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PSA: Taking care of your hair doesn't just mean lathering on your shampoo and conditioner. If you want to really keep your locks strong and healthy, it's important to add a hair serum or hair oil to your everyday haircare routine.
If you're prone to having an oily scalp, you might think that adding even more (!!!) grease to your hair is crazy work, but hear us out. Just like your skin, your hair follicles also need an added layer of protection, especially since it's the first thing the sun hits from above. Hair serums and oils act as an invisible shield that protects your strands from UV rays.
Ready to give your strands a lil' more TLC? Ahead, we discuss the difference between hair serums and oils—because even though they sorta sound like the same thing, they're different, okay? Plus, if you scroll a little further, you'll see a shopping list at the end to help you get started!
Read on to learn more:
What's the difference between hair serum and hair oil?
Although they sound similar and are often used interchangeably, there are a few key differences between hair serums and hair oils. Here's a handy cheat sheet that will guide you for your next purchase—aside from the shopping list below, ofc! *wink*
Hair serum
A hair serum acts as a shield or protectant against heat and other stressors. It sits on the outer layer of your locks and tames frizz and flyaways, adds shine, and helps repair damage caused by heated hair tools or chemicals and dyes. It's also more lightweight than a hair oil, which makes it perfect for people looking for something that won't weigh their hair down.
Hair oil
A hair oil is—as the name implies—an oil-based product that is designed to penetrate your hair strands (rather than just coating it) to provide nourishment from within. It helps replenish the natural oils of your scalp and hair, prevent split ends and further breakage, and combat dandruff.
SHOP: The best hair serums and oils to try
1. Mise En Scene Perfect Serum
If you're suffering from brittleness and damage due to dyeing your hair, it's worth adding this Internet-famous K-beauty hair serum to your routine. It contains seven hair-repairing ingredients that will bring life back to your locks: argan, marula, olive, jojoba, camelia, apricot oil, and coconut.
Mise En Scene Perfect Serum (Original), P516, Shopee and Lazada
2. Human Nature Hair Serum
Treat your hair—literally and figuratively—with this hair serum from Human Nature. It uses plant-based oils like avocado, soybean, sunflower, and broccoli seeds to shield your hair from environmental stressors and give it a nice, gorgeous sheen.
Human Nature Hair Serum, P230, Shopee and Lazada
3. Vitress Keratin Shine Hair Serum
If you're looking for an affordable option, add this hair serum from Vitress to your cart, stat. It combines keratin and vitamin E to restore dry and damaged hair. It can also keep your baby hairs in place in a pinch!
Vitress Keratin Shine Hair Serum, P129, Shopee and Lazada
4. Versus Frizz Hair Serum
Formulated with vitamin E, shea butter, and sodium hyaluronate, this hair serum tames frizz and helps repair dry and damaged hair with continued use. Aside from keeping your strands in check, this hair serum can also serve as a heat protectant if you like using heated hair tools to style your hair.
Versus Frizz Hair Serum, P199, Shopee and Lazada
5. Bremod Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Serum
You can maintain a soft and silky mane by incorporating argan oil into your haircare routine. This hair serum from Bremod features that superstar ingredient combined with vitamin E that deeply penetrates the hair shaft and makes it stronger and healthier.
Bremod Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Serum, P350, Shopee
6. The Body Shop Coconut Hair Oil
If you have colored hair or chemically treated locks and you haven't added coconut oil to your routine, wyd?? Just kidding, but trust us when we say that this ingredient is a lifesaver for brittle, damaged hair because it helps prevent protein loss, ward off dandruff, and keep your hair strong and healthy.
Aside from being used as your pre-shampoo step, this coconut oil-infused hair oil from The Body Shop can also be used as an overnight treatment.
The Body Shop Coconut Hair Oil, P695, Shopee and Lazada
7. Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil
This hair oil from Kérastase is lightweight and non-greasy, making it a suitable pick even for people with oily scalps who are opposed to applying hair oils on their tresses. It contains a combination of four oils—maize sprouts oil, argan oil, pracaxi oil, and camellia oil—that work together to keep your hair strong and silky.
Kérastase Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil, P2,850, Lazada
8. Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil
If you have a little more money to spare and you're looking to treat yourself, get yourself this hair oil from Olaplex. ICYDK, this brand is famous AF for its mane-repairing products especially meant for colored and damaged hair. It reinforces your hair's moisture barrier and protects it against heat, humidity, and color fading.
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil, P3,450, Sephora.ph
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