Crispy tips – the enemy of all who value pretty hair.
If you are like me, hair dye has been friend and foe alike. Friend, because come on, who doesn’t love a gorgeous balayage? Foe, because the result is the unfortunate destruction of any semblance of health my hair once had.
As a result, I do all that I can to nevertheless enrich my hair with softness, smoothness, and not-burnt-to-a-crispness. One of the best tools for that has been hair oil.
The archaeological research I did for this article to learn about the history of hair oil brought up some cool results: While, as always, the Egyptians and Ancient Greeks did it first, I was surprised to find that some of the more proud users of hair oil were US Civil War soldiers.
They used a product called The Bear’s Oil, described by the Lexington Herald Leader as a “slick-’em-down product to tame unruly hair.”
Certainly, anti-frizz is one common use for hair oil, but it goes beyond that. Hair oil, when produced properly, can enrich the actual follicle and protect it from future damage. If you apply the right oil to the follicle, it can help healthy hair growth. This stuff is great – when used proportionately, of course! No one wants to look greasy.
The products I brought for you this week do just that: They are the best of the best at protecting, healing, and encouraging healthy hair. They were ranked for their application, shine, and hydrating properties.
Best Overall: Kérastase Premiere Repairing Anti-Frizz Filler Serum
NIS 230 | 90 ml.
No one does it quite like Kérastase, and this is yet another product that drives that fact home. This serum is lightweight, creamy, and smooth, and it seeps into the hair and makes the hair itself soft rather than leaving that plasticky coating over it that is so unbearable in many serums these days. Plus, it smells so good!
www.kerastase.co.il/
Best Budget: L’Oréal Paris Elvive Bond Repair Serum
NIS 55 | 150 ml.
This hair serum is one of the best I have ever tried. With L’Oréal, their products tend to be hit or miss, and this one is a home run. It’s oily but not greasy in the palm of your hand, and upon application it leaves the hair feeling moist rather than five-days-without-a-shower. After applying, the fingers aren’t left coated in a layer of ick, but rather all the product distributes into the hair. It truly leaves nothing to be desired. The hair is left brilliantly shiny and hydrated.
www.loreal-paris.co.il/
Best Scent: Hask Argan Oil Repairing Hair Oil
NIS 35 | 59 ml.
This oil smells INCREDIBLE... and that is the first time I’ve ever used all caps in a product review. It’s a lightweight formula despite being an oil, and the hair feel is immediately softer and moisturized. I have partially dyed hair, so split ends and I are besties, but the crispy-like-fried-chicken texture immediately left my hair upon application.
shop.super-pharm.co.il/
Best Protective Properties: Anna Zak & Sacara Protein Collection Hair Serum
NIS 35 | 125 ml.
The first thing you’re hit with is a lovely, fresh scent. Rubbing it in the hand, it’s slightly thicker than the usual serum but still nice and thin all in all. Upon application, it feels siliconey – in the best way. It coats the hair lightly, leaving it soft and shiny. This is intensely hydrating, so I’d recommend it for thicker, dryer, coarse hair. The ingredients in this entire collection are excellent: collagen, keratin, and vitamin C.
www.sacara.co.il/
Best Night Serum: Kérastase Nutritive 8H Magic Night Serum
NIS 202 | 90 ml.
This hair serum is creamy and pleasant, and it leaves the hair feeling lightly elevated and smelling divine. The longer-term effect, however, is where it really shines. It feels great going on the hair, leaving it shiny and healthy-looking.
www.kerastase.co.il/