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TheWashDay editorial · Updated · From the makers’ own pages · How we compare
An oil’s maker tells you where it goes, and that is how these seven differ. Mielle and Camille Rose are for the scalp; Bouclème puts Revive 5 between your curl cream and gel; Curlsmith’s Bonding Oil goes on fully dry hair to scrunch out a gel cast. None is sold as a leave-in or a styler.
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Hair and scalp oils whose makers publish a full ingredient list and directions, from the makers’ own US pages. We haven’t used or tested them, and commissions never change the list or its order.
On the scalp: Mielle, Camille Rose, PATTERN and Cécred
Mielle’s Rosemary Mint oil is massaged into the scalp in four sections, combed through to the ends and left in, daily if you like. Camille Rose’s Cocoa Nibs + Honey serum is massaged into the scalp every other night before bed and left until your next wash.
PATTERN’s Jojoba Oil Blend and Cécred’s Nourishing Hair Oil go on the scalp too, and on the hair. Mielle and Camille Rose don’t list their bottle sizes on their own pages.
Bouclème puts Revive 5 between your curl cream and your gel, to seal them in. PATTERN says to mix a few drops of its Jojoba blend into your leave-in conditioner; PATTERN sells it for low porosity hair and its Argan blend for high porosity. Cécred says to put its oil on towel-dried hair or mix it into conditioner.
Curlsmith’s Bonding Oil is the one made for a cast: once your hair is fully dry, scrunch it in to soften the gel, or use it to separate clumps for volume. Cécred says a little from mid-shaft to the ends after styling, for shine. Bouclème says Revive 5 can be smoothed over dry hair when dew points are high.
Bouclème says Revive 5 can go on dry hair from root to ends for 30 minutes or overnight before you wash. Mielle’s split-end method puts its oil on the ends under a processing cap for ten minutes, then you rinse and shampoo.
OLAPLEX Nº.7 names heat protection up to 450°F: two or three drops on damp or dry hair before heat styling. Bouclème says Revive 5 protects with a dryer or diffuser on low to medium heat, not with straighteners, and gives no number. The other five oils here don’t claim heat protection.
We haven’t used these oils; we compare what their makers publish. This isn’t a ranking. Words such as “strengthening” are the makers’ own, not results we checked. OLAPLEX Nº.7 lists two silicones; the other six lists name none.
Questions before your next wash
Should I put oil on wet or dry curly hair?
Where its maker says. Bouclème and PATTERN put theirs in with your wet-hair products; Curlsmith’s Bonding Oil goes on fully dry hair; OLAPLEX Nº.7 and Cécred’s oil work on either.
Can I use hair oil to scrunch out a gel cast?
Curlsmith sells its Bonding Oil for exactly that: on fully dry hair, scrunched in to soften the cast.
Does a hair oil replace a leave-in conditioner?
None of these makers says so. Bouclème layers its oil between cream and gel, and PATTERN mixes its oil into your leave-in.
