Hair Oil Vs Hair Serum: How To Make The Right Choice?

Are you looking for a one-stop product that can address your multiple hair needs? Both hair oil and hair serum [1] can serve your purpose.

But before you zero in on a product, know that each of them have their own benefits. Both work differently depending on your hair type and requirements.

In this article, we help you understand their differences to narrow down your search.

Highlights:

• Is Hair Serum The Same As Hair Oil?
• Which Is Better For Hair? Serum Or Oil
• How Hair Serum Benefits Your Hair?
• How Hair Oil Benefits Your Hair?
• What's The Difference Between Hair Serum & Hair Oil?
• Can We Use Hair Serum And Oil Together?

Is Hair Serum The Same As Hair Oil?

No. Hair serums are used to treat your hair superficially and give your hair soft texture and shine instantly. On the other hand, hair oils work to nourish and condition your hair from the inside. The texture of your hair turns softer and lustrous over a number of applications.

Which Is Better For Hair? Serum Or Oil

Your hair benefits from using both serum as well as oil, when they have the right ingredients for your hair type, applied at the right time in the right manner and the right order.

Most of the hair serums are silicon-based solutions. These silicons build up on your hair due to their hydrophobic nature, turning your hair greasy and heavy.

“They also block your hair cuticles [2] from absorbing moisture, which in turn makes your hair brittle and dry over a period of time,” says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.

Hence, it is best to choose hair serums that are silicon-free. Herbal serums enriched with natural essential oils [3] can work wonders on any hair type.

Similarly, hair oils that work to pacify your aggravated doshas are recommended by Ayurveda for healthy hair growth. People with dry scalp and hair (Vata hair type) should opt for heavy oils such as coconut oil for deep nourishment. People with scalp inflammatory conditions (Pitta hair type) should opt for cooling oils. And, people with oily scalp (Kapha hair type) should opt for light oils such as jojoba oil and sweet almond oil.

How Hair Serum Benefits Your Hair?

1. With hair serums, it becomes easy for you to tame your frizzy hair.

2. By polishing your hair strands with a silky finish externally, hair serums gives instant shine to your hair.

3. Serum can act as a protective layer for your hair against environmental elements such as humidity, heat, pollutants, UV radiation [4], etc.

4. Using serums can bring instant softness to your hair as it fills the gaps in your hair cuticles.

How To Choose

• If you have dry and frizzy hair, it is better to go for serums with hydrating herbs such as aloe vera, rosemary, chamomile, etc.
• If you are experiencing split ends, you can choose a hair serum that is rich in keratin protein.
• For chemically treated hair, we recommend you to opt for a serum that contains green tea.
• Herbs such as lavender in your hair serum are good when you are someone who travels more in the sun.

How To Use

You need to apply hair serum on damp or wet hair after your hair wash. Take a few drops of serum and rub it gently onto your hair shaft from the midsection to the tips. Avoid hair serum on your scalp. You can use your hair serum 2-3 times a week post your hair wash.

How Hair Oil Benefits Your Hair?

1. Enriched with essential vitamins and minerals, hair oils promote exceptional nourishment to your follicles and hair.
2. The oils penetrate the deeper scalp tissues while the dosha-balancing herbs can repair and revitalize your follicles.
3. Oils help to strengthen your hair roots and thus minimise your hair fall.
4. Hair oils resolve your dry and frizzy problems by deeply conditioning your hair. Eventually, hair oiling turns your hair soft naturally.
5. Massaging your scalp[6] with oils enhances blood circulation, which increases the supply of essential nutrients from the blood to your follicles. This in turn promotes thicker and stronger hair growth.

How To Choose

Ayurveda recommends evaluating your dosha levels to choose the hair oil with the right and balancing ingredients for your hair types.

A. If you have elevated Vata levels, your hair tends to be highly dry, brittle, and frizzy with split ends. Hair oils with Vata dosha pacifying herbs such as yashtimadhu, brahmi, krishna tila, methika, etc. can effectively work for this hair type.

B. If you have elevated Pitta levels, you may have scalp inflammation, irritation, premature greying along dandruff caused by increased heat in your body. Cooling herbs such as nimba, japa, musta, etc. can be very useful to balance the Pitta dosha.

C. Hair oils with Kapha-reducing herbs such as gunja, devdar, sariyaka, etc. help control elevated sebum levels on your scalp, which in turn heals Kapha-related problems such microbial scalp infections, oily dandruff, scalp acne, etc.

How To Use

Apply oil thoroughly across your scalp. Massage your scalp gently for 2-5 minutes using fingertips. Later, apply some oil to the shaft portion and give your hair a gentle massage. Leave it overnight and wash your hair with an Ayurvedic shampoo the next morning.

You can plan your hair oiling twice or thrice a day before your hair wash.

Vedix Tip: Always warm your hair oil before applying it to your scalp and hair. This increases the penetration capacity of your hair oil into the deeper tissues.

What's The Difference Between Hair Serum & Hair Oil?

Can We Use Hair Serum And Oil Together?

Ideally, you need to oil your hair before hair wash and apply hair serum after your hair wash. However, you can apply little oil as a finisher to your hair locks after applying hair serum if you have extremely dry and frizzy hair.

“Make sure you do not use too much oil as it attracts dust and dirt from the environment when you step out,” says Dr. Zeel.

The Last Word

Besides serums that add shine and smooth texture to your hair, you may also start using hair regrowth serums which act on your scalp follicles rather than hair shaft. Hair oils are different from these scalp serums, which are typically meant for reactivating your dormant hair follicles and promote hair regrowth. At Vedix, we customize Ayurvedic hair oil, shampoo, and serum for your hair based on your elevated doshas and unique hair concerns.