To use hair oil, warm 2 to 4 drops between your palms and smooth it through the mid-lengths and ends of damp or dry hair, keeping it away from your roots. On damp hair it helps with detangling and blow-drying; on dry hair it tames frizz and flyaways. Use a heat protectant before hot tools and add oil after styling.
Hair oil is one of the simplest products in a routine, yet it is also one of the easiest to get wrong. Too much and your hair looks greasy by lunchtime; too little, or in the wrong place, and you barely notice it. This guide covers the questions people search for most: wet or dry hair, how many drops, roots or ends, before or after heat, and how often. We use our Moroccan Hair Oil (100ml) as the example, but the steps work for most smoothing hair oils.
What a hair oil does (and what it doesn't)
A light hair oil coats the outside of the hair strand. That film helps the hair feel smoother, reduces the look of frizz and flyaways, adds shine and makes it easier to run a comb or brush through. It is a cosmetic finishing product. It does not replace a conditioner, it is not a heat protectant, and it should not be expected to change how your hair grows. Think of it as the last step that makes your hair look and feel polished.
How to use hair oil on damp hair (step by step)
- Wash and condition as usual. Rinse your conditioner well so the oil goes onto clean hair.
- Towel-dry gently. Squeeze out the water with a towel or T-shirt rather than rubbing, which roughs up the hair and adds frizz. Hair should be damp, not dripping.
- Dispense a small amount. Start with 1 to 2 drops for fine or short hair, 2 to 4 for medium hair and 4 to 6 for thick, long or curly hair.
- Warm it in your palms. Rub your hands together for a few seconds so the oil spreads in a thin, even layer instead of landing in one spot.
- Apply from the ends up. Scrunch the oil into your ends first, then glide your hands up through the mid-lengths. Stop around ear level.
- Comb through. Use a wide-tooth comb to spread the oil evenly and detangle.
- Style. Apply your heat protectant if you plan to blow-dry, then style as usual, or let your hair air-dry.
If you also use a leave-in conditioner spray, apply the spray first and the oil last. Water-based products need to go on before oil so they can reach the hair. Our guide on how to use a leave-in spray on thin or fine hair explains that step.
How to use hair oil on dry hair
On dry hair, use about half the amount you would use on damp hair. Warm one or two drops in your palms, then lightly press your hands over the surface of your hair to smooth flyaways, and twist the ends between your fingers to tidy split-looking or frizzy tips. This is the best way to refresh second-day hair, calm static in winter or finish a sleek ponytail. If your hair looks greasy afterwards, you used too much; next time, use less and keep it lower on the lengths.
Hair oil before or after heat styling?
This is one of the most searched hair oil questions, and the safest routine is simple:
- Before heat: use a product made and labeled as a heat protectant. A regular hair oil is not designed for that job. A very small amount of oil on damp hair before blow-drying is fine for smoothness, as long as you still use your protectant.
- After heat: once you have finished blow-drying, straightening or curling and the hair has cooled for a minute, add a drop or two of oil to smooth frizz and add shine. This also helps curls from an automatic hair curler look defined rather than fluffy.
- Avoid: putting a lot of oil on dry hair and then pressing it with a straightener straight away. It can sizzle, leave residue on the plates and make hair look greasy.
How to use hair oil by hair type
Fine or thin hair
Use 1 to 2 drops, on the ends only, and apply it mainly on dry hair after styling so it does not weigh hair down. Rub it into your palms until your hands feel almost dry before touching your hair.
Thick or coarse hair
You can use more, from 4 to 6 drops, and work it through the mid-lengths as well as the ends. Applying it in sections on damp hair helps spread it evenly.
Curly or wavy hair
Apply oil to soaking-wet or damp hair after your leave-in or curl cream, scrunching it in rather than raking it through, so your curl pattern stays together. Once curls are dry, a drop rubbed between your palms and scrunched in can soften a stiff gel cast.
Color-treated or heat-styled hair
Dyed and frequently heat-styled hair often feels drier at the ends, so a daily drop on the tips is helpful. Pair it with a weekly mask; our guide on how to use a keratin hair mask shows how to fit one into your routine.
Using hair oil as a pre-wash treatment
Some people like a heavier oil treatment before washing. Apply oil generously to dry mid-lengths and ends, twist your hair into a loose bun and leave it for 20 to 30 minutes, then shampoo it out, shampooing twice if needed, and condition as usual. Once or twice a week is plenty. Check your product's pack directions first, since some finishing oils are designed to be used as a leave-in only. If you have a sensitive scalp, keep oils off the scalp and read the full ingredient list on the packaging before use.
Common hair oil mistakes
- Using too much. Start small. You can always add another drop.
- Applying it to the roots. It makes hair look flat and greasy faster.
- Putting it on before water-based products. Leave-in sprays and creams go first; oil goes last.
- Treating oil as a heat protectant. Use a proper protectant before hot tools.
- Applying it with cold hands in one spot. Warm it between your palms and spread it evenly.
Our Moroccan Hair Oil
Our Moroccan Hair Oil is a clear, lightly scented 100ml finishing oil described by the supplier as suitable for all hair types and made to help improve the look of frizz. It is $30.53. The listing does not give the full ingredient list, so check the packaging if you avoid particular ingredients. Use it as described above: a few drops on damp ends before blow-drying, or one or two drops on dry hair to smooth flyaways and finish your style.
Every US order ships free, and new customers can use code WELCOME15 for 15% off their first order. You can find conditioners, masks and styling tools in our hair care collection.
FAQ
Do you put hair oil on wet or dry hair?
Both work. On damp, towel-dried hair, a few drops help smooth the cuticle and make detangling and blow-drying easier. On dry hair, use a smaller amount to tame frizz, flyaways and dry ends after styling. Many people do both: a little before blow-drying and a tiny touch-up at the end.
How much hair oil should I use?
Start with 1 to 2 drops for fine or short hair, 2 to 4 drops for medium hair, and 4 to 6 drops for thick, long or curly hair. Warm it between your palms and add more only if your ends still feel dry. It is much easier to add oil than to remove it.
Should hair oil go on the roots or the ends?
For a smoothing oil, focus on the mid-lengths and ends, which are the oldest and driest parts of the hair. Keep it away from the roots unless you are doing a pre-wash scalp treatment and plan to shampoo it out, because oil at the roots can make hair look flat and greasy quickly.
Do you use hair oil before or after heat styling?
Put a heat protectant on before you blow-dry, straighten or curl, because a hair oil is not a heat protectant. Then add a drop or two of oil after styling, once the hair has cooled slightly, to smooth frizz and add shine. A small amount on damp hair before blow-drying is fine if it doesn't replace your protectant.
How often should you use hair oil?
Most people can use a few drops on the ends daily or every time they style. Do a heavier pre-wash oil treatment once or twice a week. If your hair starts to look limp or greasy, cut back the amount or the number of days.