Glamour

Hair

15 Best Hair Oils for Fine Hair, According to Hairstylists & Testers

 

Approved by us fine-haired beauties.

The best hair oils for fine hair help add shine, hydrate, and keep frizz at bay, but these hair oils can have other less obvious benefits, as well. Sanda Petrut, a hairstylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, says that they can help hair feel stronger while protecting it from heat damage caused by UV rays and hot tools. Just be sure to avoid applying them at the root, where you’ll want to maintain volume. “When using oils on fine hair, the application should always start from the midshaft to the ends with even distribution,” she says. Ahead, we asked hairstylists and our resident Glamour testers with fine hair to share the hair oils they use that don’t leave a greasy residue or weigh anything down.

What ingredients to look for in hair oils

Hair stylist and owner of The Second Floor Salon in New York City, Rogerio Cavalcante recommends that people with fine hair look for light carrier oils. (Carrier oils are a diluted form of essential oils that make them safer to use topically.) Cavalcante specifically likes jojoba oil because it reduces porosity buildup, and jasmine oil because it’s antimicrobial and helps to seal the hair cuticle. Hair stylist Juli Akaneya adds that moringa oil is great for fine hair textures, too. It adds shine to hair and can even help with detangling.

All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Best Overall: Living Proof Frizz Vanishing Oil

This is by far the most highly recommended oil. It's beloved by Glamour commerce director Brie Schwartz, who has naturally curly fine hair, Glamour contributor Neha Tandon, and three hairstylists we interviewed. MariLynne Cosmillo, hairstylist and founder of Hours Haircare, loves that it absorbs quickly while adding softness and shine. “This hair oil stands out because you can layer it, a must for fine hair because it can quickly turn stringy or greasy with the wrong product,” she says and recommends starting with a little bit and then using more as needed, depending on how thin or fine your hair is exactly. The silicone-, phthalate-, sulfate-, and paraben-free formula also has a light citrusy scent that’s pleasant.

Pros: Light; citrusy scent; absorbs quickly; can easily be layered with other products
Cons: Pricey for the bottle size
Key Ingredients: Sunflower seed oil, watermelon seed oil, jojoba seed oil

Best Frizz-Fighting Hair Oil: Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil

Another favorite of Tandon’s, this Gisou hair oil comes in luxurious packaging that holds a honey-infused formula designed to smooth frizz and flyaways. “My hair type is a bit hard to work with because it’s curly but also fine,” says Tandon. “Most curly-hair products tend to be catered toward coarser textures, but this keeps the frizz in my curls at bay without weighing my thin hair down.” Gigi Pogosyan, hair colorist and owner of Balayage by Gigi in Los Angeles, loves using this nongreasy oil for smoothing frizz too. The honey is a natural humectant that fosters stronger and healthier hair.

Pros: Strengthens hair over time; luxurious packaging; smooths frizz without being heavy
Cons: Pricey
Key Ingredients: Mirsalehi honey, coconut oil, almond oil

Most Affordable Hair Oil: BioSilk Silk Therapy

Schwartz is also a fan of BioSilk. At just $12, it features a unique gel formula that turns into an aptly named silklike finish once you rub it between your palms. Use it to help with UV protection, enhance shine, and help to seal split ends. “So many oils weigh my fine hair down or make it look instantly greasy, but this formula is light,” she says. “A little goes a very long way and offers some nice shine. I’ve been using it to tame flyaways for years. It also smells delicious. The only demerit is that it’s tough to get off your hands, and be extra careful if you’re traveling with it—the bottle top isn’t the most sturdy, so I strongly recommend putting it in a baggy because this oil will linger in your cosmetic bag.”

Pros: Affordable; gel formula; a little goes a long way
Cons: Tough to get off hands, bottle can be difficult to travel with
Key Ingredients: Hydrolyzed silk

Most Luxurious Hair Oil: Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil

You’ll be happy to know that this oil features the same luxe scent you’ll find in all other Oribe products. Just half a pump adds major shine to Tandon’s long hair. “The bottle is really tiny, so I keep this as a special treat that I use while I’m traveling or before a particularly special night out,” she says. “It’s the perfect pre-date oil because it makes hair super shiny and soft, and carries a sexy scent.”

Petrut also likes this oil: “It works wonders on fine, dry, damaged, or colored hair. It penetrates the hair to deeply condition, strengthen, and smooth.” As a bonus, it contains sandalwood, amur cork tree bark, and barley extract—a signature blend that’s designed to repair split ends.

Pros: Luxurious scent; makes hair soft; helps restore split ends over time
Cons: Pricey for the bottle size
Key Ingredients: Argan oil, jasmine oil, sandalwood extract, amur cork tree bark extract, barley extract

Original photo by Glamour tester Neha Tandon

This cult-favorite oil for is beloved for its ultra-lightweight consistency, and that’s precisely why Tandon’s been a fan of it for years. “They just came out with a jumbo size, and I’m so grateful,” she says. “Since it provides heat protection, I put it in my wet hair before blow-drying, and then in my dry hair right after I’m done styling or when I need a touch-up to add shine.”

Hairstylist Juli Akaneya says this is her all-time favorite hair oil for how versatile it is too—she also likes to use it on wet hair, then reapply it on dry hair to extend her style. “It’s light enough to use on all hair types, including fine hair,” she says. “I love that you can layer it on throughout the day and it doesn’t weigh down your hair or make it look greasy.” Akaneya adds that she likes that the formula incorporates nourishing ingredients like moringa oil and bamboo extract.

Pros: Great value; doubles as heat protectant; helps increase shine
Cons: Not as effective on wet hair
Key Ingredients: Moringa seed oil, bamboo extract, argan oil

Most Hydrating Hair Oil: Vegamour HYRD-8 Weightless Repair Hair Oil

Hairstylist Ashley Streicher has been in the industry for over 20 years, so she’s used her fair share of hair oils. “Vegamour’s created a hair oil that is specifically formulated for fine hair, which means that really anyone can use it and it won’t weigh hair down,” she says. She adds that unlike other hair oils that tend to sit on top of the surface of hair, this one really soaks into locks to hydrate them. “I’ve been experiencing a ton of breakage in the front of my hair due to coloring and heat styling,” she says. “This weightless oil helps with flyaways without feeling sticky or having a greasy appearance on my hair. I apply it every day after styling.”

Pros: Helps with flyaways on damaged hair; lightweight enough for daily use; contains antioxidants
Cons: Pricey
Key Ingredients: Marula oil, vitamin C oil, chia seed oil

Best Hair Oil for Heat Styling: R�z Santa Lucia Styling Oil

Rogerio Cavalcante, hairstylist and owner of The Second Floor Salon in New York City, recommends the RÅ�z Santa Lucia Styling Oil. “Not only does it smell fantastic; it protects hair from heat up to 450°F,” he says. “Some oils create steam when we are using heat on the hair, where this one won’t.” It contains lighter carrier oils like jojoba and jasmine, which contribute to the great scent in this product but are also easily absorbed without weighing down the hair. The less viscous consistency allows for better distribution and absorption, says Cavalcante.

Pros: Floral scent; distributes easily; protects hair against heat damage
Cons: Some may not like the strong floral scent
Key Ingredients: Jojoba oil, argan oil, roman chamomile, aloe vera

Best Hair Oil for Making Fine Hair Softer: Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil

Yes, every oil on this list will likely make your hair softer, but Olaplex’s No. 7 Bonding Oil will do that in both the short and long term with its patented bond-building technology. Both Pogosyan and hairstylist Christin Brown love that this formula manages to be lightweight yet highly concentrated. “It delivers maximum shine and softness without weighing your hair down,” says Pogosyan.

Pros: Helps reduce breakage in hair; protects hair against heat damage; great value
Cons: Better for adding shine and softness than treating frizz
Key Ingredients: Corn oil, sunflower seed oil, green tea oil

Best Hair Oil for Protecting Fine Hair: Kerastase Discipline Oleo-Relax Advanced Hair Oil

Kerastase’s oil comes recommended by Pogosyan, Petrut, and Maria McCool, hairstylist and founder of hair care brand Calista. “This particular formula contains coconut oil and is very lightweight, which I love,” she says. “Fine hair requires more protection than any other type, so finding an oil that provides heat protection and hydration without weighing the hair down is key.” It contains a blend of four precious oils that are specifically designed to create shiny hair that will also become stronger over continued, consistent use. Petrut likes to use it as a blow-dry serum on wet hair or as a finishing gloss on dry hair.

Pros: Light, serum texture; pleasant coconut scent; helps prevent breakage in hair
Cons: Pricey
Key Ingredients: Shorea butter, coconut oil, rosa canina fruit oil

Fastest-Absorbing Hair Oil: Shu Uemura Essence Absolute Nourishing Protective Hair Oil

Not all oils are created equally, of course, and if your hair is ultrafine, you’ll want to check out Shu Uemera’s fast-absorbing oil, which Petrut likes to use for adding nourishment, shine, softness, and heat protection. The super-lightweight formula has only seven ingredients, including camelia oil, which gives the product a luxurious floral scent. As a bonus, you can even use it as an intensive preshampoo treatment.

Pros: Provides UV and heat protection; light floral scent; can be a pre-shampoo intensive treatment
Cons: Pricey
Key Ingredients: Japanese red camellia oil

Best Hair Oil for Damaged Fine Hair: Moroccanoil Treatment Hair Oil

If you have color-treated hair or have regularly used hot tools and you’re experiencing damage in the form of brittle strands, breakage, and split ends, celebrity hairstylist Greg Gilmore says, “After trying various oils on fine hair, the one standout for me is Moroccanoil’s. By repairing damaged strands, it enhances hair strength and smoothness with consistent use. It’s great for taming frizz during blowouts.”

Pros: Helps detangle hair; helps to repair breakage and split ends; meant to be buildable and work on every hair type
Cons: The scent may be too strong for some
Key Ingredients: Argan oil, linseed extract

Best Ayurveda-Inspired Hair Oil: Fable & Mane MahaManhe Smooth & Shine Hair Oil

ICYMI, Ayurveda is a centuries-old system of medicine that’s based on the idea that natural ingredients can be the most potent, healing, and transformative. Inspired by Ayurvedic principles, Fable & Mane’s hair oil contains shikakai, ashwagandha, and passion fruit to enhance shine, smooth frizz, and strengthen hair. Celebrity hairstylist Kat Thompson says she loves it because it adds nice shine without compromising volume. “People with fine hair tend to be reluctant to use hair oils in fear of them weighing their hair down or causing it to be too greasy,” she says. “However, the right oil will not sit on top of the strands but actually penetrate the follicle to work from the inside out.”

Pros: Provides heat protection; people specifically love it for treating dry ends; doesn’t compromise volume in hair
Cons: Some may not like the earthy scent
Key Ingredients: Shikaki, passionfruit oil, ashwagandha

Best Silicone-Based Hair Oil: Bumble + Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil

The definition of an oldie but a goodie, Bumble + Bumble’s Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil has been a standby of Tandon’s for many years. Jasmine Burnside, hairstylist and founder of Basic Principle, loves the lightweight formulation too. “It can be used on all hair types, but I specifically like it for fine hair because it helps smooth frizz without leaving hair feeling greasy or heavy.”

Yes, there are silicones in this oil, but Burnside makes a point to note that there’s a common misconception that silicones are unhealthy and will cause buildup in hair. On the contrary, even plant oils have the same capacity to build up in your hair. “Silicones are actually ideal for heat protection and smoothing frizz,” says Burnside.

Pros: Provides heat and UV protection; can be used on all hair types; helps with smoothing frizz
Cons: Some may not like that this has silicones in it
Key Ingredients: Coconut oil, argan oil, macadamia oil

Best Hair Oil for Split Ends: K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil

K18’s gone viral for its leave-in hair mask that promises to seal split ends, and hair colorist Cassondra Kaeding says that its Molecular Repair Hair Oil is just as great. “It’s unlike any other hair oil, because it fights frizz in two ways,” she says. “When used on damp hair, the patented peptide penetrates at the molecular level to repair hair and reverse damage that causes frizz. When I use it on dry hair as a finishing oil, it works at the surface to immediately smooth frizz and flyaways while improving color vibrancy, shine, and providing heat protection.” Hairstylist Mike Martinez adds that it does a great job at repairing hair, smoothing out the cuticle—he even uses it on his own fine hair.

Pros: Meant to strengthen hair and repair breakage over time; versatile; improves color vibrancy
Cons: Pricey
Key Ingredients: Sunflower oil, hemisqualane, squalane, avocado oil

Best Hair Oil for Fine Hair Health: Act + Acre Cold Pressed 5% Argan Repair Hair Oil

This is another option that Martinez uses on himself, citing that it contains only premium ingredients. “The cold-pressed fatty acids in this oil help replenish lipids and keep the hair hydrated and healthy,” he says. “This oil also works really well as a base coat or a standalone heat protectant.” Meadowfoam oil moisturizes and adds shine while squalane acts as a natural way to prevent thermal damage. Martinez reaches for this one when he wants to add shine to his hair.

Pros: Provides heat protection; 100% plant-based ingredients; meant to help prevent further damage to hair
Cons: Ideal for fine to medium hair, this may be too thick for ultra fine hair
Key Ingredients: Meadowfoam oil, squalene