Hair extensions are a great way to add length, volume and style to your natural hair. But, much like your natural hair, they also require proper care and maintenance to keep them looking healthy and natural-looking.
One of the best ways to care for your hair extensions is to use the right oils to moisturise, nourish and protect them from damage.
Oils are essential for hair extensions because they help to replenish the natural oils that are lost during the processing and bonding of the extensions. Oils also help to seal the cuticles of the hair, preventing frizz, tangling and breakage. And it's not all just about stopping your extensions from getting ratty and tangled: oils can enhance the shine, softness and elasticity of your hair extensions too, making them look more natural and vibrant over a longer period of time.
But not all oils are created equal when it comes to hair extensions. Some oils are too heavy or greasy and can weigh down the hair or make it look oily. Other oils are too light and can evaporate quickly before they've even had a chance to work their magic. Some other oils aren't compatible with certain types of hair extensions or can interfere with their colour or texture.
In general, you'll want to look for oils that are natural, organic, cold-pressed and unrefined, as these contain more nutrients and antioxidants than refined or synthetic oils. Some of the best options around include grapeseed oil, almond oil, coconut oil, castor oil and argan oil.
We've rounded up all of the best oils for hair extensions
VIRTUE Healing Oil
The clue’s in the name: this Healing Oil smooths and protects dry, damaged hair in an instant as the first-and-only hair oil built with a powerful healing protein, giving hair its healthiest shine.
Virtue’s formula is a unique blend of pure, hydrating super oils and the brand’s hair-healing Alpha Keratin 60ku in one bottle. Use this shake-to-activate formula to encourage ingredients like Kalahari melon seed oil and Tahitian tiare flower to start working their magic, infusing each strand with healing proteins for a nourished, healthy glow.
Buy now £18.75, Sephora
JVN Hair Complete Nourishing Shine Drops
Extensions can start to look a little tired after a while and lose their glossiness. If that’s the case, you’ll want to apply a few drops of JVN Hair Complete Nourishing Shine Drops. A silicone-free, weightless, multi-tasking hair oil that reduces frizz, hydrates and protects from damage while instantly leaving a high-shine finish, these magic drops enhance hair’s shine thanks to hibiscus extract.
This ingredient gives a prismatic effect in the blink of an eye while providing deep nourishment. Bonus: a little goes a long way so you can use this bottle sparingly.
Buy now £21.00, Sephora
Moroccanoil Treatment Original
Argan oil is a top choice for nourishing damaged or dry hair and Moroccanoil Treatment Original pulls together everything you need to restore your hair to its best condition. Instantly absorbing, this hair oil eliminates frizz, easily detangles and volumises to give hair a new lease of life.
Moroccanoil works perfectly alongside coloured or over-styled hair as well as extensions, to inject vibrancy and vitality to your strands. The unique absorption properties mean the product is non-oily, blends with other styling products and speeds up drying time.
Buy now £14.45, lookfantastic
L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Absolut Repair 10 in 1 Leave in Oil
Crafted for people with dry, damaged hair - whether that’s growing from their head or bonded artificially - this fast-absorbing oil utilises wheat germ to deeply hydrate.
L’Oréal’s Professionnel Serie Expert Absolut Repair 10 in 1 offers a boost of enviable shine and gloss, working to reduce the look of split ends and flyaways and lessening knots and tangles, while its lightweight formulation avoids leaving a heavy, sticky build-up behind.
Buy now £28.95, lookfantastic
FABLE & MANE HoliRoots Pre-Wash Strengthening Treatment Hair Oil
An ancient Indian hair secret, this cult-favourite HoliRoots Pre-Wash Strengthening Treatment Hair Oil includes strengthening ashwagandha and an active blend of holistic plant roots to nourish your lengths.
Vegan, cruelty-free and formulated without silicones, this gorgeous hair oil smells incredible when applied and comes formulated with castor oil, which thickens, nourishes and hydrates hair all at once.
Buy now £43.90, Sephora
Kérastase Elixir Ultime L'Original Hair Oil
A must-have in your haircare routine if your extensions are starting to look a little frazzled, the Kérastase Elixir Ultime L’Original Hair Oil works as a primer, finisher or refresher, smoothing the appearance of split ends, while providing heat protection up to 230°C.
Its leave-in formula nourishes and visibly smooths hair for a soft, sleek finish. It also comes infused with a floral-woody scent of violet leaf, freesia, mandarin and musk, ensuring your hair doesn’t just look radiant but smells it too.
Buy now £48.50, lookfantastic
Wella Deluxe Rich Oil
Wella Deluxe Rich Oil utilises avocado, coconut and camellia seed oil to ensure a formula that’s just as rich as its name suggests. Infused with a blend of nourishing oils, this budget-friendly elixir offers 10 benefits to your hair: anti-breakage, nourishment, smoothness, UV protection, soft touch, easier brushing, detangling, frizz control, shine and manageability.
Dermatologically tested, it’s one of the best options for those struggling with a sensitive scalp as a result of hair extensions.
Buy now £7.99, Boots
System Professional Solar Sun Oil
Heading off on holiday soon? You’ll want to bring along a bottle of System Professional Solar Sun Oil if you’re hoping to keep your hair looking and feeling good. The rich formula combines UV Filters and a blend of luxurious oils, which protect and deeply condition locks, whilst a generous dose of keratin promotes long-lasting smoothness.
While it’s a thicker oil, it still feels lightweight on the hair, promising not to weigh it down. Designed to restore life to hair that’s been exposed to sun, salt and chlorine, it works wonders on extensions too.
Buy now £42.00, lookfantastic
Ogx Argan Oil of Morocco Penetrating Hair Oil
Formulated with a hydrating blend of rich cold-pressed Moroccan argan oil, the Ogx Argan Oil of Morocco Penetrating Hair Oil helps revive locks to leave them nourished and silky smooth. Ideal for all hair types and textures but especially ticking the boxes for hair extensions, this rich hair oil helps penetrate the hair shaft while renewing and softening hair.
Despite its core focus on argan oil, expect a gorgeous, soft citrus-fresh, floral-green and woody scent when you use this bottle.
Buy now £6.00, Amazon
Verdict
VIRTUE’s Healing Oil is a lightweight serum that hits the perfect midpoint of nourishing without weighing down your locks, whether they’re natural or artificial.
