle to lie flat and makes them less likely to interact with the scales of another strand to form tangles and damage themselves.
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This serum results in soft tresses that flow beautifully.
8. Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Intense Conditioning Treatment
Unlike the other products on this list, VO5’s Hot Oil Treatment is not meant to be used daily. Instead, this deep conditioning treatment is designed to help your hair when it is at its driest and most damaged.
It is an intense moisturizing treatment for your hair and can help you to save money by being the same quality as a salon treatment. It also helps to soothe your scalp and gives your hair a deep condition from roots to ends.
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The treatment is rich in five vitamins and five oils, making it protein-rich. It is also free of ingredients like parabens, alcohol, petroleum, silicone, and mineral oils, which can damage the hair.
9. Difeel Rosemary and Mint Hair Oil with Biotin
This rosemary and mint hair oil has been formulated especially for dry and damaged hair. It is designed to strengthen the hair, as well as improve overall growth. In addition, the hair oil has added biotin, as a lack of biotin has been known to cause hair loss.
Rosemary oil helps to provide moisture and shine to the hair, restoring it from a dry and damaged state. Dry hair can be brittle and more prone to damage, so it is essential to restore moisture to the hair.
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Rosemary mint growth oil is non-greasy and also provides a lovely scent. It can also help to promote blood flow to the head and help soothe the scalp from irritation, especially from irritation as a result of dryness.
10. Perfect Care Nourishing Moroccan Oil Hair Serum
The Perfect Care Nourishing Moroccan Oil Hair Serum is suited to restoring dry and damaged hair through its incredible list of ingredients. The star ingredient is Moroccan oil, which is known to help hair become thicker and fuller, as well as helping to protect hair from heat.
Moroccan oil has this effect through fatty acids present in the oil. These fatty acids nourish the hair, which is essential when the hair has been chronically dry and damaged. The hair vitamin is also formulated with macadamia and avocado oil and contains vitamins A, C, E, and B5. These ingredients help smooth and tame the hair from frizz.
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The ingredients also help heal split ends and protect the hair from the effect of hair straighteners or other heat damage. This means that the Perfect Care Nourishing Moroccan Oil Hair Serum is nourishing and protective and can repair damaged and dry hair.
The product comes in biodegradable capsules, so you can ensure you apply the perfect amount of oil to your hair. Use one capsule in the palm of your hand to apply to clean and damp hair. It will instantly moisturize your hair and leave a light, pleasant scent to linger throughout the day.
11. Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil
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Oribe’s Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil has been formulated to rejuvenate dry and damaged hair. It is part of a line of products that help undo the damage caused by time and damaging style habits.
The hair oil penetrates deeply into the hair strands to help provide nourishment and build stronger hair. It also absorbs instantly into both dry and wet hair, so you don’t end up with an oily look on the head.
A clinical trial discovered that hair was up to 2x softer and protected from frizz for up to 72 hours after using Oribe’s Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil. This effect is created through the use of jasmine and argan oils which help to hydrate and add shine, along with sandalwood extract, which repairs split ends and reduces the frizz of the ends of the hair.
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This hair oil also provides UV protection and helps slow the hair's aging process. All Oribe products are dermatologist-tested, safe for colored and treated hair, and vegan.
12. Saryna Key Damage Repair Conditioner
The Saryna Key Damage Repair Conditioner is a repair oil that rehabilitates hair that has been chronically dry, frizzy, or weakened by damage. The key ingredient in this formula is natural keratin, which helps to replenish the hair of keratin it is lacking to form flexible, soft, and shiny hair.
This hair oil contains vitamins and amino acids that deeply penetrate the hair follicle, rebuilding the strands from the follicle to the tip of the hair strand. This makes the Saryna Key Damage Repair Conditioner an excellent rehabilitating product for hair that feels coarse or rough to the touch from being chronically dry or damaged.
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It is also an extremely lightweight formula and can absorb very quickly into the hair. It is suitable for wavy, curly, or straight hair and is especially good for thick hair.
13. Salon Pro Castor Oil Hair Food
Salon Pro’s Castor Oil Hair Food uses black castor oil to deliver moisture to the insides of the hair, helping to counteract the damage caused by hair dryness. The hair oil is also formulated with vitamins in a proprietary blend, which help strengthen the inside and outside of the hair strands to produce thicker and fuller hair.
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It is a great choice when your hair looks frizzy and unmanageable due to dryness and damage.
14. Captain Blankenship Nourish Hair and Scalp Serum
Captain Blankenship is a small business that has produced a hair care serum to promote nourishment and nutrition in all hair types. In particular, this one promotes wave definition while reducing frizz.
The serum includes camellia seed, argan, jojoba, and fir needle oils. These oils work together to help to restore the hair from its dry and damaged state, leaving your hair lustrous and smooth, with a healthy moisture level.
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Captain Blankenship’s Nouris Hair and Scalp Serum can be used by rubbing a few drops of the serum into the palm and then working through the ends of damp or dry hair. It can also be used for a deep nourishing treatment, where it is massaged into the scalp.
It is made in a recyclable BPA-lined aluminum bottle, which pumps out the hair care serum. This serum is made with sustainably sourced plant-based ingredients, so it is vegan and cruelty-free. It is also free of synthetic fragrances, so you don’t need to worry about irritating an already bothered scalp.
15. Difeel 99% Natural Castor Hair Oil
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This moisturizing product from Difeel is touted as the ultimate treatment for a dry scalp. It is formulated with almost pure castor oil. Castor oil has many benefits for hair, including being high in ricinoleic acid for improving blood circulation at the scalp. This helps to promote nutrition at the hair follicles and supports better growth and hair fullness.
Castor oil is also full of nutrients and antioxidants that help reduce age or sun damage. These nutrients help to support the action of keratin in the hair, helping to reduce frizziness.
As the serum is almost pure castor oil, it can be used for hair growth benefits aside from on the scalp. For instance, it can be used on a spoolie brush through the eyebrows or eyelashes to promote hair growth in these areas.
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Castor oil is a well-renowned treatment for dry and damaged hair, so it is fitting that this product is in our list of the 15 best hair oils for dry, damaged hair.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my hair is dry or damaged?
You can tell if your hair is dry or damaged by how it looks. For example, it can look frizzy, dull, or brittle. You can even notice an abundance of stray hairs, or split ends.
But dry hair and damaged hair are actually two different things. One way to tell if your hair is dry or damaged can be by thinking about what your hair has been through. If you have been in a drying environment, your hair is likely dry. It may be more likely damaged if you have chemically treated or dyed your hair.
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You can test some strands of hair to determine whether it is dry or damaged and then select products that will help. For example, if you pull your hair when it is wet, and it stretches but doesn’t return back to its normal length, it is dry. If you wet your hair and pull it and it breaks, then it is likely damaged.
What causes dry and damaged hair?
Dry or damaged hair can be caused by lots of different things. It can be caused by washing too often or washing with the wrong kind of shampoo for your hair. This can strip away the oils that are essential for maintaining your hair’s natural texture.
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Other causes can include being in a dry climate or blow-drying your hair too often without using the appropriate heat protectants. Finally, you can also be predisposed to dry or damaged hair if you aren’t getting the right nutrients in your diet or if you have hormonal issues that change how those nutrients are stored and utilized around the body.
How to fix dry or damaged hair?
So, once you have discovered that you have dry or damaged hair, you need to work out how to help your hair best. Luckily, since dry hair and damaged hair often present the same, the hair care products for both tend to be well suited to fixing both kinds of issues.
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For dry hair, you simply need to add moisture. Try adding a moisturizing product to your daily hair routine, along with a deep moisturizing once a week, and you should notice your hair pick up a bit in terms of texture and health.
You can use a leave-in treatment or a moisturizing hair mask when your hair needs an extra pick me up, or choose a treatment that works away at moisturizing your hair every day. It is truly up to you to pick what works best for you and your hair goals.
To fix damaged hair, you need to provide the hair with more nutrients. This can look like replenishing the hair, strengthening it, or adding protection for what you do that damages your hair.
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The best bet with damaged hair is to try and get a product that can work on all layers of the hair and provide extra nutrients to the hair to help moisturize, strengthen, and give the hair the ability to repair itself from whatever you have put it through. It is also key in this part of the process to stop damaging it or to use more protection against whatever form of damage you like to do to your hair.
