Hair Serums vs. Hair Oils: Understanding the Differences

We all want to achieve shiny, healthy, frizz-free hair. But with so many haircare products, it can become overwhelming to understand what to use. Two products that often lead to confusion are hair serums and hair oils. While they might look similar and sometimes feel the same, they serve different purposes.

Let’s dive right in and provide a breakdown between hair serums and oils, exploring the options for your hair’s specific needs.

What are Hair Serums?

Hair serums are liquid-based leave-in treatments that form a protective layer over your hair strands. This layer gives the hair a shiny finish and helps to prevent environmental damage, like dust and humidity, from affecting your hair.

The main uses of hair serums include:

Frizz Control: Help reduce and control frizz, giving your hair a smooth finish
Environmental Protection: Shield against environmental pollutants and UV radiation
Shine: Add a glossy sheen to the hair, making your strands look and feel well-nourished and shiny

What are Hair Oils?

Hair oils, on the other hand, are primarily made up of natural oils. These oils penetrate deep into your hair strands, providing nourishment from within.

The main uses of hair oils include:

Nourishment: Help replenish the natural oils of your scalp and hair, ensuring deep hydration
Strengthening: Regular use can fortify your hair, preventing breakage and split ends
Scalp Health: Promote a healthy scalp by combatting dryness and dandruff

BondiBoost Hair Serums

Each of our serums are designed to target specific hair concerns. Here are the details of each – choose the one that suits your strands’ current needs.

Frizz Fix Serum: Smooth frizz and flyaways with this anti-frizz serum that visibly smooths and boosts shine. We’ve formulated this serum with a powerful six-oil blend that instantly tames unruly frizzy or wavy hair, leaving your strands visibly smoother, sleek and lustrous.
Heavenly Hydration Serum: Parched strands? This deeply hydrating serum floods the hair with hydration and Australian native superfruits. It then seals your strands with essential fatty acids and healthy oils for deeply hydrated, shinier, healthier-looking hair.
Rapid Repair Serum: Formulated specifically for damaged hair and split ends, this leave-in serum works to instantly repair 86% of your split ends after just one use! Plus, it’s infused with Australian native antioxidants Quandong Fruit and Lilly Pilly Extracts to boost your hair’s hydration and collagen levels.
Procapil ® Hair Tonic: This concentrated spray serum targets aging hair follicles at the root while treating your scalp with additional nourishing ingredients. It’s infused with 3% Procapil® and Green Coffee to snap aging hair follicles out of their slump. Plus, Horsetail Leaf adds strength while Pro Vitamin B5 and Glycerin hydrate and condition your scalp and hair.

If you’ve noticed your hair becoming thinner with age, this tonic can help promote longer, stronger, healthier-looking hair.

Intensive Spray: If you’re looking to nourish and hydrate your scalp for stronger-feeling strands, our Intensive Spray is the perfect match for you. A concentrated spray serum, it gets to the root of haircare, targeting your scalp with the nourishment that healthy hair needs. It’s infused with Tea Tree and Peppermint Oil to soothe the scalp, as well as Pro-Vitamin B5 to add scalp hydration, Horsetail Leaf Extract to encourage hair strength and nourishing fatty acids to give your scalp that extra oomph it needs to reach your hair goals.
Thickening Therapy Spray: Want instant plumping hydration for dramatic volume and thicker-looking hair? A lightweight spritz of this spray with thickening super-ingredients adds volume and lift from root to tip without drying or damaging your strands. Known for its plumping powers, Hyaluronic Acid increases the density of each strand while nutrient-rich vegan-friendly Collagen, Ginseng and Sea Kelp strengthen and replenish the hair, leaving your mane visibly thicker, fuller and healthier-looking.

Dry + Itchy Scalp Relief: Infused with Peppermint Oil and targeted actives, this gentle scalp mist acts fast to calm, soothe and relieve irritating dandruff symptoms such as itchy scalp and dryness. Pro Vitamin B5 intensely hydrates while Vitamin B3 and Arnica Extract strengthen, restore and revive the scalp. Cucumber Extract cools and soothes while also providing instant hydration. If you’re dealing with scalp irritation, this lightweight, soothing spray is the perfect serum treatment for you!
Curl Boss Booster Spray: Revive and redefine your curls with this lightweight leave-in curl-enhancing formula. Enriched with the botanical powerhouse duo, Kakadu Plum and Vitamin B5, it re-activates the curl, boosts shine and provides all-day frizz control and humidity defense.

BondiBoost Hair Oils

Formulated with a blend of powerful oils, our hair oils strengthen, nourish and support healthy hair growth.

Elixir Hair Oil: This rich and luxurious pre-shampoo treatment deeply nourishes your scalp and hair before you shower so you can wash away impurities without depleting your hair and scalp of its natural nutrients. It’s infused with Castor Oil to bolster the scalp and hair, Peppermint, Lavender and Arabica Coffee Oils to wake up follicles and soothe your scalp, and a blend of fatty acid rich oils to hydrate and condition every strand.
Heavenly Hydration Hair Oil: Dealing with dry, thirsty strands? Formulated with a 14-oil super-blend, rich in fatty acids and lipids, this product mimics the hair’s natural oils and provides rich conditioning and essential nourishment to parched strands, repairing damage, locking in moisture, taming frizz and protecting against UV damage. A few drops of this oil can also be added to your conditioner or mask before applying to your hair – a multi-tasking must-have!
Super Shine + Strength Oil: Damaged, dull or weak locks? This oil is powered by a high percentage of Argan Oil and is rich in essential fatty acids (including Omega-3, Omega-6 + Omega-9) that penetrate deeply to strengthen and replenish your hair’s natural lipid content for healthier and stronger strands.

Both hair serums and oils benefit the hair but serve different purposes. Serums offer protection, shine and control, while oils deeply nourish, strengthen and support scalp health. Depending on your hair type and specific needs, you may benefit from one or both of these products. Always consult with a hair care professional if you're unsure which product is best for you.

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