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15 best hair oils for curly hair, tested on 278 women
From coconut to castor, these hair oils will leave dry curls stronger and healthier
Tested by Orla BadgerFormer Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester
Whether you’ve always kept things au naturel or you've finally made friends with your natural curl pattern, a hair oil is an essential part of every curly hair routine.
Curly hair is more prone to dryness, meaning it requires some extra TLC to get the most out of those beautiful kinks or waves. That's where nourishing hair oils come into play.
To find the best hair oils that actually work, the Good Housekeeping Institute recruited a panel of 278 testers – with curls ranging from 2a to 4c – to put 20 products to the test. The following 15 oils met their strict criteria:
Joint best hair oil for curly hair
Garnier Ultimate Blends Coconut Hair Oil for Frizzy Hair
Read review
Should I put oil in my curly hair?
Hair oils can help solve an array of issues that tend to plague curlier hair types. They tackle everything from dullness to breakages, leaving you with a healthier head of hair.
Curly hair often needs more help in the hydration department than straight hair, as the twisty curl patterns make it tricky for the oils produced by the scalp to reach your ends. Happily, the right hair oil should help eliminate this issue.
When should I apply oil to curly hair?
Hair oils are best used to help seal in moisture after using your conditioner, but they can also be added to dry ends in between wash days and as a deep conditioning pre-shampoo treatment.
Which oil is best for curly hair?
Coconut oil may be the first that springs to mind, but there are other key hair oils to consider that aren’t as well known.
Oils tend to be categorised as either moisturising or sealing. Heavier moisturising oils penetrate the hair shaft and are better suited to a deeper treatment, while sealing oils help lock in moisture, making them ideal for use after washing or to help moisturise dry ends. Here's a quick breakdown of each.
Moisturising oils: Coconut, olive, avocado, sunflower
Sealing oils: Castor, jojoba, argan, grapeseed, shea butter
The best oil for your curls depends on your hair's texture, but most products feature a variety to offer multiple benefits.
How we test
Our panel of 278 testers — with curl types ranging from 2a to 4c – tried out 20 hair oils to find the best for defining and smoothing their natural curls.
They assessed the definition, softness and shininess of their curls after using each product, as well as the oil's ability to reduce frizz without leaving their locks locking greasy and feeling heavy.
In the GHI lab, we used a Dia-Stron machine to measure the smoothness of hair swatches that had been treated with each hair oil.
Garnier Ultimate Blends Coconut Hair Oil for Frizzy Hair
Score: 87/100
This vegan formula was a gift for those with dry, damaged or frizz-prone curls. In our lab test, it was excellent at improving smoothness, while most of our testers rated it for defining their curls.
The panel agreed it made ends feel softer, leaving almost everyone satisfied with the final results and enjoying their newly hydrated locks.
Key specifications
| Size | 150ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Dry, damaged, frizzy hair |
Charlotte Mensah Manketti Hair Oil
Score: 87/100
This cult favourite from award-winning Black British hair stylist Charlotte Mensah topped our list for curl definition, leaving almost all our panel raving about their salon-worthy finish.
They unanimously agreed that it helped smooth ends and reduce flyaways, with most seeing a boost in shine. It delivered hydration for almost everyone, with very few testers reporting a greasy finish or heavy feeling.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Dry, colour-treated, damaged, frizzy hair |
Living Proof Curl Moisturising Shine Oil
Score: 87/100
For those looking for long-lasting definition, this silicone-free oil managed to keep most of our testers' curls and waves intact for longer than usual.
Almost all our panel saw an improvement in the smoothness, hydration and softness of their lengths, while those with colour-treated hair noted a boost in vibrancy.
Key specifications
| Size | 50ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Colour-treated, frizzy hair |
Score: 85/100
Looking for pillow-soft ends? Your hunt ends here. Though not particularly effective at defining curls for longer, this high-end oil noticeably improved softness and frizziness for most of our testers, with most reporting fewer breakages.
Everyone enjoyed smoother tresses and most said they would keep using it after the trial.
Key specifications
| Size | 50ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry, frizzy hair |
Score: 84/100
If you’ve invested in a decent hair cut, the last thing you need is to splash the cash on a pricey oil too, which is where this purse-friendly gem comes in. It left all our testers with more defined waves and curls, with almost everyone seeing added bounce.
Everyone reported smoother, more hydrated strands too, with fewer flyaways, although our lab test only showed it to be “fairly effective” at smoothing.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry hair |
Score: 81/100
A perfect pick for those with looser, more wavy curl patterns, almost all our testers found this oil easy to apply evenly to hair, without weighing it down.
It scored well in our lab test for smoothing, which most of our testers agreed with. Some found it heavy, although most agreed it didn’t make their ends look greasy.
Key specifications
| Size | 50ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Frizzy hair |
Bumble and bumble Curl Anti-Humidity Gel-Oil
Score: 81/100
A match made in heaven for afro hair textures, this helped curls look more defined and bouncy. It also softened and hydrated lengths without leaving them feeling greasy or heavy for almost all our testers.
No one experienced any irritation and most noticed fewer breakages after using it. It didn’t have a massive effect on hair colour vibrancy, but many said they'd happily use it again.
Key specifications
| Size | 150ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Afro, damaged, dry, frizzy hair |
Aveda Nutriplenish by Aveda Multi-Use Hair Oil
Score: 80/100
Those with finer hair may find their formerly bouncy curls start to deflate a day after washing, which is why our testers welcomed this oil. It ramped up definition, leaving most with much longer-lasting curls.
It didn’t leave ends looking greasy or feeling heavy for most of our panel, but don't count on this one to revive lacklustre colour.
Key specifications
| Size | 30ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Dry, damaged, frizzy hair |
Imbue Curl Worshipping Shine Oil
Score: 79/100
Curly hair tends to suffer from dryness due to the fact it takes your scalp's natural oils longer to reach your ends. That's where this strengthening, replenishing oil comes in.
Everybody agreed that it nourished strands well, leaving them with shinier, smoother hair. It minimised flyaways for most and half our panel noticed fewer breakages.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Afro, frizzy hair |
Kerastase Curl Manifesto Huile Sublime Repair
Score: 79/100
Everybody needs a colour pick-me-up in between salon trips and this oil proved the perfect stop-gap. It revitalised colour for all our testers to leave them with more a more vibrant finish, as well as smoother, softer and more hydrated locks.
Many reported a boost in bounce and said they planned to keep this oil in their beauty kit post-trial.
Key specifications
| Size | 50ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry, colour-treated hair |
Score: 78/100
If you're wary of oils leaving you with heavy, greasy-looking hair, leave your prejudices at the door and try this lightweight delight.
Our testers found it utterly weightless on their ends and it also boosted bounce and softness for many – not bad for £6.65.
Key specifications
| Size | 75ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry, colour-treated hair |
Score: 76/100
Scoring top marks in our lab test for smoothing tresses, this oil is a game-changer for achieving that salon look and feel at home. It left most of our panel with a diamond-shine finish and reduced pesky flyaways.
It wasn’t as successful at minimising breakages and it's pricy for a tiny 25ml bottle, but if you’re looking for a luxe his and hers treat, it's a winner.
Key specifications
| Size | 25ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry, frizzy hair |
John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Curl Nourishing Crème Oil
Score: 76/100
Designed with 2A-3C hair textures in mind, this oil boosted hydration for all and left most with softer locks.
Our testers were fans of its texture, all agreeing that it made the dream pre-shampoo treatment as it washed out so easily. Other products on our list are better at keeping curls defined for longer, but it’s a great buy for under £9.
Key specifications
| Size | 100ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry, frizzy hair |
Flora & Curl African Citrus Superfruit Hair Oil for Kinky and Curly Natural Hair
Score: 74/100
Featuring a range of superfoods – including avocado, watermelon and papaya – this fruity oil helped stop frizz and flyaways in their tracks for almost all our testers.
It didn’t live up to its claims of promoting growth (only a few saw a difference), but everybody loved its tropical scent and was left with more voluminous waves or curls.
Key specifications
| Size | 200ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Damaged, dry, frizzy hair |
Score: 74/100
Though not nearly as effective as its name suggests at promoting hair growth (only a few testers found this to be true!), it did revive colour and smooth flyaways for everyone.
As an added bonus, most found it easier to style and blow dry their hair after using it, and were left with silky-soft strands.
Key specifications
| Size | 118ml |
|---|---|
| Paraben free | Yes |
| Suitable for | Afro, damaged, dry hair |
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Orla was our Former Senior Beauty and Grooming Tester.
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