How Do I Choose the Best Smoothing Oil?

Things to consider when choosing a smoothing oil include the type of oil, its scent, and your budget. You can choose from smoothing oils with natural oils, synthetic oils, or a blend of both. Which smoothing oil is right for you will depend mainly on your hair type. Coarse frizzy hair requires heavier oil than fine hair, which can be weighed down by a too-heavy formula. The best smoothing oil will work well on your hair and have a pleasing scent that you can wear all day.

You should first decide how much you want to spend on smoothing oil. Commercial brand anti-frizz oil can be purchased fairly inexpensively at variety stores. Professional grade anti-frizz oils, which you can buy at salons with skincare, beauty stores and high-end cosmetics counters. Professional grade products cost considerably more, but in general offer better performance in terms of an evenly smooth, rather than oily or greasy, appearance.

Narrow your choices by deciding which types of oils you want in your smoothing oil. Common types of oil that would indicate a light oil include almond oil and apricot seed oil. Heavier, more viscous natural oils that are common to smoothing hair oil include coconut, amaranth and argan oils.

Some natural smoothing oil blends are organic, which can be important if you aim to limit exposure to the toxins and pesticides used in non-organic farming. Opting for press-extracted oil rather than chemically-extracted oil can also help limit the chance of exposure to unwanted chemicals. Natural oils are more common to higher-priced smoothing formulas, while the lower-cost store-bought formulas often contain chemically-derived ingredients like silicone oil.

Before buying a smoothing oil, ask to sample its scent. Though it may seem a trivial point when choosing the best product, getting a bad scent can be a disaster. Smoothing oil is in your hair all day long, which is extremely close to your nose. The wrong scent can also clash with other scents, like deodorant or perfume, that you frequently wear. If a heavy scent is bothersome to you, lean toward the natural smoothing oils, which often have little to no added scent.

When sensitive skin limits your choices, avoiding heavily scented oil can be the first step in avoiding irritation. Many natural oils, like argan and coconut oil, are used for the skin as well as the hair. These ingredients can still cause skin allergies to some people with sensitive skin. Test new oils on a small, hidden area of your skin to check for an immediate reaction, and change smoothing oils if their long-term use causes irritation on the skin that has contact with your hair.