Hair oils are one of those products that you kinda, sorta know that you’re supposed to use, and you’ve probably heard celebrity hairstylists swear by, and you’ve maybe even picked up and stared at it in the drugstore before, but, ultimately, you’ve never actually tried. Why? Why do you hurt our hearts, so?
Our guess: the word “oil.” We’ve been so conditioned to avoid any heavy-sounding product that sometimes, excellent products like hair oils get a bad rap. But guys—hair oils are bomb. No, seriously. We can almost guarantee you with 100-percent certainty that every single celebrity you see on the red carpet has been touched with styling oils, and not just for their insanely glossy shine factor.
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Hair oils actually seal your hair’s cuticle, so each strand lays smoother, feels softer, and won’t tangle and break as easily. And there’s not a hair type out there that doesn’t need a softer, smoother, shinier finish. The trick to preventing a grease ball effect, though, is to use only a dime-size amount of product at a time (rub it between your palms and smooth it over the bottom two inches of your damp hair), and find the right formula for your hair type. Yes, that’s where we come in.
Below are seven of the best lightweight hair oils that smooth and soften hair without weighing it down. Scroll through to find the recommendation for your hair type, and then test it out for yourself. We promise you won’t look like you fell into a vat of oil.