Hair oil is usually made from extracts of plants, herbs or fruit, which can improve the condition of hair in a number ways, from moisturising and protecting to smoothing, softening and adding shine.
Oils like coconut and argan can hydrate hair, while jojoba and almond oils lock in moisture. Then, there are heat-protection oils, and oils that exfoliate the scalp to reduce build-up. Rosemary oil is popular for hair growth and combatting hair loss.
Different oils achieve different results, so make sure that you consider your individual hair goals when choosing one. For example, damaged hair might benefit from an oil with higher fat and protein content. However, these can weight fine or thin hair down, in which case a lighter oil, like macadamia seed or abyssinian, would be a better choice.
Read on for some of our favourite hair oils, including those by Augustinus Bader, Davines, K18 and more.
The best hair oils for shiny, nourished and protected hair
This product instantly improves the look and feel of hair by applying one-to-three drops to dry or towel-dried hair. Used two or three times a week, it delivers long-term nourishment and protection, helping to reduce damage and split ends caused by over-styling, heat, aging or environmental factors. The Hair Oil hydrates, detangles and controls frizz, resulting in hair that looks healthier and shinier, and can also aid hair growth by reducing breakage. It’s also a lightweight and fast-absorbing product and therefore suitable for all hair types, including thinner hair types.
The OI Oil by Davines is made from roucou – a plant native to the Amazon which is rich in beta-carotene, a pigment which helps protect the natural structure of hair and aids its growth. This product is multifunctional: it promises hydrated and frizz-free locks as well as the reversal of damage from styling and environmental factors. The product works best on dry, coarse hair which lacks shine – two-to-three pumps on towel-dried hair should do the trick, but if you have particularly fine hair, start with one.
This Oribe hair oil is lightweight and absorbs quickly, making it great for dry, damaged and colour-treated hair. It uses a long list of ingredients to condition, strengthen and smooth: jasmine oil, for example, is rich in antioxidants, while watermelon, lychee and edelweiss flower protect hair from oxidative stress, photoaging and the deterioration of keratin. Argan oil adds shine, reduces frizz and improves hair’s manageability, all while shielding against UV rays and environmental aggressors. To use, apply through damp hair or add to the ends after styling.
For hair that is particularly damaged, look to Ouai’s Hair Oil, a multitasking oil which is built to heal breakage and seal split ends which, in turn, improves shine and smoothes frizz. This product is extracted from African galanga, ama and Asian borage oils, which protect hair from heat damage and stop colour from fading. Warm one pump between your hands and apply to either wet or dry hair, focusing on the mid-shaft and ends.
This hair oil is ‘biotech-engineered’ to repair, reduce frizz and improve shine by working at two levels of the hair fibre. First, a peptide addresses the damage at the innermost layer of hair that causes frizz. Meanwhile, on the surface of hair, natural oils like avocado and sunflower nourish and smooth, which enhances shine and improves colour vibrancy. You can use this product on damp hair for the strengthening benefits and to reduce frizz during air-drying, or on dry hair as a finisher to smooth flyaways and add shine.
This perfumed hair oil is perfect for those who want to elevate hair and bring extra luster and shine. It uses shea oil to smooth the hair cuticle (the outer part of the hair shaft) and prevent dehydration; moringa oil to sheathe the hair; and passion fruit oil and cotton seed oil, both of which have nourishing properties. Combined, these ingredients restructure the hair and create a film around the shafts, helping to amp up its radiance.
-
ICON 4x4 goes EV, giving their classic Bronco-based restomod an electric twistThe EV Bronco is ICON 4x4’s first foray into electrifying its range of bespoke vintage off-roaders and SUVs
-
‘Dressed to Impress’ captures the vivid world of everyday fashion in the 1950s and 1960sA new photography book from The Anonymous Project showcases its subjects when they’re dressed for best, posing for events and celebrations unknown
-
Inside Camperlab’s Harry Nuriev-designed Paris store, a dramatic exercise in contrastThe Crosby Studios founder tells Wallpaper* the story behind his new store design for Mallorcan shoe brand Camperlab, which centres on an interplay between ‘crushed concrete’ and gleaming industrial design
-
How Augustinus Bader’s first-ever sunscreen saves precious time in the morningAugustinus Bader’s first sunscreen is finally here, with a nourishing SPF 50 formula that performs multiple skincare steps all at once
-
Abra’s A/W 2025 beauty look embraced the 1980s with furry wigs and ‘greige’ lipstickAbra’s A/W 2025 collection paid homage to New Romantics and the beauty routine of founder Abraham Ortuño Perez’s mother. Here, alongside hairstylist Charlie Le Mindu and make-up artist Cécile Paravina, he tells Wallpaper* more
-
The Oscars 2025: how Anora winner Mikey Madison was transformed with hair and make-up designAnora has swept the 2025 Oscars, with Mikey Madison winning best actress. Here, the film’s hair and make-up team take Wallpaper’s beauty editor behind the scenes of her on-screen transformation
-
The best beauty products of the month, from Prada mascara to Westman Atelier’s bronzing dropsThe best beauty products of the month, selected by Wallpaper*, include a new Prada mascara, Westman Atelier’s bronzing drops and more
-
Prada A/W 2025’s ‘dishevelled’ beauty look confronted the big tech algorithmAt Prada A/W 2025, Guido Palau and Lynsey Alexander subverted prescriptive codes of ‘femininity’ through hair and make-up
-
Simone Rocha A/W 2025 beauty: an embellished twist on ‘overplucked eyebrows’For Simone Rocha’s A/W 2025 collection, make-up artist Thomas de Kluyver embellished skinny eyebrows with beads, whilst Holli Smith’s low hair buns and Ama Quashie’s ‘Tipp-Ex’ manicures referenced teenage schooldays
-
Exclusive: Augustinus Bader and La Bonne Brosse have designed an electric blue hairbrushAugustinus Bader and La Bonne Brosse have joined forces on a limited-edition hairbrush to use alongside Professor Bader’s bespoke haircare regimen, Wallpaper* exclusively reveals
-
Beauty products of the month: Celine lipstick, jellyfish mucin serum and Frédéric Malle perfumeWallpaper’s beauty products of the month include Celine’s expanded lipstick range, Chanel’s S/S 2025 make-up collection, Mantle’s jellyfish mucin serum and a limited edition bottle of Frédéric Malle’s Portrait of a Lady
