Hair Oils & Serums

About Hair Oils & Serums

Hair oils and serums are leave-in finishing and treatment products that seal the cuticle, add shine, smooth frizz, protect from heat, and deliver targeted repair to the hair shaft. Oils tend to be richer and more nourishing; serums tend to be lighter and more concentrated with specific actives like bond-building peptides, anti-frizz silicones, or scalp-stimulating ingredients. Most professional routines use both — an oil for finishing and shine, a serum for targeted repair or styling.

Hair Oil Types

Finishing and Shine Oils — applied to damp or dry hair as the final styling step. Add immediate shine, smooth flyaways, protect from environmental damage. Top picks: Moroccanoil Treatment, Kérastase Elixir Ultime, Schwarzkopf Oil Ultime, Goldwell Just Smooth Taming Oil.

Bonding and Repair Oils — combine lightweight finishing with bond-rebuilding actives. Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil, K18 Molecular Repair Oil, L'Oréal Absolut Repair Molecular Oil, Kérastase Première Huile Gloss Réparatrice.

Heat Protective Oils — apply before heat styling for thermal protection plus shine. Moroccanoil Treatment, Kérastase Elixir Ultime, L'Oréal Metal Detox Oil.

Lightweight Dry Oils — for fine hair or anyone who finds traditional oils too heavy. Moroccanoil Treatment Light, K18 Molecular Repair Oil, Olaplex No.7, Moroccanoil Treatment Mist.

Toning Oils — colour-depositing oils for blonde, brunette, or other toned hair. Moroccanoil Treatment Purple Oil (anti-brass for blonde), Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicagloss, Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock.

Curl-Defining Oils — hydrating oils formulated for curly and coily hair. Kérastase Curl Manifesto Huile Sublime Repair, Matrix A Curl Can Dream Lightweight Nourishing Oil.

Hair Serum Types

For the complete serum range — smoothing, scalp, repair and finishing — browse the dedicated hair serum collection.

Smoothing and Anti-Frizz Serums — silicone or polymer-based serums applied to damp or dry hair to seal the cuticle and eliminate frizz. Top picks: Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, Brasil Cacau Gradual Smooth Serum, Goldwell Just Smooth Serum, Moroccanoil Mending Infusion.

Bond-Building Serums — leave-in concentrated bond repair. Olaplex No.9 Bond Protector, Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Night & Day Serum.

Scalp & Hair Loss Serums — targeted treatments for the scalp to stimulate growth, address thinning, or balance oil production. L'Oréal Aminexil Anti-Hair Loss Serum, Hannon Scalp Therapy Treatment, Kérastase Genesis Sérum Anti-Chute, Mizani Miracle Length Hair Growth Serum, Newtrino Scalp Serum, Nak Follicle Energiser.

Overnight Repair Serums — leave-in overnight treatments delivering deep repair while you sleep. Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night, Kérastase Blond Absolu Cicanuit, Kérastase Symbiose Sérum Cellulaire Nuit.

Colour Protection Serums — protect colour-treated hair from fading. L'Oréal Vitamino Color Spectrum Glass Shine Serum, Joico Colorful Glow Beyond Anti-Fade Serum, Goldwell Colour Brilliance Serum.

Repair and Strengthening Serums — for chemically processed or damaged hair. Kérastase Resistance Sérum Thérapiste, Kérastase Première Sérum Filler Fondamental, Goldwell Rich Repair Restoring Serum Spray.

Hair Oil vs Hair Serum — Which Do I Need?

Hair oil — oil-based (argan, marula, jojoba, etc), focused on shine, smoothness, and frizz control. Best for sealing, finishing, and adding glossy reflective quality. Suits all hair types — pick a lighter formula for fine hair or a richer one for thick/coarse hair.

Hair serum — typically silicone or polymer-based with concentrated actives. More focused on specific concerns: bond repair, anti-frizz styling, scalp treatment, colour protection, or smoothing. Often lighter than oils. Shop all serums in our hair serum collection.

Use both: Most professional routines layer them — apply a leave-in conditioner first, then a serum targeting your concern, then a finishing oil for shine and heat protection. Each plays a distinct role.

How to Use Hair Oils

1. Less is more — start with 2–4 drops. Add more if needed.
2. Apply to damp or dry hair, focused on mid-lengths and ends.
3. Warm between palms first to emulsify and distribute evenly.
4. Heat protection — apply before blow-drying or hot tool styling for combined heat protection and shine.
5. Pre-wash treatment — apply generously to dry hair 30 minutes before washing for deep conditioning. Shampoo out as normal.

How to Use Hair Serums

1. Follow product directions — serums vary widely in application. Some are for damp hair only, some for dry, some can be left overnight.
2. For smoothing serums — apply to damp hair before blow-drying, focused on mid-lengths and ends.
3. For scalp serums — apply directly to a clean, towel-dried scalp and massage in. Do not rinse.
4. For overnight serums — apply to clean dry hair before bed, leave overnight, wash out in the morning.
5. Less is more — most serums are concentrated. Start with a small amount.

Top Hair Oil & Serum Brands at Partners Hair

Moroccanoil — The iconic argan oil treatment in original, light, mist, and purple variants. The world's most-recommended hair oil.

Kérastase — The broadest hair oil and serum range available. Elixir Ultime (universal shine), Curl Manifesto (curl care), Blond Absolu Cicagloss (blonde), Première Huile (decalcifying repair), Discipline Oléo-Relax (anti-frizz), Chronologiste (luxury), and a complete serum range across Genesis (hair fall), Resistance (damaged), Nutritive (dry), Symbiose (scalp), and Spécifique (balancing).

Olaplex — No.7 Bonding Oil (lightweight bond repair) and No.9 Bond Protector Hair Serum.

K18 — Molecular Repair Oil. Patented biomimetic peptide technology for bond rebuilding.

L'Oréal Professionnel — Absolut Repair Molecular Oil, Metal Detox Oil, Vitamino Color Spectrum Glass Shine Serum, Aminexil Anti-Hair Loss Serum.

Redken — Acidic Bonding Concentrate 24/7 Night & Day Hair Serum, Cerafill Maximize Aminexil Ampules.

Goldwell — Just Smooth Taming Oil and a full serum range across Rich Repair, Just Smooth, Colour Brilliance, Colour Extra Rich, and Blondes.

Mycro Keratin — Madame Madame Liquid Gold Oil, Keraxir Smoothing Serum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hair oil or hair serum — which is better for frizzy hair? Both work but in different ways. Hair oil (Moroccanoil, Kérastase Elixir Ultime) seals the cuticle and adds weight. Anti-frizz serums (Paul Mitchell Super Skinny, Brasil Cacau, Goldwell Just Smooth) use silicones for instant smoothing. Many people use both — serum first for styling, oil second for finish.

Can I use a serum and an oil together? Yes — many professional routines layer them. Apply leave-in conditioner first, then a targeted serum (bond repair, smoothing, or scalp), then a finishing oil for shine. The order matters: lightest products first, heaviest last.

What's the best hair oil for damaged hair? For bond repair: Olaplex No.7, K18 Molecular Repair Oil, L'Oréal Absolut Repair Molecular Oil. For deep nourishment: Moroccanoil Treatment, Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum.

What's the best hair growth serum? For hair fall due to breakage: Kérastase Genesis Sérum Anti-Chute Fortifiant. For scalp-related hair loss: L'Oréal Aminexil Anti-Hair Loss Activator Serum, Mizani Miracle Length Hair Growth Serum, Newtrino nDNA Scalp Serum. For thinning: Hannon Scalp Therapy.

Will hair oil or serum make my hair greasy? Only if over-applied or applied too close to the scalp. Start with 2–4 drops; apply only to mid-lengths and ends. Lightweight dry oils (Moroccanoil Light, K18) and silicone serums are safer for fine hair than rich oils.

Why Buy Hair Oils & Serums from Partners Hair?

Partners Hair is an authorised stockist of every brand we carry — Moroccanoil, Kérastase, Olaplex, K18, L'Oréal Professionnel, Redken, Goldwell, Schwarzkopf, Joico, Mycro Keratin, Mizani, Paul Mitchell, Newtrino, Hannon, and more. All products 100% authentic, sourced directly from official South African distributors. Free delivery on orders over R390 across South Africa. For specific recommendations based on your hair type and concerns, our stylists at Cape Town salons can help you choose the right oil or serum for your routine.